Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sunybcs!boulder!hao!oddjob!gargoyle!ihnp4!ihlpl!jhh From: jhh@ihlpl.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng Subject: Re: Request for human interface design anecdotes (and a cure?) Message-ID: <3336@ihlpl.ATT.COM> Date: Thu, 3-Dec-87 19:22:32 EST Article-I.D.: ihlpl.3336 Posted: Thu Dec 3 19:22:32 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 6-Dec-87 20:49:53 EST References: <3103@psuvax1.psu.edu> <1987Nov21.014754.19660@sq.uucp> <6304@ncoast.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois Lines: 17 Summary: Editor that ignores (w) bit's absence In article <6304@ncoast.UUCP>, allbery@ncoast.UUCP (Brandon Allbery) writes: > bsd% rm foo > foo 444 mode _ > > $ rm foo #system V > foo: 444 mode ? _ > > The biggest problem with this is that it's rather difficult to edit a C > program that's been "rm"-proofed in this manner.... A popular editor here at Bell Labs (Montgomery's emacs) is very easy to use on 444 files, as long as the directory is writable. When a write operation is requested, and the file is not writable, it asks if the user wants to write anyhow, and if so, it removes the file, creates a new one, and resets it to the original ownership and permissions. I find that much easier than being frustrated with vi or ed leaving me stuck in either readonly mode, or any other similar state.