Subject: Re: Deleting directories in lisp From: Erik Naggum <erik@naggum.net> Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2002 22:18:01 GMT Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp Message-ID: <3233773080842596@naggum.net> * Paul D. Lathrop | I am writing some file-manipulation functions that I would find useful and I | have run into a problem I cannot seem to find a method of using lisp to | delete directories. I think you should not do that. I think it is a serious error for any user program to assume the role of administrator, even over files it has created. I am constantly annoyed by user programs that assume that I want to overwrite files. That is none of their business. If a file exists with the name they also want to use, it may still be important to me, and I would really like the user program not to delete its contents so I have to drag it back from a backup disk. With real file versions, this would never be a problem, but since Unix and Windows do not suppport file versions, the accidental loss of information they so strongly favor and cause is a major pain. So I think that if you want system administration tools, you should not look for help in the language, but in the system administration subsystem, and you should make a strong distinction between user program and administrators. Not so strong, of course, that you would need to do a serious change of identity, but strong enough that you do not accidentally lose or destroy information. -- Guide to non-spammers: If you want to send me a business proposal, please be specific and do not put "business proposal" in the Subject header. If it is urgent, do not use the word "urgent". If you need an immediate answer, give me a reason, do not shout "for your immediate attention". Thank you.