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0 pointsphzbOx14y ago0 comments

Yeah, well the thing is I never had to use it before. But a package required it, so with a quick google-fu it said to include --force. What wasn't clear is that you had to do a --force for only that package.. while I simply added it to my already crafted command. (I.e. ctrl-p --force <enter>). Let's say I've learned that one the hard way ;)

0 comments

keenerd14y ago

You should be using Pacmatic. The --force thing was a news feed item, and Pacmatic would have shown you the official news before you could have done damage.

leif14y ago

I didn't know about this (on and off, but current and likely more consistent in the future arch user). From me, and anyone in my position, thank you.

phzbOxOP14y ago

Thanks, that's interesting!

drzaiusapelord14y ago

This is why I'll never jump on the "GUIs are for stupid people" bandwagon.

humbledrone14y ago

This issue is completely orthogonal to whether or not a GUI was in use. The text UI could just have easily asked for confirmation, and a graphical UI could easily allow the user to shoot themselves in the foot.

st0p14y ago

Even though I agree with your statement, do you truly believe that if a GUI had presented the options Yes/No/Cancel/Force or whatever, that less people would have suffered from issues like this? I probably would have used that --force flag on a non production system and a GUI would even make that decision more easy for me...

phzbOxOP14y ago

Well, the thing is that it complained about only one particular file which I didn't care and knew it was safe to --force on it. So, basically, you type:

  foo -abc

And it tells you, "Can't alter file bar.conf".

After a google search you read, "bar.conf needs the --force switch to be altered".

So you're like, fine..

  foo -abc --force

* Everything crash *

Next reboot,

"Press <enter> to get in the shell"

Me pressing enter.. and even the keyboard isn't working.

That's what happened.

chimeracoder14y ago

This has nothing to do with a GUI vs. command-line interface. You're confusing the decision of what information to present with how to present it.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

keenerd14y ago

You should be using Pacmatic. The --force thing was a news feed item, and Pacmatic would have shown you the official news before you could have done damage.

leif14y ago

I didn't know about this (on and off, but current and likely more consistent in the future arch user). From me, and anyone in my position, thank you.

phzbOxOP14y ago

Thanks, that's interesting!

drzaiusapelord14y ago

This is why I'll never jump on the "GUIs are for stupid people" bandwagon.

humbledrone14y ago

st0p14y ago

phzbOxOP14y ago

Well, the thing is that it complained about only one particular file which I didn't care and knew it was safe to --force on it. So, basically, you type:

  foo -abc

And it tells you, "Can't alter file bar.conf".

After a google search you read, "bar.conf needs the --force switch to be altered".

So you're like, fine..

  foo -abc --force

* Everything crash *

Next reboot,

"Press <enter> to get in the shell"

Me pressing enter.. and even the keyboard isn't working.

That's what happened.

chimeracoder14y ago

This has nothing to do with a GUI vs. command-line interface. You're confusing the decision of what information to present with how to present it.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse