[clug] Cut a file in place.

[Bob Edwards]

On 18/9/19 11:57 am, Paul Wayper via linux wrote:
> Personally I think it's worth pointing to the XY problem - and I'll probably
> use another explanatory page in future - because I think a lot of us are used
> to thinking that we *do* are actually solving the problem we have in the
> 'right' way.  When we just ask for a specific bit of knowledge, we don't give
> ourselves the opportunity to see outside our narrow focus and find out an
> overall solution that is better.
> 
> Hence I encourage people to tell us the whole problem - including things
> they've already tried - when they're asking for a solution.  The rsync case is
> a perfect example of a problem with a well known, robust solution that, if we
> didn't have it, would involve a lot of complications and hard work.
> 
> Anyway, I think it's also proven that we can come up with lots of possible
> solutions when given an interesting problem :-)
> 
> Hope this helps,
> 
> Paul
> 

Hi Paul,

We can agree to differ.

I would disagree with: "a lot of us are used to thinking that we *do*
are actually solving the problem we have in the 'right' way".

Some of us may think that. I doubt that lots of _us_ do.

I think most people know when they are out of their depth and will ask
for help for their problem. If people want to help but can see that
some important information is missing, they can ask for that info. In
all other cases, it is none of their business what the OP wanted to
use the solution for.

I think _requiring_ people to spell out their entire use case just so
the rest of us can get our jollies at their expense is just too elitist.

The rsync case is a perfect example of where the responder ("greycat")
didn't help at all, but made the OP feel disrespected. I am still not
convinced that rsync can deal with corrupted files, which is what the
OP of that post wanted to use his solution for.

cheers,
Bob Edwards