English Idiom in Unix: Directory Recursively

[Thorsten Kampe]

* Steven D'Aprano (25 May 2011 22:58:21 GMT)
> 
> On Wed, 25 May 2011 00:06:06 +0200, Rikishi42 wrote:
> 
> > What I mean is: I'm certain that over the years I've had more than 
one
> > person come to me and ask what 'Do you wish to delete this directory
> > recursively?' meant. BAut never have I been asked to explain what 'Do
> > you wish to delete this directory and it's subdirs/with all it's
> > contents?' meant. Never.
> 
> I know many people who have no idea what a directory is, let alone a 
> subdirectory, unless it's the phone directory. They're non-computer 
> users. Once they start using computers, they quickly work out what the 
> word means in context, or they ask and get told, and then they've learned 
> a new word and never need ask again. This is a good thing.
> 
> The idiom of "recursively delete" is no different. Of course some people 
> will have to learn a new term in order to make sense of it. So what?

It's not just a "new term". It tries to describe something which could 
be easily described in the terms of what is already known.

If someone has learned what a directory or folder is, you don't have to 
explain what "include sub-folders" means. Instead of creating a new 
mysterious term ("recursively delete"), you simply explain stuff by re-
using an already existing term. It's just that simple.

Thorsten