I have had people I am teaching say the same thing, "Yeah, I know it's a directory!"
+1 on the AIX style of message. It is clear, offers a (likely correct) suggestion, and is brief. Paul On Wed, Nov 16, 2016 at 8:29 PM, Samuel Thibault <[email protected]> wrote: > Paul Eggert, on Wed 16 Nov 2016 17:25:18 -0800, wrote: > > On 11/16/2016 05:07 PM, Pádraig Brady wrote: > > >we copy the directory but not the contents. > > >I'll adjust to: > > > > > > "not recursing; omitting directory '/foo/bar'" > > > > > How about using the traditional wording, e.g., Solaris? > > > > $ cp /etc /tmp > > cp: /etc: is a directory > > > > That's pretty clear. > > That'd still make my students speechless: "yes, it's a directory, so > what?!" > > > AIX is more verbose and is even clearer: > > > > $ cp /etc /tmp > > cp: 0653-436 /etc is a directory. > > Specify -r or -R to copy. > > That looks more along what I suggested in my latest previous mail :) > > Samuel > > > >
