rm -rf * What would it do and why would you use it?

[fp at casabellagallery.com]

Walter posted:

> > Some one logged in last night using rm -rf * as a user ID at about 9:00 PM
> > last night.  I'm not sure who actually did but I traced the IP (166.82.96.28) 
> 
> No that was me working on too many windows last night and not watching what has 
> focus. I was remote desktoped and thought I was typing that into a putty window.
> When nothing happened I had that "oh $hit moment" when the window didn't 
> respond. Having only one eye working at 60% these days sucks, but I should have 
> made sure I had the right window in focus before typing...
> 
> It looked like it didn't cause any problems because a few seconds later I saw 
> something update on the right hand side, cause when I saw what I did I said the 
> standard admin prayer, "Please let him have a backup", and when I saw life a 
> second later I saw that it was answered. I guess I should have written you, but 
> within that same minute my wife walked in the bedroom, needed to talk with me, 
> then the boys needed running into bed, and that was the rest of the night.
> 

And this is why one should "never" rush to judgment.


Jose