usrbinrm

usrbinrm is a fictional command-line utility designed to act as an enhanced, safety-conscious replacement for the Unix rm command. Supposed to reside in the /usr/bin directory, the project frames itself as a tool that preserves the rapid deletion workflow of rm while adding auditable safeguards to reduce accidental data loss.

Design and features: Key features include a mandatory confirmation stage for recursive deletions, a dry-run mode that prints proposed actions without modifying the filesystem, and an auditable log of all operations. It supports directory whitelists and write-protection checks, configurable safety thresholds, and an optional alias to invoke the standard rm where compatibility is required. Configuration is provided via a system-wide file and a user-specific override, typically /etc/usrbinrm.conf and ~/.config/usrbinrm.conf. The tool is described as POSIX-compatible and designed to integrate with existing shell environments.

History and status: In the fictional project narrative, usrbinrm emerged from discussions about safer command-line practices in open-source communities. It is depicted as having been discussed for adoption in teaching materials and hypothetical deployments that prioritize auditability over speed in sensitive environments. No real-world widespread adoption or official maintenance team is associated with usrbinrm, and it remains a hypothetical construct for educational purposes.

Usage: Invocation patterns imitate those of rm, for example usrbinrm [OPTIONS] FILE... with options such as --dry-run, --log=FILE, and --confirm. Users are encouraged to rely on the dry-run mode when testing deletion commands and to review audit logs before performing irreversible actions.

See also: rm, /usr/bin, Unix-like systems, command-line safety, data deletion auditing.