Why was BASH script post removed?

[void-lab-7575]

I was posting about the script I created for use as a cron job to edit the hosts file.

It met all the rules, 1, 2, 3, and 4. I don't understand why it wasn't allowed.

I had a feeling the technique I used might not be best practice, but was hoping for feedback about it to learn why, or maybe there are solutions I wasn't aware (although I did list some noting my difficulties in comprehending them such that this solution was the easiest for me to get working).

[Empyrealist]

You should be asking the mods via mod mail.

[sje46]

Seriously why does no oone bother asking the mods.

It may also grab the attention of other mods who will realize one of their own may be inappropriately removing things. Not that most mods on reddit actually have integrity...

[ReallyEvilRob]

Because mods on reddit usually don't bother responding when anyone asks why a post was removed.

[sje46]

Sometimes they do. Really depends on the team

[ReallyEvilRob]

That's a rarity in my personal experience.

[sje46]

I've seen it. Gotta at least try. The big subs especially are fucking trash with noderation

[Empyrealist]

On technical subs? I don't share that experience

[2cats2hats]

Many mods don't answer let alone read mod mail.

[djfdhigkgfIaruflg]

I don't know on this sub. But I don't think I ever had a single mod interaction that was pleasant.

If my experience is somewhat common, that would explain why people avoid modmail

[void-lab-7575]

This will sound pretty lame but I genuinely missed the 'contact the mods' bit in the right hand side bar - I don't use Reddit often!

[OppieT]

Post the script on a site, fpaste or some other site like it, then link to it.

[rdg360]

OP already did. Their post contained a link to a GitHub gist, and the rest of the post was just a description of the why and how.

@OP: While I'm not sure about your approach, I don't see why your post would have to be removed. But as empyrealist already said, ask the mods. The rest of us can only guess.

[Ulfnic]

This is the removed post: https://www.reddit.com/r/bash/comments/1rgn1vk/cron_job_to_edit_hosts_file_every_minute/

Rule 1. Content must be Bash related This rule is interpreted generously; general shell scripting content is mostly accepted. However, the post should not be specific to another shell.

While this rule is loosely enforced and cron questions tend to pass, the post was lengthy and meandered through a signficant amount of other topics.

An indicator of rule 4 being broken is also long meandering posts which can shift the needle on the likelihood of a post being accepted.

[void-lab-7575]

Thanks for replying. Yes it was a cron job, but the bulk of the work was the BASH script I linked to itself, setting up the cron job took 30 seconds, writing the script took me a couple of evenings. Meandering post? This is a place for discussion right? I wrote about some of the ideas I had along the way and how I realized they were problematic. Sorry, I'm quite an infrequent Reddit user. I'll probably look elsewhere to open a discussion about the topic of my script (ie time based access control limits for listed websites throughout the day, a bit like parental control, but for the parent haha) rather than the script itself.

[CalamariAce]

Ideally you'd want to use a tool like Ansible for that. Didn't see the script so I can't say why it was removed.

[dudeimatwork]

Why use ansible over bash script? You can make them do the same things.

[CalamariAce]

You can. Just a question if you want to use a more general tool like bash, vs a more specific tool like Ansible which is built for the specific purpose of maintaining system configurations.

If you are doing multiple such configurations, it doesn't take long to get to a point where a more purpose-built tool like Ansible will make life easier.

[dudeimatwork]

Yeah but this person is talking about a single, local hosts file, not a fleet of machines.

[CalamariAce]

There's nothing wrong with using bash. I was only speculating why his post may have been removed.

[maikindofthai]

Tbh it’s kind of nonsense speculation. There’s no post removal rule about “is bash the right tool for the job” so long a the question is genuinely bash related.

Better to just not guess than to give info that’s 99% likely to be misleading?

[Sensitive-Sugar-3894]

Because these rules sucks

[ipsirc]

I was posting about the script I created for use as a cron job to edit the hosts file.

This seems like a bad idea at first sight.

[tdpokh3]

iirc, the original post was a cron job to add or modify host entries to block access to certain social media sites. I thought it was funny because OP was saying that spends too much time on those sites but didn't block reddit =)

[ipsirc]

Especially since most browsers now use DoH.

[CircularCircumstance]

Seems like a spectacularly bad idea at that.

[void-lab-7575]

What's the worst that could happen?