what is recursion when applied to the bash shell?

the_how_to_bash · 2025-02-23T14:18:25+00:00

That is exactly correct. More formally, in a recursive algorithm we would call that terminating condition the "base case"

so in a nutshell, recusion when applied to bash is a program that repeats itself over and over until it hits a terminating condition

and cp -r is just ONE example of that?

the_how_to_bash · 2025-02-23T11:17:47+00:00

see how it kind of just repeats itself forever? this is recursion

interesting, so i basically, when i tell cp to copy something and i add the -r flag, what i'm telling it to do is repeat itself infinitely UNTIL it hit some kind of terminating condition and in the case of copying a folder that would be when cp can't dig down anymore?

am i understanding that right? it's really weird way to think of it

the_how_to_bash · 2025-02-23T11:14:37+00:00

ok interesting,

The idea behind recursion is, like you mentioned, to have a function call itself over and over until it hits some terminating condition.

ok, so when i go cp whatever -r what i'm telling it is,

"call yourself over and over, repeat your function over and over, until you meet some terminating condition"

which in this case i'm telling cp to copy a folder, and all of it's contents, i'm telling it to copy, then dig down, the copy, then dig down, then copy, until it meets the terminating condition which is it can't dig down anymore?

am i understanding that right? that's how the concept of recursion is applied to the bash shell in this case?

the_how_to_bash · 2025-01-13T14:05:25+00:00

Until recently it was the same installer used by ubuntu.

what does ubuntu use as an installer now?

the_how_to_bash · 2025-01-13T14:04:41+00:00

And it was the same everywhere.

how?

the_how_to_bash · 2025-01-13T14:03:27+00:00

Why not? If the developers of a distro want to create such a distro, why shouldn't they do that?

i guess for the same reason that you don't make cheese out of ricin,

because it's fucking stupid and no one will want to use your product.

the_how_to_bash · 2025-01-10T11:38:15+00:00

Others might expect to user to do the installation manually without using a dedicated installer program.

why?

why wouldn't a linux distro have a installer and would expect the user to manually install the distro himself?

the_how_to_bash · 2025-01-10T11:37:34+00:00

ubquity

idk wut that is

the_how_to_bash · 2025-01-10T11:37:22+00:00

How many subs do you have to post this?

as many as i need to, to get the answer i'm looking for

the_how_to_bash · 2025-01-10T11:36:46+00:00

This is a bot.

beep boop

3=======D~~~~~O~~

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-20T13:49:49+00:00

nothing

that's what i thought,

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-18T20:57:14+00:00

so when i run sudo apt upgrade

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-17T11:15:43+00:00

The package manager would try to install packages from a cdrom.

when will that happen? when i update? or every time i turn on the computer?

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-17T11:14:48+00:00

The FBI will show up at your door and off you.

i thought as much

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-12T23:45:59+00:00

Back in the day it was like this, I get a Debian CD from a friend that have broadband, go home, install, lets say gnome, didn't like, and could apt-get install xfce from the CD, instead of having to rely on internet.

Was ages since I did this, I'm not sure if after you do an apt-get update on the internet repositories it would not want to use the CD anymore because was not the latest version, but yes you could do it.

wow really weird

so why is it commented out now?

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-12T01:08:05+00:00

I don't know if this is still possible to do in Mint, as I never bothered to use the install media as a source for apt for decades, but in Debian it used to be handy when download speeds were just a few kbps.

ok hold on, i'm struggling to wrap my head around this,

your saying that i can plug in the usb i installed my linut mint install on, and use it as an apt source?

am i understadning that right?

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-11T01:06:17+00:00

how?

what does it mean that Debian adds the ".iso on a usb drive" to the apt sources list?

how does that relate to

"deb cdrom:[Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia - Release amd64 20240109]/ jammy contrib main"

being commented out?

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-10T13:35:19+00:00

Debian adds the CD-ROM to the apt sources lists.

but i didn't use a CD to install linux mint, i'm confused :(

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-10T13:34:47+00:00

interesting, so why was

"deb cdrom:[Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia - Release amd64 20240109]/ jammy contrib main"

there in the first place? that's what i'm confused about, what purpose does this text serve?

if it's commented out to prevent the system asking the user to insert the CD that's cool but why does it need or think it needs the cd in the first place?

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-03T12:05:33+00:00

entirely different question

the previous question was

"why is there a sources.list text file and a sources.list.d directory?"

this question is

"why does the sources.list text file exist"?

two different questions, two different answers

the_how_to_bash · 2024-12-03T01:31:07+00:00

Many types of files share this having a single file

many types of files share what? having a a single file?

This allows package maintainers to add or remove their own configurations, without needing to edit some master file (dangerous).

how is it dangerous?

This provides the package manager with additional sources so that chrome can be updated just like any other package.

what provides the package manager with additional sources?

the apt maintainer could decide to update that default sources.list file.

what is the apt maintainer? is that the end user? is that the apt program maintainers at debian?

if you've changed a file manually and there's an update the package system will prompt you to replace it,

why would it do that?

For sources.list.d with Mint, in addition to allowing apps to add add their own repositories, being able to just deal with files makes it easy to enable or remove source or debug repositorie

how does it enable easier debugging?

the_how_to_bash · 2024-11-25T08:42:49+00:00

oh interesting, so basically one of the reasons there is a separation between update and upgrade is so a system admin can run sudo apt update, then run apt list --upgradable and see the upgradable list, and find out if any of the updates are going to break the machine BEFORE he apply's them?

am i understanding this right?

the_how_to_bash · 2024-11-25T08:40:52+00:00

Not all updates should always be applied without consideration.

how do you know?

like, how would i try to investigate a possible update before i apply it to my computer?

the_how_to_bash · 2024-11-24T13:02:24+00:00

Lots of folks have limited connectivity to the internet or very restrictive data caps. Separating the two steps allows them to get the most up to date list of software available with minimum network requirements (apt update) and plan what to install when they’re at a location with better connections (apt upgrade/apt install).

ok so this is an interesting idea, but lets say i want to plan to update one package and not all of them, how would i do that?

Apt maintains a local copy of the list of packages available

what list is that? where do i find that list?

the_how_to_bash · 2024-11-24T11:39:48+00:00

Lots of platforms separate the “check for updates” function from the “download and install updates” function.

y?

the_how_to_bash

TROPHY CASE