> From: Me > To: Gary > Subject: Holy crap… > > $ rm -r /cvs > rm: remove write-protected regular file > ‘/cvs/foobar/Attic/DateComparator.java,v’? > ^C > > Can you help me figure out how much damage I did? > > -Jay

For those who don’t know, CVS is a program used for storing source code. An entire development department’s source code is usually stored in a single directory. And “rm -r” nukes entire directories (and all subdirectories).

Someone up there must like me, because that “write-protected file” was the very first thing it hit, and I cancelled it immediately. Otherwise, it would have nuked the entire department’s work (for the day, at least). In Gary’s words, they would have had to string me up.