bug#24958: Please make "omitting directory" message clearer

[Paul Vint]

I have had people I am teaching say the same thing, "Yeah, I know it's a
directory!"

+1 on the AIX style of message. It is clear, offers a (likely correct)
suggestion, and is brief.

Paul

On Wed, Nov 16, 2016 at 8:29 PM, Samuel Thibault <address@hidden>
wrote:

> Paul Eggert, on Wed 16 Nov 2016 17:25:18 -0800, wrote:
> > On 11/16/2016 05:07 PM, Pádraig Brady wrote:
> > >we copy the directory but not the contents.
> > >I'll adjust to:
> > >
> > >   "not recursing; omitting directory '/foo/bar'"
> > >
> > How about using the traditional wording, e.g., Solaris?
> >
> > $ cp /etc /tmp
> > cp: /etc: is a directory
> >
> > That's pretty clear.
>
> That'd still make my students speechless: "yes, it's a directory, so
> what?!"
>
> > AIX is more verbose and is even clearer:
> >
> > $ cp /etc /tmp
> > cp: 0653-436  /etc is a directory.
> >         Specify -r or -R to copy.
>
> That looks more along what I suggested in my latest previous mail :)
>
> Samuel
>
>
>
>