xbps-install: Pressing Enter at confirmation prompt should ignore or require explicit input (prevent accidental proceed) #695

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1. classabbyamp commented on Aug 15, 2026

   

   classabbyamp

   on Aug 15, 2026

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   this is an intentional design decision, following the common convention where the default is captalized ([Y/n])
2. RandallFlagg commented on Aug 15, 2026

   

   RandallFlagg

   on Aug 15, 2026

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   Understood but if the convention is [Y/n] and hitting Enter triggers the uppercase default, then for a safe fallback where hitting Enter does not execute the action, shouldn't the capitalized letter be N (i.e. [y/N])?
3. Vaelatern commented on Aug 16, 2026

   

   Vaelatern

   on Aug 16, 2026

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   Yes, if the default were to say no, then it's [y/N]. Looping forever would be [y/n]. That would be the convention.
4. RandallFlagg commented on Aug 18, 2026

   

   RandallFlagg

   on Aug 18, 2026

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   I will ask it differntly, why the default is Y? There are times this can be a destructive operation. if you want to say yes so much, pass the y flag. Feels like a bad practice and would be happy to change the default behaviour or at least understand what was te logic that maybe I am missing.
5. Duncaen commented on Aug 18, 2026

   

   Duncaen

   on Aug 18, 2026

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   Its been like this for over ten years, I don't think its going to change.

   I don't think xbps is an outlier here, the only programs I can think of where yes is not the default are things like cfdisk and other highly destructive actions.

   apk-tools% rg -i -e 'y/n' -e 'n/y'
   src/commit.c
   462:                    printf("Do you want to continue [Y/n]? ");
   

   pacman% rg yesno
   ./src/pacman/sync.c
   143:    if(!yesno(_("Do you want to remove unused repositories?"))) {
   190:                    if(!yesno(_("Do you want to remove all other packages from cache?"))) {
   838:            confirm = yesno(_("Proceed with download?"));
   840:            confirm = yesno(_("Proceed with installation?"));
   
   ./src/pacman/callback.c
   446:                                    q->install = yesno(_("%s is in IgnorePkg/IgnoreGroup. Install anyway?"),
   456:                            q->replace = yesno(_("Replace %s with %s/%s?"),
   532:                            q->remove = yesno(_("File %s is corrupted (%s).\n"
   543:                                    q->import = yesno(_("Import PGP key %s?"),
   546:                                    q->import = yesno(_("Import PGP key %s, \"%s\"?"),
   
   ./src/pacman/remove.c
   163:    if(yesno(_("Do you want to remove these packages?")) == 0) {
   

   pacman% rg noyes
   src/pacman/callback.c
   468:                                    q->remove = noyes(_("%s-%s%s%s and %s-%s%s%s are in conflict. Remove %s?"),
   479:                                    q->remove = noyes(_("%s-%s%s%s and %s-%s%s%s are in conflict (%s). Remove %s?"),
   509:                            q->skip = noyes(_n(
   
   src/pacman/remove.c
   143:    if(holdpkg && (noyes(_("HoldPkg was found in target list. Do you want to continue?")) == 0)) {
   
   src/pacman/sync.c
   196:                    if(!noyes(_("Do you want to remove ALL files from cache?"))) {
   
6. Vaelatern commented on Aug 20, 2026

   

   Vaelatern

   on Aug 20, 2026

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   The presence of the prompt is enough. We don't prompt unnecessarily and there is a default-yes flag for when you don't want to review at all. I would like the default behaviour to remain [Y/n].
7. Maseru898 commented on Aug 20, 2026

   

   Maseru898

   on Aug 20, 2026

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   I don't think xbps is an outlier here, the only programs I can think of where yes is not the default are things like cfdisk and other highly destructive actions.

   FreeBSD's pkg uses No as a default while emacs forces you to explicitly type yes or no. So its not unheard of, its just not as common as most people prefer convenience over security.

   In FreeBSD, you have the choice however. N is the default out of the box but you can set a variable in pkg.conf to make Y the default. Having the choice usually is a good idea imho

   

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