From: Chet Ramey Subject: Re: RFE: Echo dots option for 'read -s' Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:01:05 -0500
>> This change is to benefit the non-technical users who equate "no echo" with >> "refusing to accept input". It simply does not occur to them that input can >> be "invisible". >I suppose this is the people who never run ssh with login/password, who >are not permitted to use `sudo', and don't use other programs that >require a password. Just to be clear, the point is that the user *is* running one of those programs (or is simply trying to log into the system, although these days, there probably aren't many folks still using a (virtual) tty to login; most people use a GUI and even there, it probably is setup to auto-login to the desktop on boot) but is confused by the lack of echo and, as I mentioned in a prior post, ends up reaching for the power cord in order to get things working again. >Not echoing terminal input while reading sensitive >data is pretty well ingrained. Yes, but it would be nicer if it did echo something. I actually kind of like the idea of echoing random characters, but would settle for "*"s. ================================================================================= Please do not send me replies to my posts on the list. I always read the replies via the web archive, so CC'ing to me is unnecessary. When responding to my posts, please try to refrain from giving bureaucratic answers. If you have nothing useful to say, then just click Next and go on.
