Do you like confirmation when deleting a file?

[+Warwagon MVC]

By default Windows 8 / 10 / 11 disable the delete confirmation dialog box. That means if a file or folder is currently selected, when you press delete, instead of asking you if you wish to delete the file .. it goes *POOOF* into the recycle bin.

If you right click on the recycle bin and select properties you can select "Display delet confirmation dialog box"

Now when you delete a file you are prompted asking if you are sure you wish to delete it.

I

Some people have told me they when deleting something they don't want to be bothered having to click yes. Personally I find it horrifying, that with that option off (Default), I could delete something and not even know it.

So the question of the day is

Do you like confirmation when deleting a file?

[+FloatingFatMan Subscriber¹]

I find few things more irritating than the old cycle of "Are you sure?"  then "Are you really sure?", then "Are you really REALLY sure?" nonsense.  If I clicked delete, it's because I want it gone... ESPECIALLY if I shift-deleted. Quit holding my hand, I'm not 5!

 

[Brandon H Supervisor]

Haven't answered the poll as it's not just a simple yes/no for me.

I don't mind the dialog for items that will delete right away without going to the recycle/trash bin for obvious reasons of that can't (easily) be undone.

As long as I can ctrl+z or go to the recycle/trash bin and restore a file if needed then I don't need to see a confirmation dialog.

[+Warwagon MVC]

  On 03/03/2023 at 15:58, Brandon H said:

Haven't answered the poll as it's not just a simple yes/no for me.

I don't mind the dialog for items that will delete right away without going to the recycle/trash bin for obvious reasons of that can't (easily) be undone.

As long as I can ctrl+z or go to the recycle/trash bin and restore a file if needed then I don't need to see a confirmation dialog.

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Gave you an option.

 

[ThaCrip]

Yes, I like it like it is.

it's the same on Linux Mint where in file manager if you have a file highlighted, press the 'delete' key, it instantly goes to the 'Trash' (Recycle Bin) and then one has to right click the Trash (either on desktop icon, which is not there by default on most recent Mint 21.1 or in the file manager), select 'empty trash' and then one final confirmation for it to be truly gone.

[+Warwagon MVC]

What happens on a network share when you press delete? does it go into a recycle bin? Or is it just erased?

What if you had a cat and it walks across your keyboard pressing delete?

[ThaCrip]

  On 03/03/2023 at 16:23, Warwagon said:

What happens on a network share when you press delete? does it go into a recycle bin? Or is it just erased?

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I just did a quick test on my Mint setup. my main PC (Mint 21.1-Xfce(all three of my computers use this)) has a Samba share on a certain folder location with create/write/delete access and pressing 'delete' on a folder in that share (so the laptop is accessing my main PC's share) it has the delete confirmation popup in the one with the Samba share before permanent deletion occurs and then allowing it to proceed permanently deletes the folder/file.

but on the other share I also have setup on my main PC through Samba, that has read-only access as I just ran a quick test by creating a folder in that share location on my main PC, then through another computer (laptop) I tried to delete that share through it's file manager accessing that share by pressing 'delete' key and the delete confirmation appears and I proceed to allow that confirmation to proceed but it errors saying no permission like expected since I set that share folder to read-only.

p.s. I primarily setup that Samba share (the one with create/write/delete access) on my main PC so when I use Clonezilla to image my two backup computers (a old desktop and a laptop) boot drive I can store the image it creates on my main PC's hard drive through the Samba share though the network.

 

  On 03/03/2023 at 16:23, Warwagon said:

What if you had a cat and it walks across your keyboard pressing delete?

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-Normal file manager would just imediately send it to the Recycle Bin (Trash).

-Pressing 'delete' accessing a Samba share through file manager has a delete confirmation dialog before permanent deletion.

[Skyfrog]

Ever since Windows 95 introduced it I have always completely disabled the recycle bin and hidden it, so I do like to have the confirmation just in case I hit del by mistake or something. When I do want to delete a file I just hold shift and hit delete so I don't have to answer the confirmation anyway, but that's not something you can really do accidentally.

[xrobwx71]

I voted no but thats only on my personal systems. Work is a yes.

[Matthew S.]

The only time you should ever get a confirmation is when it's a permanent delete (eg. shift+delete) otherwise the recycle bin is your last defense.

[+Warwagon MVC]

  On 03/03/2023 at 22:27, Matthew S. said:

The only time you should ever get a confirmation is when it's a permanent delete (eg. shift+delete) otherwise the recycle bin is your last defense.

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assuming you knew it was in there. If when you ran something like ccleaner and by default it empties the recycle bin and you didn't know it was there.

[Matthew S.]

At that point it would be the users own fault for running something like CCleaner in the first place 😛

[Sir Topham Hatt]

I do like a confirmation box but from an efficiency point of view.

If I know I will need to delete some files in a moment - say, if something is unzipping then I used to be able to select the Zip file, click delete and then wait until it had finished.  This meant I could click away and go elsewhere and delete the file after it's finished unzipping.

I can't do that now, so it means I have to wait until it's finished before navigating away.

I haven't tested whether opening a new tab will deselect that file or not.

 

But I also enjoy filling the recycle bin as much as I can so when I eventually decide to empty it, I can watch all the little "how much space you have left indicators" go up.

[aioraito]

I always enable it for new install of Windows 8/8.1/10/11 and select always show icon instead of thumbnail in folder options [and compact view in Windows 11]...

[+Thom Vee Subscriber²]

Yes, I have the recycle bin set to delete immediately.

[JustGeorge]

I'm far from perfect so yes, I don't mind confirmations. What I do mind are unnecessary clicks and obfuscation of functionality to push a desired usage agenda. 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Not regular delete (that is what the recycle bin is for) ... for Shift+Del (which I mostly use)...yup.

[Max Norris]

I have the policy enabled for the confirmation for shift-delete, personally I do like that extra check when you're shift-deleting or emptying the recycle bin. It helps me prevent an "I done goofed" moment, especially for newer files that wouldn't be on a backup image yet. Regular recycle bin delete though nah it's unnecessary as it's not really deleted yet. 

[cork1958]

  On 03/03/2023 at 15:54, FloatingFatMan said:

I find few things more irritating than the old cycle of "Are you sure?"  then "Are you really sure?", then "Are you really REALLY sure?" nonsense.  If I clicked delete, it's because I want it gone... ESPECIALLY if I shift-deleted. Quit holding my hand, I'm not 5!

 

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^^^^

Exactly

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

A single confirmation is all that is necessary for me however, if it is going to prompt me on every single file when trying to delete in bulk I will gain a furious need to harm someone lol.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

I've got both of my systems set up so that it doesn't ask me to confirm. But it does move it to the recycle bin. I don't think that I've ever used shift+delete, perhaps because I'm too clumsy or never that sure that I want the file gone.

Case in point, while writing this I accidentally hit a wrong key and it removed almost all of what I had written. No big deal, but it's easier to have the fall-back of hitting Ctrl+Z when something goes wrong.