I think the "-i" alias in /root/.bashrc are highly annoying (and to make it worse, cp now ignores "-f" if used with "-i"), and causes the "massive y syndrom" (pressing y all the time without reading). I would love for this alias to go away.
... I fail to see what the problem is with just editing it out after the fact. It is annoying, but it is a useful security feature for newbies (which we DON'T want to scare away, believe it or not). Anyway, just my two cents.
I also think they should simply "go away". People not thinking before typing must learn - perhaps the hard way. The "y-Syndrome" is a very good point.
Simple workaround: /bin/cp instead of cp Quote from "Unix System Administration Handbook", Nemeth, Snyder, Seebass and Hein, 2001, page 87: However, don't confuse users by "protecting" them from UNIX; entries such as alias dir ls -l alias rm rm -i alias cp cp -i are in poor taste.
After internal discussion, it was decided to leave them as-is.