What does "clean" mean?

[McGravity]

I cannot find anywhere a definition or description of what "clean" means in this context, and I find that unusual and suspicious.   Basically it might mean "delete" or "erase", both terms being well-known and understood.   I would hope it means "erase" - that is the destruction of the data so that it cannot be recovered but in that case one would expect at least a brief  description of the process used.   I would certainly not buy any software which omitted this basic information. 

[Augeas]

CC will do both, that is delete and erase files. The default is to run the equivalent of a shift/del deletion, and that action varies depending on the O/S and storage device. There is an option to set overwriting files on deletion as the default.

 

I guess it's difficult to find a catch-all word. After all, 'CC will delete files from your computer' is rather off-putting. And erase doesn't mean erase, but overwrite. And delete doesn't mean delete, but remove from the file tables (I've no idea what the MAC version is). So clean maybe isn't so bad a word to use.

[McGravity]

I don't see the necessity of having a catch-all word.   Why not say "delete" when you mean delete, and "erase" when you mean erase?    Both words are absolutely standard and well-known.   And anyway, why bother to delete anything when you can erase it?.  Your answer is evasive and confusing, and has confirmed my intention of having nothing to do with CCleaner.

[Augeas]

OK, as you wish.

[nodles]

And anyway, why bother to delete anything when you can erase it?

Faster & doesn't wear out SSD?

[Nergal]

To boil this suggestion down your request is that the developers change the word "clean" on the action button to either "erase" or "delete", correct?

 

I think the clean is self explanatory. It's a part of the program's name, and is a phraseology used by Microsoft itself if I'm not mistaken. I think erase and delete could be construed as being just as ambiguous as you describe your understanding of the clean button.

 

So I close my comment with: All suggestions are read by the developers, and viable ones that are popular are often implemented; I don't personally see this one as all that useful, but that is only my opinion

 

[mta]

@McGravity,

If you find a better program with comparable capabilities with understandable terminology, please report back.

[Andavari]

Getting upset over the choice of a button name is silly -- in my opinion. 

[Alan_B]

Getting upset over the choice of a button name is silly -- in my opinion. 

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