macOS is this the right command?

I believe that's correct but why would you want to do that? And if so why not just format your hard drive instead?

That command will just hose your system. Don't run it.

sudo = basically giving it root privileges.
rm = remove
r= recursive
f = force
/ = root of the drive.

So it'll go through your harddrive deleting everything as well as anything attached to it.

Just open up Disk Utility in Utilities. Select the external drive and select the erase option. In there you can choose some option going all the way up to 35 passes.

If you want to do this to the internal drive you'll have to boot from the install DVD and use disk utility there.

Well if you really want to be sure I'd melt the drives down.

With 35 passes it is pretty safe to assume that no general person can recover the files, now the NSA that is a different matter.

Incidentally, Disk Utility *is* secure. sudo rm -rf just deletes the file in the standard way. It's not secure from data recovery at all, any more than just dragging the file to the trash.

Mindcrime13 said:

cuz theres some info in my computer that i really dont want anyone to or try see or to get with a recovery tool

Click to expand...

You can just put it in the trash and choose secure empty trash...

wow you must have pretty bad friend if you are going down this route.

In that case don't erase your whole machine. Just delete the python files and in disk utility you can choose to erase your free hard drive space. You can choose the multiple pass option. Honestly I wouldn't bother going over it more than 1 or 2 times... any more than that and your friend is probably just crazy and I would seek new friends.