On Tue, Apr 08, 2025 at 09:18:20PM +0300, Mikhail wrote:
>    man scp says:
>    -3 Copies between two remote hosts are transferred through the local
>    host.  Without this option the data is copied directly between the two
>    remote hosts.  Note that, when using the legacy SCP protocol (via the
>    -O flag), this option selects batch mode for the second host as scp
>    cannot ask for passwords or passphrases for both hosts.  This mode is
>    the default.
>    I understand "This mode is the default" as that your copies will be
>    through your host (meaning I donât need to pass -3 - it is default),
>    but if so, how do I get different behavior, where files being copied
>    directly between two remote hosts? Man page says "without this option",
>    but how can I not pass it if it is âdefaultâ?
> 
>    Not native speaker.Â

yes, it;s definitely a bit ambiguous.

i suspect that direct copies between remote hosts is the default, and -3
changes that. and that "This mode is the default" refers to batch mode
when using -O, not the -3 option.

i'll wait for a ssh dev to respond before offering a diff...

jmc