i asked rsync not removing single quotes around array of strings --filter list on ServerFault, but it was closed as off-topic without explanation.

i am trying to automate a safe way to move files from multiple machines that came to our business with an acquisition. i specifically mention safe because i know these machines are heavily infected with malware and cannot have them boot up on our HIPAA protected LAN. i posted the question to ServerFault because that is the site where i found the most relevant existing answers to my questions. A very similar question about mutt on ServerFault is referenced, but that is not closed.

Maybe a better solution would be to tag the question with SuperUser, StackOverflow or some other means so that i can continue to do my JOB until at such time that it definitively belongs on another site.

I do not know any sysadmins who consider simple bash scripting software development.