diff --git a/ex17-ec.rb b/ex17-ec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ed5ed2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ex17-ec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+
+from_file, to_file = ARGV
+script = $0
+
+puts "Copying from #{from_file} to #{to_file}"
+
+# we could do these two on one line too, how?
+input = File.open(from_file)
+indata = input.read()
+
+puts "The input file is #{indata.length} bytes long"
+
+puts "Does the output file exist? #{File.exists? to_file}"
+puts "Ready, hit RETURN to continue, CTRL-C to abort."
+STDIN.gets
+
+output = File.open(to_file, 'w')
+output.write(indata)
+
+puts "Alright, all done."
+
+output.close()
+input.close()