In message <20000128170408.94C8B1B2C@mabelode.imrryr.org>, "R. C. Dowdeswell" w
rites:
>$ grep -q foo /dev/zero
>grep: memory exhausted

>With -q grep should not have to store the whole line since it does not
>need to output it.

Fair enough; it only needs to store something somewhere between the length
of the pattern and 2* the length of the pattern, with a fixed pattern.

Still, I see why they did it, even though in this case I think it's crufty.

*sigh*.

-s