Subject: Re: should we replace the shell?
To: Jason Downs <downsj@CSOS.ORST.EDU>
From: J.T. Conklin <jtc@cygnus.com>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 12/07/1994 15:28:53
>>>>> "Jason" == Jason Downs <downsj@CSOS.ORST.EDU> writes:

Jason> one of things i would point out, though, is that ``old timer''
Jason> ksh users tend to *really* dislike pdksh, because it misses
Jason> several features from ksh. (such as [[ ]] style constructs, at
Jason> least in the version i tried.)  so, something you might
Jason> consider is taking pdksh and filling in the missing pieces.

I don't know all the ksh features you missed, but I know that [[ ]]
was added to pdksh 5.1.  

The NOTES files included in the release contains the following list of
features that are not yet implemented:
    - exported aliases.
    - exported functions.
    - set -t.
    - signals/traps not cleared during functions.
    - trap DEBUG, local ERR and EXIT traps in functions.
    - ERRNO, LINENO, LINES parameters.
    - cd/pwd doesn't have -L or -P options (not all at&t ksh's have this).
    - extended file globbing/pattern matching (ei, [?*+@!](pattern list)).
      Also, doesn't have posix file globbing (eg, [[:alpha:]], etc.)
    - use of an `agent' to execute unreadable/setuid/setgid shell scripts
      (don't ask).

Are any of them particularly important?

	--jtc