Hello, folks.

Apparently, current NetBSD tar no longer accepts the option
"--sparse", to handle sparse files efficiently.  I looked at
the docs for tar, cpio and pax, and there is no mention of
handling sparse files anywhere.

I know that I can still have GNU tar as a package to make
sure sparse files won't cause my archives to grow with zeroes
and -- what's worse -- bloat my file system in the event of
restoring the back-up.  However, is there any undocumented
ability in tar/pax/cpio to work with sparse files?  If there
isn't, would there be any problem with extending the tools
we ship NetBSD with for providing such feature (like making
our archives not portable to other systems)?

Regards.
-- 
	Pappires

... Qui habet aurem audiat quid Spiritus dicat ecclesiis.