Subject: Re: echo weirdness
To: None <current-users@NetBSD.org>
From: Christian Biere <christianbiere@gmx.de>
List: current-users
Date: 02/19/2004 00:22:30
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David Laight wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 17, 2004 at 04:44:18PM +0100, Christian Biere wrote:
> > manpage refers to echo(1) but /bin/echo doesn't understand '-e'. Isn't
> > this a doc-bug? Also /bin/sh doesn't use getopt-style parsing for the
=20
> Do not put your fingers into a bag of worms - they bite :-)

Rumour has it they're kind of nutritious, though. ;-)
=20
> Basically echo is required to be broken for compatibility.
> In particular BSD echo and SYSV echo are irreparably incompatible, and
> neither is (or can be made) getopt compatible.

Well, I just think that even the weirdest behaviour is acceptable as
long as it's documented. The hint to use printf instead of echo if in
doubt would be a worthwhile addition, too.

--=20
Christian

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