Question of sort(1)

[Paul Goyette <paul%whooppee.com@localhost>]

If I use the input file

	# cat IN
	a-1/x
	a-0/y
	a/z
	#

and execute 'sort -t / -k 1 < IN' (field separator is /, sort on first 
field) I get (what I believe to be) incorrect results:

	# sort -k1 -t / < IN
	a-0/y
	a-1/x
	a/z
	#

I would expect the record with the short value for field 1 to be first 
in the output.

Interestingly, it works as expected if the field delimiter is set to a 
space (and the input data updated accordingly):

	# sort -k1 -t ' ' < IN
	a z
	a-0 y
	a-1 x
	#

(It also works if no delimiter is specified on the command line, which 
defaults to "a sequence of blank-space characters".)


So, is this a bug?  Or is this working-as-designed (and therefore my 
expectations need to be reset)?


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