HEADS UP: tar -l is now (intentionally) broken.

[Svein Halvor Halvorsen]

[Roman Neuhauser, 2004-08-03]
>  > $ tar -cl foo
>  >   Error: -l has different behaviors in different tars.
>  >     For the GNU behavior, use --one-file-system instead.
>  >     For the POSIX behavior, use --check-links instead.
:  :
>  > In short, everyone wins on -o, everyone loses
>  > on -l.  That seems fair.  ;-)
>
>      I believe "loses" is the keyword here. I don't see how this
>      would benefit anyone in the long term, sticking with either
>      side would be better (but please choose POSIX :).


Theoretically, I'm with you, but if I'm going to be pragmatic, I have to
say that if any one of the -l behaviours are to be the default, it should
be the GNU one, despite it beeing non-POSIX. GNU tar has been in the base
system forever now, and it's become the expected version. We should strive
to be POSIX-compliant, but also try to be true to the history of things.

Also, since it's possible to get undesired effect from using the wrong
option, I say stick to the historical-compliant implementation, -or- give
an error. Don't break compability just for the sake of beeing POSIX-
compliant. It's BSD, not POSIX (og GNU for that matter -- or even SysV)


Svein Halvor
(A FreeBSD dilletant that's interferring with 'the big guys')