Re: ed doesn't understand ~ or $HOME

[Hans-Bernhard Broeker]

Dan Jacobson <address@hidden> wrote:
> ed doesn't understand ~ or $HOME in filenames, at least its w and r
> commands don't, and the man page [1994 version] doesn't mention it.
> Also if one adds trailing spaces they get appended to the filename,
> but I don't know if that is a bug or just correct behaviour.

Correct behaviour --- ed is about the single most traditionally
limited Unix program in the whole GNU collection.  And given the fact
that hardly anyone uses ed manually any more, these days, that had
better not change, IMHO.  Anything that has an even remote chance of
breaking existing scripts and tools that use 'ed' as a backend to edit
files in-place would cause more harm than it's worth.

-- 
Hans-Bernhard Broeker (address@hidden)
Even if all the snow were burnt, ashes would remain.