From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Fri Sep 19 07:41:39 2003
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B6B4D16A4B3
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Fri, 19 Sep 2003 07:41:39 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from wonkity.com (wonkity.com [65.173.111.5])
	by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9496F43FE0
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Fri, 19 Sep 2003 07:41:38 -0700 (PDT)
	(envelope-from wblock@wonkity.com)
Received: from wonkity.com (localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by wonkity.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id h8JEfbCu099263;
	Fri, 19 Sep 2003 08:41:37 -0600 (MDT)
	(envelope-from wblock@wonkity.com)
Received: from localhost (wblock@localhost)
	by wonkity.com (8.12.9/8.12.9/Submit) with ESMTP id h8JEfb8j099260;
	Fri, 19 Sep 2003 08:41:37 -0600 (MDT)
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2003 08:41:36 -0600 (MDT)
From: Warren Block <wblock@wonkity.com>
To: Karlsson Mikael HKI/SOSV <mikael.karlsson@hel.fi>
In-Reply-To: <JA8AAAAAAgH8RAABYQADV7qgzdhU@master.hel.fi>
Message-ID: <20030919083627.K99065@wonkity.com>
References: <JA8AAAAAAgFWOQABYQADV7qgzdhU@master.hel.fi>
	<JA8AAAAAAgH8RAABYQADV7qgzdhU@master.hel.fi>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject: Re:Re: Cat a directory
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>,
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>,
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2003 14:41:39 -0000

On Thu, 19 Sep 2003, Karlsson Mikael HKI/SOSV wrote:

> I personally think that some of these tests should be added to the
> real distributable version of cat that comes with FreeBSD cause I
> can't be the only one that this bugs. I mean what could a little more
> code hurt to the program since cat isn't supposed to read binary
> files.

Says who?  cat works fine on binary files.  The problem you are having
is that people are using cat to *display* files.  "Fixing" that problem
could break cat for its more standard use: cat binaryfile | filter |
etc.

> Other *NIX systems seem to have done this to their cat program so why
> can't FreeBSD?

See above.

> and why is this already done to less and not cat?

less is made to display files.  It's the correct tool for the job.

-Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota USA