Re: unset variables, was Re: please correct my ugly hack

[Paul Eggert]

Dan Manthey <address@hidden> writes:

> It's documented that the builtin `unset' is non-portable, but what about
> the use of unset variables vs. empty variables?  Is this distinction
> always meaningful?

Yes.

> Also, I know that ${var:-default} is not portable.  Is
> ${var-default}?

Yes.

> For that matter, I know you can set bash to error out on $var for an
> unset var

Let's not do that, please.  Let's stick to traditional behavior
blessed by POSIX.  If Bash's behavior is inherited I suppose we should
turn it off.