updatedb fails silently

[J Krugman]

If I run

  % updatedb --paths=/home/krugman --output=/home/krugman/.locatedb

the command returns *instantly* (even though there are a few
gigabytes' worth of files under /home/krugman), and the output file
is only 10 bytes.  Needless to say

  % locate -d /home/krugman/.locatedb file_i_know_exists

always fails (no output and a nonzero return value).

Bug or feature?

jill
-- 
To  s&e^n]d  me  m~a}i]l  r%e*m?o\v[e  bit from my a|d)d:r{e:s]s.