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1 | Introduction |
2 | ============ | |
726f6388 | 3 | |
bb70624e | 4 | This is GNU Bash, version 2.04. Bash is the GNU Project's Bourne |
ccc6cda3 | 5 | Again SHell, a complete implementation of the POSIX.2 shell spec, |
726f6388 | 6 | but also with interactive command line editing, job control on |
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7 | architectures that support it, csh-like features such as history |
8 | substitution and brace expansion, and a slew of other features. | |
9 | For more information on the features of Bash that are new to this | |
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10 | type of shell, see the file `doc/bashref.texi'. There is also a |
11 | large Unix-style man page. The man page is the definitive description | |
12 | of the shell's features. | |
726f6388 | 13 | |
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14 | See the file CWRU/POSIX.NOTES for a discussion of how Bash differs |
15 | from the POSIX.2 spec and a description of the Bash `posix mode'. | |
726f6388 | 16 | |
ccc6cda3 | 17 | There are some user-visible incompatibilities between this version |
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18 | of Bash and the previous widely-distributed version, bash-1.14. |
19 | For details, see the file COMPAT. The NEWS file tersely lists | |
20 | features that are new in this release. | |
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21 | |
22 | Bash is free software, distributed under the terms of the GNU Public | |
23 | License, version 2. For more information, see the file COPYING. | |
24 | ||
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25 | A number of frequently-asked questions are answered in the file |
26 | `doc/FAQ'. | |
27 | ||
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28 | To compile Bash, try typing `./configure', then `make'. Bash |
29 | auto-configures the build process, so no further intervention | |
30 | should be necessary. Bash builds with `gcc' by default if it is | |
31 | available. If you want to use `cc' instead, type | |
32 | ||
33 | CC=cc ./configure | |
34 | ||
35 | if you are using a Bourne-style shell. If you are not, the following | |
36 | may work: | |
37 | ||
38 | env CC=cc ./configure | |
39 | ||
40 | Read the file INSTALL in this directory for more information about how | |
41 | to customize and control the build process. The file NOTES contains | |
42 | platform-specific installation and configuration information. | |
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43 | |
44 | If you are a csh user and wish to convert your csh aliases to Bash | |
ccc6cda3 | 45 | aliases, you may wish to use the script `examples/misc/alias-conv.sh' |
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46 | as a starting point. The script `examples/misc/cshtobash' is a |
47 | more ambitious script that attempts to do a more complete job. | |
726f6388 | 48 | |
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49 | Reporting Bugs |
50 | ============== | |
51 | ||
b72432fd | 52 | Bug reports for bash should be sent to: |
726f6388 | 53 | |
bb70624e | 54 | bug-bash@gnu.org |
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55 | |
56 | using the `bashbug' program that is built and installed at the same | |
57 | time as bash. | |
58 | ||
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59 | The discussion list `bug-bash@gnu.org' often contains information |
60 | about new ports of Bash, or discussions of new features or behavior | |
61 | changes that people would like. This mailing list is also available | |
62 | as a usenet newsgroup: gnu.bash.bug. | |
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63 | |
64 | When you send a bug report, please use the `bashbug' program that is | |
65 | built at the same time as bash. If bash fails to build, try building | |
66 | bashbug directly with `make bashbug'. If you cannot build `bashbug', | |
bb70624e | 67 | please send mail to bug-bash@gnu.org with the following information: |
d166f048 | 68 | |
b72432fd | 69 | * the version number and release status of Bash (e.g., 2.01-release) |
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70 | * the machine and OS that it is running on (look at the file |
71 | `.made' in the bash build directory) | |
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72 | * a list of the compilation flags or the contents of `config.h', if |
73 | appropriate | |
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74 | * a description of the bug |
75 | * a recipe for recreating the bug reliably | |
76 | * a fix for the bug if you have one! | |
77 | ||
78 | The `bashbug' program includes much of this automatically. | |
79 | ||
d166f048 | 80 | If you would like to contact the Bash maintainers directly, send mail |
bb70624e | 81 | to bash-maintainers@gnu.org. |
ccc6cda3 | 82 | |
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83 | While the Bash maintainers do not promise to fix all bugs, we would |
84 | like this shell to be the best that we can make it. | |
85 | ||
86 | Enjoy! | |
87 | ||
88 | Chet Ramey | |
89 | chet@po.cwru.edu |