Autzoo.1551
net.bugs.v7
utzoo!henry
Tue Apr 13 20:06:33 1982
expr(1) misfeature
Expr's : operator (pattern match), unlike every other pattern-matching
facility in Unix, insists on matching the WHOLE string or failing.  This
inconsistency trips up everyone who tries to use the @#$% thing for the
first time.  There is no reason for it;  expr could use the ^$ convention
for anchored matching the same way awk does.  Is there some reason for
this botch?