You're right, of course. However, often you won't get GNU utils on a system where the vendor packaged versions of those same utils work just fine.
thor
Feel the white light, the light within
Be your own disciple, fan the sparks of will
For all of us waiting, your kingdom will come
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So, install it? One installs Perl modules as well. I've set up, and encountered on other peoples boxes a /usr/local/gnu (or something similar) many times. Because you want that GNU extension often enough to have the commonly used tools always available.
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- Because sometimes people ask "why?" instead of "why not?".
- Because sometimes you can't always have what you want.
- Because sometimes the hassle of trying to do such a thing is outweighed by the benefit gained.
I'm not an administrator where I work. In order to get things like this on a production (or any other) box, I'd have to log a request, attend at least two meetings, and various other overhead. I've learned to do my job just fine in the absence of the GNU utilities. I just have to take the long way around sometimes.
thor
Feel the white light, the light within
Be your own disciple, fan the sparks of will
For all of us waiting, your kingdom will come
| [reply] |