Description of problem: "/usr/bin/tail +<lines>" no longer works. One must use "tail -n +<lines>". Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): coreutils-5.97-11 How reproducible: Run the tail command with +<lines> Steps to Reproduce: 1. /usr/bin/tail +3 /etc/motd and see it tries to open "+3" as a file: Actual results: # /usr/bin/tail +3 /etc/motd /usr/bin/tail: cannot open `+3' for reading: No such file or directory ==> /etc/motd <== Expected results: (as seen on FC 4) $ /usr/bin/tail -n +3 /etc/motd $ rpm -qf /usr/bin/tail coreutils-5.2.1-48.1 Additional info: This specifcally breaks the Real Networks Producer 11 installation script. The +<lines> syntax for tail has been there forever.
Please read the info page about Standards Conformance: info coreutils 'Standards Conformance' In particular, you can re-enable this '+2' behaviour by setting an environment variable: For example, if you have a newer system but are running software that assumes an older version of POSIX and uses `sort +1' or `tail +10', you can work around any compatibility problems by setting `_POSIX2_VERSION=199209' in your environment. *** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 187479 ***