Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rice!sun-spots-request
From: hesh@lll-crg.llnl.gov (Chris Steinbroner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sun
Subject: Re: a.out =?= executable
Keywords: Miscellaneous
Message-ID: <5903@brazos.Rice.edu>
Date: 19 Mar 90 23:45:40 GMT
Sender: root@rice.edu
Organization: Sun-Spots
Lines: 11
Approved: Sun-Spots@rice.edu
X-Refs:  Original: v9n88
X-Sun-Spots-Digest: Volume 9, Issue 88, message 15

> > according to the as(1) man page, the default output is "a.out."
> > traditionally, as(1) produces a ".o"...
> > can someone please explain how and why as(1) has changed?
> 
> It hasn't.  as(1) has produced "a.out" by default since at least Fifth
> Edition, circa 1975, and probably from the beginning.  "as foo.s" gives
> "a.out", and always has.

it has been discovered that AT&T deviated from the "traditional" behaviour
and changed as(1) to produce "foo.o".  Sun and Berkeley versions retain
the old ways.