ash builtin function `read' called without arguments...

[Cristian Ionescu-Idbohrn]

...sets implicit variable REPLY, even though ASH_BASH_COMPAT is not 
set.

That was introduced in 2010-01-12 with commit 
045f4ad92c07434625e168bc8c37aa0e89f6e58e.  The comment is still 
present in the code:

+               /* $IFS splitting. NOT done if we run "read"
+                * without variable names (bash compat).
+                * Thus, "read" and "read REPLY" are not the same.
+                */

Still, this is a bashism and should be tested with IF_ASH_BASH_COMPAT.

Dash does not support that:

$ read
dash: 1: read: arg count

and The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 6 does not document that 
behaviour.

Yes, I suspect the "feature" may be already abused.

What do you think?


Cheers,

-- 
Cristian