Solved: Problem with bash login.

[James R. Van Zandt]

   X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.0 (2005-09-13) on 
	   vanzandt.comcast.net
   X-Spam-Level: 
   X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.0 required=6.0 tests=AWL,MSGID_FROM_MTA_HEADER 
	   autolearn=unavailable version=3.1.0
   X-Originating-IP: [199.125.75.14]
   Mail-Reply-To: "Michael ODonnell" <michael.odonnell at comcast.net>
   From: "Michael ODonnell" <michael.odonnell at comcast.net>
   Mail-Followup-To: "GNHLUG" <gnhlug-discuss at mail.gnhlug.org>
   Reply-To: "GNHLUG" <gnhlug-discuss at mail.gnhlug.org>
   Comments: In-reply-to "Ben Scott" <dragonhawk at gmail.com>
      message dated "Tue, 01 Aug 2006 15:31:14 -0400."
   Sender: gnhlug-discuss-admin at mail.gnhlug.org
   X-Original-Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 16:52:22 -0400
   Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 16:52:22 -0400



>   > It is more useful to explain the semantics of bash initialization
>   > files then it is to call one "correct".
>
>   The authors of the (remarkably complete) man page for bash
>   apparently agree with you, since they made no arch pronouncements
>   about what is "right" and "wrong" usage of the files in question.
>   Instead, they just supplied (mostly in the INVOCATION section)
>   a fairly concise description of when those files come into play.

I have always been frustrated by that part of the bash man page.  I
wish they would add an example or two.  Setting environment variables
in .bash_profile and not in .bashrc would be one.  I know another
issue is where to execute programs that print things out - like
fortune or calendar.  You don't want those to run every time you do
"ssh hostname somecommand" from another machine.  At present I have

  calendar -f $HOME/.calendar

in .profile, and also

  calc(){
   perl -e "use Math::Complex; print (($1) . \"\\n\");"
  }

Would there be advantages in moving either of those to .bash_profile?
There are a lot of combinations to work out.

          - Jim Van Zandt