[50 character or so descriptive subject here (for reference)]

[Jonathan Amery]

Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: i686
OS: linux-gnu
Compiler: gcc
Compilation CFLAGS:  -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='i686' 
-DCONF_OSTYPE='linux-gnu' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='i686-pc-linux-gnu' 
-DCONF_VENDOR='pc' -DSHELL -DHAVE_CONFIG_H  -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64  -I.  -I. 
-I./lib -I/usr/include -O2 -pipe -fsigned-char
uname output: Linux vermont 2.2.13 #1 Mon Nov 8 15:51:29 CET 1999 i686 unknown
Machine Type: i686-pc-linux-gnu

Bash Version: 2.03
Patch Level: 0
Release Status: release

Description:

        The info file says that in the context of prompts:

`\w'
     The current working directory.

`\W' The basename of `$PWD'.

        However:

bash # export PS1='\[\033[1;36m\]\h:\w#\[\033[0m\] '
vermont:/ext2b/what\ the\ bloody\ hell\ is\ going\ on\ here# export 
PS1='\[\033[1;36m\]\h:\W#\[\033[0m\] '
vermont:what\ the\ bloody\ hell\ is\ going\ on\ here# export 
PS1='\[\033[1;36m\]\h:$PWD#\[\033[0m\] '
vermont:/ext2b/what the bloody hell is going on here# 

 (Namely that the quoting rules are different for \w and \W than for $PWD)

Repeat-By:

 See above

Fix:

 Correct the documentation, or rationalise the quoting rules.