bug in cp: cp -r copies symlinks as symlinks

[Ben Slusky]

address@hidden:~$ touch quux
address@hidden:~$ mkdir foo
address@hidden:~$ ln -s ../quux foo/quux
address@hidden:~$ ls -l foo
total 0
lrwxrwxrwx    1 me       us              7 Dec 11 07:59 quux -> ../quux
address@hidden:~$ cp -r foo bar
address@hidden:~$ ls -l bar
total 0
lrwxrwxrwx    1 me       us              7 Dec 11 07:59 quux -> ../quux

IMHO (and I don't think I'm alone) this is the wrong behavior for cp. cp
should have made a copy of quux, not another symlink to quux. If I wanted
a symlink I would have used tar.

Yes, I've found the -L switch, but this has always been the default
behavior.

Maybe this new behavior could happen only if the -R switch is used?

I'd appreciate a reply (even if it's just "Well we like it better this
way and that's that").

Thanks,

-- 
Ben Slusky                      | It is amazing how many eggs
address@hidden  | one can break without making a
"will program for food"         | decent omelette. 
PGP keyID ADA44B3B              |       -Charles P. Issawi