Re: Clearer wording for ssh.1 -o option=value

[Jason McIntyre <jmc_(_at_)_kerhand_(_dot_)_co_(_dot_)_uk>]

On Thu, Dec 22, 2005 at 09:46:06PM +0100, Han Boetes wrote:
> While reading man ssh I got slightly confused about the syntax of
> the -o option. Actually I had to guess. I'd like to suggest this
> change since I think it would be clearer.
> 
> Index: ssh.1
> ===================================================================
> RCS file: /cvs/src/usr.bin/ssh/ssh.1,v
> retrieving revision 1.217
> diff -u -p -r1.217 ssh.1
> --- ssh.1	8 Dec 2005 14:59:44 -0000	1.217
> +++ ssh.1	22 Dec 2005 20:39:03 -0000
> @@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
>  .Ek
>  .Op Fl m Ar mac_spec
>  .Op Fl O Ar ctl_cmd
> -.Op Fl o Ar option
> +.Op Fl o Ar option=value
>  .Op Fl p Ar port
>  .Oo Fl R\ \&
>  .Sm off
> @@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ Valid commands are:
>  (check that the master process is running) and
>  .Dq exit
>  (request the master to exit).
> -.It Fl o Ar option
> +.It Fl o Ar option=value
>  Can be used to give options in the format used in the configuration file.
>  This is useful for specifying options for which there is no separate
>  command-line flag.
> 

the description of -o in ssh(1) says:
	Can be used to give options in the format used in the
	configuration file.

the man page for the configuration file (ssh_config(5)) explains the format:
	The configuration file has the following format: ...
	[keep reading]

notice also this bit (about the use of `='):
	...the later form is useful when specifying configuration options...

that is pretty explicit. so this will work too:

	$ ssh -o "TCPKeepAlive yes" host

and since the `=' is optional, i'm not sure your diff is a helpful
addition.

jmc