tar options/function designators

[Jan B. Andersen]

rvp at softserver.canberra.edu.au (Rey Paulo) writes:
>zcat file.tar.Z | tar -xvf -
		       ^
		       |
Maybe a silly question, but what are the net-opinion on using '-' when
specifying tar functions? Personally I don't do it, as the function letters
aren't optional [sic].

>-- 
>Rey V. Paulo                  | Internet:  rvp at csc.canberra.edu.au 
>University of Canberra        | I am not bound to please thee with my answer. 
>AUSTRALIA                     |         -Shylock, in "The Merchant of Venice" 
>------------------------------+----------------------------------------------
-- 
      /|  / Jan B. Andersen                        /^^^\     .----------------.
     / | /  RUC, Hus 19,1     jba at dat.ruc.dk      { o_o }    | SIMULA does it |
    /--|/   Postbox 260       DG-passer at ruc.dk     \ o / --> | with CLASS     |
`--'   '    DK-4000 Roskilde  Postmaster at ruc.dk --mm---mm--  `----------------'