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Re: A PREFIX_SEPARATOR bug in binutils 2.9

   From: hjl@lucon.org (H.J. Lu)
   Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 12:34:46 -0700 (PDT)

   > Why not encourage people to write the prefix on a separate line, which
   > works for both a.out and ELF?
   > 

   That is a separate issue. Since PREFIX_SEPARATOR is wrong on ELF, we
   should fix it. I think we can change it

   #define PREFIX_SEPARATOR '\\'

   so that everyone will be happy.

I am questioning the need for PREFIX_SEPERATOR at all.  I don't see
any particular reason to use it on ELF if it is not required and if no
other ELF assembler supports it.

Since changing PREFIX_SEPERATOR to a backslash won't help any existing
code, nor help any person that I know of, nor conform to any existing
documentation, I don't see any reason to do it.

I think it would make more sense to remove PREFIX_SEPERATOR entirely
from the i386 ELF assembler.  However, since the existing assembler
appears to work, and it has many far more serious coding problems,
that would be a zero priority change.

Ian