read(1) garbage when input redirected from make incorrectly

[Tod McQuillin]

On Tue, 16 Feb 2010, Garrett Cooper wrote:

> [gcooper at optimus ~]$ python -c 'import sys; sys.stdin.read()' < make -V
> bash: make: No such file or directory
> [gcooper at optimus ~]$ perl -e 'while (<>) { print; }' < make -V
> bash: make: No such file or directory

No, you have to say:

python -c 'import sys; sys.stdin.read()' < /usr/bin/make

perl -e 'while (<>) { print; }' < /usr/bin/make -V

What was happening in your first example is that the actual file 
/usr/bin/make on disk is being read directly ... /usr/bin/make is never 
executed at all.  That is why your hexdump showed an ELF header -- it came 
from /usr/bin/make which is an ELF executable.
-- 
Tod