shell_cmd -- returns nothing [was: plot does not work [gnuplot is ok]].

[maechler]

Hello dear Ocatve Gurus,
yesterday  I wrote about 'plot' not working with the following error
message:

> octave:1> show
> warning: plot: unable to open pipe to `gnuplot'
> ------------------------------------------------------

Now, I found out that the whole interface to the shell seems somehow
broken. The following commands give ``unexpected'' results:

        ls      \
        dir     /  give no answer
        pwd :   okay

        shell_cmd : NO Answer, e.g.,
------------------------------------------------
octave:2> shell_cmd("finger",1)
ans = 
octave:3> shell_cmd("date",1)
ans = 

Does this help to diagnose ?
What else could I try ?

The environment: SunOS 4.1.{2|3}, SPARCs 1/2/10
                GCC 2.5.8, libg++ 2.5.x [newest]
        Shell:  'tcsh' --- but the same happens when started from 'sh'.