rsync silently changes special files to regular ones!

[clemens fischer]

rsync  version 2.5.6  protocol version 26 on FreeBSD 4.8-STABLE i386
"promotes" character special files to regular files:

--8<---cut here:--start--->8--
# ll /dev/stdout
8282 crw-rw-rw-  1 root  wheel  -  22,   1 Aug 23 17:30 /dev/stdout

# rsync localhost::rsync/readme /dev/stdout
$Id: readme,v 1.2 2003/08/05 02:38:25 root Exp root $
...

# ll /dev/stdout
7527 -rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  - 136 Aug 24 11:49 /dev/stdout

# ./MAKEDEV std

# ll /dev/stdout
7527 crw-rw-rw-  1 root  wheel  -  22,   1 Aug 24 11:49 /dev/stdout
--8<---cut here:---end---->8--

i know that this (displaying a text file on the console) is not what
rsync is meant to do, but since it didn't give any messages or exit-
codes, i didn't think of checking /dev/stdout.  since then i chased a
phantom bug in freebsds update procedure for two weeks, never
suspecting an rsync bug.  rsync should error exit or message the user
when used on special files!

regards,

  clemens