sort: new --human-numeric-sort option to sort KiB MB etc.

* NEWS: Document the new option
* doc/coreutils.texi (sort invocation): ditto
* src/sort.c (main): handle the new --human-numeric-sort option (-h).
(human_numcompare): A new function to compare SI and IEC suffixes
before falling back to the standard --numeric comparison.
(find_unit_order): A new helper function to find the order
of magnitude of a number string as determined by its suffix.
(check_mixed_SI_IEC): A new helper function to exit with error
if both SI and IEC suffixes are presented.
* tests/misc/sort: Add 8 tests to test the new functionality.
* THANKS: Update

1 files changed, 3 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 3af06e420..29b09a08f 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ GNU coreutils NEWS                                    -*- outline -*-
 
   chroot now accepts the options --userspec and --groups.
 
+  sort accepts a new option, --human-numeric-sort (-h): sort numbers
+  while honoring human readable suffixes like KiB and MB etc.
+
 
 * Noteworthy changes in release 7.4 (2009-05-07) [stable]