1/6     tar -cX directory.tar exclude_file /directory
        doesn't seem to work on my Sun Solaris 7 box. (Though that is the
        way the man page seems to say to write it).
        tar -cvX exclude_file directory.tar /directory
        lists the right files to be tared + tries to include directory.tar
        in the tar.
        Someone please tell me what i'm doing wrong.  This has taken me
        far too long to figure out one friggin' command.
        \_ You're forgetting the "f" flag:
                tar -cfX directory.tar exclude_file /directory
             \_  Thanks.  I'm an idiot.
                 \_ And you're a moron for not removing your entry.
                    \_ Which of course makes you twice the moron for not
                       removing it either.
                       \_ I hope you never breed.