Assignment to GROUPS in logical or expression

[o . flebbe]

Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: amd64-linux
OS: suse90
Compiler: gcc
Compilation CFLAGS:  -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='amd64-linux' 
-DCONF_OSTYPE='suse90' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu' 
-DCONF_VENDOR='unknown' 
-DLOCALEDIR='/scr/os2-suse90/koenig/bash-3.1.17/PREINSTALL//usr/local//share/locale'
 -DPACKAGE='bash' -DSHELL -DHAVE_CONFIG_H   -I.  -I. -I./include -I./lib   -O2 
-D_LARGE_FILES -D_LARGEFILE_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64
uname output: Linux atuin 2.6.16.13-4-default #1 Wed May 3 04:53:23 UTC 2006 
x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Machine Type: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu

Bash Version: 3.1
Patch Level: 17
Release Status: release

Description:
        Assignment to GROUPS in logical or expression not testable.

Repeat-By:

        GROUPS="hello" || echo Error

        should print "Error", since 

        GROUPS="hello"
        echo $?

        returns 1

        according  to man page:
       " Assignments to GROUPS have no  effect and  return  an  error status."

        Problem seems to be persistent on all platforms and for instance on 
bash 3.00.16, too.

Fix:
        Sorry, no fix so far.