Hints file when forwarding unnecessary in BIND 8.2.x?

[Matt Larson]

Much to my surprise and delight, my BIND 8.2.1 name server configured with 
global forwarding does not seem to require a hints file.  No log message 
about the lack of root name servers is emitted at startup and the server 
appears to resolve anything just fine.  This is a recent change.  Is it 
this one?

  715.	[clarity]	root servers don't need to be primed.

Is this now a supported configuration: no zone of type hint required when 
doing options { forward only; };?

Thanks,

Matt

--
Matt Larson <matt at acmebw.com>
Acme Byte & Wire / http://www.acmebw.com