// returns file with program output (STDOUT+STDERR)
static File backtickToConsole(S cmd) {
  File outputFile = createTempFile(cmd, ".out");
  makeEmptyFile(outputFile); // unnecessary?
  final new LastLineBuffer buf;
  Flag stopTail = tailFile(outputFile, 1000, voidfunc(S s) {
    buf.append(printNoNewLine(s = fixNewLines(s)))
  });
  
  // make a dependent child process that is exited when we exit
  backtick_verbose = true;
  print("Running: " + cmd);
  backtickToFile(cmd, outputFile);
  stopTail.raise();
  ret file;
}