npm config set prefix $HOME sets prefix to '~' (tilde)

[Brian St. Pierre]

Running on precise, npm-1.1.4~dfsg-1.

When I run `npm config set prefix $HOME`, it generates a $HOME/.npmrc with contents `prefix = ~`. (Note that $HOME is /home/me, not a literal tilde character.) When I run `npm install xxx`, it installs into /home/me/~/. I.e. it uses the tilde character as the literal prefix path.

I'm expecting that `npm config set prefix $HOME` will make files from subsequent installs land in $HOME/bin and $HOME/lib, and not in $HOME/~/bin and $HOME/~/lib.

When I manually edit $HOME/.npmrc so that "prefix = /home/me" then subsequent installations work as expected.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: npm 1.1.4~dfsg-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-29.46-generic 3.2.24
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-29-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu12
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Sep 4 10:05:24 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: npm
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)