Comment by seorphates

Ok, "garbage" may have been harsh but how about a fun example? Try this with and without -e

  #!/usr/bin/env bash

  bell=`tput bel`
  tock='Blastoff!'

  do_ring()
  {
    if [ "$1" ]; then # true
      echo -n $bell; sleep 0.1
      echo -n $bell; sleep 0.1
      echo -n $bell; sleep 0.1
      echo $tock
    else
      echo -n $bell; sleep 0.1
    fi
  }

  i=3
  while [ "$i" -ge "0" ];
  do
    if [ $i = 0 ]; then
      sleep 0.5
      echo ok
    else
      echo $i $bell
      sleep 0.5
    fi
    i=`expr $i - 1`
  done

  do_ring $1 # do something different if arg
  sleep 1
  echo neat.
  

Semantic qualities aside there is something here that breaks with -e and if you're used to using -e by default you might be baffled and think shell sucks, for example.