`Man-default-man-entry' - remove or not remove section numbers

[martin rudalics <rudalics@gmx.at>]

`Man-default-man-entry' has the following contradictory behavior:

The following code

       (when (looking-at "[ \t\r\n]+\\([-a-zA-Z0-9._+:]+\\)([0-9])")
	(setq word (concat word (match-string-no-properties 1))))

removes the section number for the returned value.  The comment and code
below

       ;; If looking at something like ioctl(2) or brc(1M), include the
       ;; section number in the returned value.  Remove text properties.
       (concat word
	      (if (looking-at
		   (concat "[ \t]*([ \t]*\\(" Man-section-regexp "\\)[ \t]*)"))
		  (format "(%s)" (match-string-no-properties 1)))))))

explicitly vote for keeping it.  What's the preferred behavior here?

Also can someone please explain why this is a `defsubst'?