Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxi!cbosgd!ihnp4!we13!burl!duke!unc!tim From: tim@unc.UUCP Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: another argument against shared libraries Message-ID: <5691@unc.UUCP> Date: Thu, 11-Aug-83 10:43:00 EDT Article-I.D.: unc.5691 Posted: Thu Aug 11 10:43:00 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 12-Aug-83 17:40:04 EDT References: orca.47 Lines: 23 All the user-visible problems that have recently been mentioned with respect to shared libraries, for instance programs breaking when the library changes, are equally true of any library when the program is relinked, which can reasonably be expected of any program in general use or of medium or large size. Given this, it is hard to take these objections seriously. A much more serious objection is that the addition of a new segment to each UNIX process, which seems to be the only clean way to do this, involves far-reaching and non-trivial changes in the kernel. I have yet to see anyone suggest solutions at this level; it's a little early to start talking about flag bits in page tables, when we don't even have an overall design for the thing. This sort of implementation-first thinking is just the thing that could cause the kernel to be munged beyond hope, or more likely keep the project from even getting off the ground. ___________ Tim Maroney duke!unc!tim (USENET) tim.unc@udel-relay (ARPA) The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill