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From: guilford@rpics.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Getting smaller binaries
Message-ID: <1108@rpics.RPI.EDU>
Date: Tue, 14-Apr-87 22:04:43 EST
Article-I.D.: rpics.1108
Posted: Tue Apr 14 22:04:43 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 17-Apr-87 00:39:10 EST
Lines: 30
Summary: Is it reasonable to make stdio a library?



  I have had an idea that I've been kicking around for a while, and before I
do any serious work on it, I was wondering if its been done before, or if
there are reasons why it wouldn't be a good idea.
  I was thinking that a large part of binaries tends to be large chunks of
library code such as printf and its associated luggage. I was thinking that
it may not be too bad of idea to make most of these large "add-ons" into a
real amiga-style library, and then have all programs share it. I can see
very little reason for the simple "hello" program from K&R to take up lots
and lots of space, specially when most of the code in the binary is in every
other binary on the disk.
  I can see four possible problems with this idea. One is that some of these
routines are non-re-entrant and so can't be made into a standard C library.
If this is so, then the whole idea is down the tube. A second problem would
be that it would be a non-standard deviation. If one tried to port this code
to a system which did not have the "extra" library installed, it would not
run. There is also the problem that the startup code would have to link into
the library and possibly load it from disk. This might slow things down
(although it shouldn't after the first one). Then there is also that calls
to these subroutines would be indirect and thus a little slower.
  The advantages to this is that object code size would be reduced, as would
link time. Instead of linking with printf and then linking all of the
routines printf needs, all one would have to do is link with a stub for
printf.
  So, I am left with three basic questions. Has this been done before? Are
there problems that I have not thought of? Is the general opinion that the
disadvantages outweight the advantanges?
--Jim Guilford
(guilford@csv.rpi.edu)