[ On Wednesday, September 29, 2004 at 15:03:04 (-0700), Jason Thorpe wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: the state of regex(3)
>
> The sticking point is -- If we replace our regex with PCRE, then we can 
> never pass a POSIX test suite if it happens to test the incompatible 
> feature (which any comprehensive one should).  I think that could be a 
> major issue for some users of the system.

As mentioned the testregex.c tool and its associated inputs is one such
example test suite....

If I ever get any spare time soon I'll run it against the version of
Henry's new code -- I think it'll pass all the POSIX requirements, but
we shall see!

Somehow I don't expect Philip to ever be too keen on implementing proper
POSIX compliance at the syntax level, though I'd guess that if anyone
fed him back changes doing so which didn't break any of his existing
functionality or features, and done in the coding style he uses, he'd
probably roll them into his next release.

Don't get your hopes up about him ever changing his coding style though!

At this point I'd be much happier with either PCRE or Henry's new
version.  They're both orders of magnitude better, on all fronts, than
the ancient code we use now.

-- 
						Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098                  VE3TCP            RoboHack <woods@robohack.ca>
Planix, Inc. <woods@planix.com>          Secrets of the Weird <woods@weird.com>