In article <199512050908.DAA06992@ozzy>,
Erik M. Theisen <etheisen@TECLink.Net> wrote:
> It should be noted that a.out is currently needed on several platforms
> for boot purposes.  This should be remedied as soon as possible.

Er, how do you propose to remedy it? Write new boot roms for Suns and
the others? I don't think that's practical.  Even if it were decided
that switcing to ELF on all platforms was a good idea, a.out support
would HAVE to stay in the toolchain. 

> Also, ELF would help our GPL'd stuff stay current.  We currently are so far
> behind in this area.
> 
> Yes, pk did a wonderfull job on the a.out stuff, but maybe it's time to move
> forward.

There is much disagreement as to wether ELF is "forward". Clearly it's
needed on some platforms, and it would be good for them to switch. I
think it'd be a bad idea to force everybody to switch. And what happens
when some other format comes along, and some new platform needs it's
support. Change everything over again? Multiple format support is just
something that will have to be lived with.