On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 11:05:50AM -0400, der Mouse wrote:
[...the "stop shipping .a libraries" thread we know all too well...]
Actually, for me at least, provided building a system with static
libraries is supported, I'll be OK. But I have no doubt that if we
stop shipping .a libraries, it will be at most a few months before
someone does away with building them at all, and then the support for
them will go unmaintained, and in a year or two more will be removed
because it hasn't worked for months so obviously nobody is using it.
it's easy enough to add an automated regression test, right?
all combinatorial combinations of MK* variables are checked on a regular
basis, right?
I don't oppose dropping .a files from the default distribution, but I do
oppose dropping the ability for them to be built.
I think the only way to insure .a building doesn't get dropped is to
have a separate tarball with the static libs generated as part of the
autobuild process by at least one autobuilder. it seems the only way to
ensure the static libs don't bit-rot.