Re: [bug-inetutils] Re: DNS SRV support (patch)

[Alfred M. Szmidt]

   You could run 'gnulib-tool --import' and import every module, and
   then modify the generated Makefile to install the library and
   header files, but other than that, I don't think what you are
   asking for is possible.

Why not?  One could just add a configure script to gnulib and just
compile the things that are not in glibc into this library, and then
install it as libmisc.so or something.

Actually, instead of making this a "stand-alone" library, I was
thinking that one could make it a add-on to glibc.  Kinda like
linuxthreads and the crypto stuff was handled before.  Heck, Ulrich
would become quite happy with this. ;-)

   I wouldn't agree that a shared library would make things much
   easier.  It may make some things simpler, but not all things.  For
   me, the benefits of having more shared stuff in gnulib rather than
   in a shared library in many cases outweigh the disadvantages.

I don't see the difference, you have to install gnulib in some for to
have it usable, be it by copying all the needed modules, or by
installing a shared library.  What benefits are you talking about for
example?

   Note that you won't get non-glibc stuff like x* from gnulib unless
   you ask for it.  So even if you don't like the x* stuff, I don't
   see what harm it is in having those modules be part of gnulib.  If
   you don't want it, don't use it.

The point is that you have to copy the code several times over.  Why
should I have to duplicate this code in my program when I could use a
shared library?  I see no reason for this unessecary code duplication.

   IMHO, InetUtils should have as few external dependencies as
   possible, to be small and easily ported, which I think would argue
   for 3).

I strongly disagree with the "to be small and easily ported" part,
this is not the goal of a GNU project.  The goal is to be as usable
and featurefull as possible, and to run on the GNU system.  Now if it
runs on non-GNU and GNU variants, then this is also good, but it isn't
a primary goal.

Cheers.