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by firstlink 1172 days ago
> and that such changes may impose themselves on old code without recompilation when dynamically linked libraries are upgraded.

All I can do is laugh. This is what the dynamic linker fanatics wanted. This is what they explicitly advocate for to this day. Share and enjoy!!
4 comments
AshamedCaptain 1172 days ago
I really don't think anyone could possibly want the _specified behavior_ of a function changing below their feet.

However, the author is unlikely to be correct here. E.g., to this day, glibc contains _multiple implementations of memcpy_ just to satisfy those executables that depend on the older, memmove-like behavior that was once part of the unspecified behavior of glibc. The only way to get the dynamic linker to choose one of the newer versions is to, well, rebuild the executable. It is inconceivable that glibc would not use symbol versioning with an actual specification change.

The behavior is practically the same as with static linking, and you still get the benefits of dynamic linking.

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throwaway892238 1172 days ago
People who don't understand dynamic linking are doomed to re-implement it, poorly.
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coliveira 1172 days ago
Exactly! Shared libraries mean that new code with modified behavior can and will be called when made available, independent of how the original code was compiled. It is interesting that people come out to complain about this obvious behavior.
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hermitdev 1172 days ago
The problem isn't changing implementation. This is expected with shared libs. The problem is changing the contract of the function and then expecting it to be drop in compatible. It's not. It _should_ be treated as a breaking ABI change, because the old behavior and new behavior are not compatible, yet it's being masqueraded as such. It's quite literally the same behavior/attitude behind the "w" vs "wt" change that led to aCropolyse.
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tedunangst 1172 days ago
It's a really weird complaint. The standard specifies that it's now undefined behavior. That imposes zero requirements to change the library. Whatever it is the library was doing, it's one possible undefined behavior.
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bayindirh 1172 days ago
I’d rather have small binaries and memory efficient systems instead of huge blobs having their own complete disconnected environments with non-coherent behavior on the same situation. Also, wasting tons of memory while at it.

If I have something that critical, I can always statically compile.

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