[pandaman]

For example, one of the ways to implement order independent translucency involves a linked list of fragments in a render target. You cannot really use some external library in a HLSL/GLSL/Cg/whatever shader language you use. Even if you could - since all you need is the very basic list, any overhead from a library would be unacceptable.

Linked lists are ubiquitous in programming, hooking up a library every time you need a linked list is as same as using some library for loops. Sure, you can get some fancy loops with guards and Duff's device built-in, but in some fields of programming you will be laughed out of the job if you ever try to do this.