Re: [PATCH] mk: fix the combined library problems by replacing it with a linker script

[Panu Matilainen <pmatilai@redhat.com>]

On 11/25/2015 12:46 AM, Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Nov 2015 16:31:17 +0200
> Panu Matilainen <pmatilai@redhat.com> wrote:
>
>> The physically linked-together combined library has been an increasing
>> source of problems, as was predicted when library and symbol versioning
>> was introduced. Replace the complex and fragile construction with a
>> simple linker script which achieves the same without all the problems,
>> remove the related kludges from eg mlx drivers.
>>
>> Since creating the linker script is practically zero cost, remove the
>> config option and just create it always.
>>
>> Based on a patch by Sergio Gonzales Monroy, linker script approach
>> initially suggested by Neil Horman.
>>
>> Suggested-by: Sergio Gonzalez Monroy <sergio.gonzalez.monroy@intel.com>
>> Suggested-by: Neil Horman <nhorman@tuxdriver.com>
>> Signed-off-by: Panu Matilainen <pmatilai@redhat.com>
>
> But it now means distros have to ship 20 libraries which seems like
> a step back.

That's how Fedora and RHEL are shipping it already and nobody has so 
much as noticed anything strange, much less complained about it. 20 
libraries is but a drop in the ocean on a average distro. But more to 
the point, distros will prefer 50 working libraries over one that doesn't.

The combined library as it is simply is no longer a viable option. 
Besides just being broken (witness the strange hacks people are coming 
up with to work around issues in it) its ugly because it basically gives 
the middle finger to all the effort going into version compatibility, 
and its also big. Few projects will use every library in DPDK, but with 
the combined library they're forced to lug the 800 pound gorilla along 
needlessly.

	- Panu -