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

[Neil Horman <nhorman@tuxdriver.com>]

On Wed, Nov 25, 2015 at 10:38:48AM +0200, Panu Matilainen wrote:
> 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.
> 
Agreed,  This solves a ton of problems, and from a distro standpoint, no one
really cares how many libraries it is under the covers.  Its all just one
rpm/deb package anyway.

Neil