[ On Thursday, December 9, 2004 at 07:21:00 (+0000), igor@string1.ciencias.uniovi.es wrote: ]
> Subject: bin/28590: binaries in NetBSD 2.0 should be stripped
>
> Binaries in NetBSD 2.0 RC5 and NetBSD 2.0 are not stripped.  I am
> not sure if it is a requirement for debugging SMP and native threads,

Symbol tables are pretty much mandatory for debugging _anything_ these
days....  at least to keep the initial pain out of the job....


> but it is a bit annoying running not stripped binaries in a
> production system.

Why?  They have no run-time impact on the system whatsoever.  None.

(they merely occupy a very small amount of disk space)


>  Debugging information should not be required
> in production binaries.

On the contrary -- that's exactly where symbol tables are very useful!

I'm also certain that those who read bug reports sent by naive users
really don't like having to ask for the core file and other identifying
information in order to determine exactly which binary should be used
with that core file.  Anyone who can use a computer and generate a core
file can also run "gdb /usr/bin/foo foo.core" and type "where" and copy
the output into their bug report.  That's often enough to identify the
bug, if not at least figure out how to reproduce it.  Worse yet most
folks remove the core file soon after they've looked at it so getting a
copy is often impossible.  Copying core files to other people may also
reveal sensitive information that need not be revealed.

Also I sure don't want to have to copy a core file to a special debug
machine that I maintain in sync with my production system(s) just to get
a stack backtrace.


I.e. the symbol table _must_ be present in production binaries in order
to make bug reports immediately useful without requiring feedback and
without requiring the reporter take unnecessary risks.


BTW, it would be nice if the "http://www.netbsd.org/Misc/pr-hints.html"
page was more easily found, and if it also included some instructions on
how to report things like core dumps from NetBSD programs.  Perhaps if
that page was also referenced on the "Documentation and FAQs" page?


> >Fix:
> Rebuilding the binaries on the NetBSD operating system without
> debugging information.

Well that would not be the best fix.  You can easily strip symbols,
etc., from binaries in various ways with the strip(1) utility after
they've been installed.

I.e. if you do want your binaries stripped then you can do it on those
machines where you don't care to have this useful information handy, and
you can do it any time after you've done your install.

-- 
						Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098                  VE3TCP            RoboHack <woods@robohack.ca>
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