Subject: Re: proposal: disable *printf %n specifier in libc in NetBSD 1.5
To: None <tech-userlevel@netbsd.org>
From: Lucio De Re <lucio@proxima.alt.za>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 09/12/2000 08:54:25
There a few points worth raising here.  I tend to get quite miffed
when the operating environment questions my programming ability, but
I'm also often grateful for catch nets.

I would suggest migrating all those warnings about obsolete (but still
supported), deprecated (but still supported), bad programming (but
still supported) practices to one of two libraries.  Which should be
the default should probably _not_ be a simple knob, perhaps the
cautious approach should be *strongly* recommended, but it should not
be all choice one gets.

I hate seeing fascism creep into computing under pressure from
security issues (what if my computer is _never_ connected to the
Internet - a situation that was the _norm_ only a few years ago?).  I
even dislike being reminded that I am treading on dangerous ground.
I'm not a child, and my operating system is not elected to by my legal
guardian, I do not need one.

But by all means identify dangerous situations and let me know about
it, make it possible for me to avoid burning my fingers by labelling
the plate "HOT".  Just don't stop me using the plate for boiling
things because using heat may hurt me.

++L