Subject: Dynamic libpthread?
To: None <current-users@netbsd.org>
From: David Hopper <dhop@nwlink.com>
List: current-users
Date: 02/28/2003 23:38:12
I believe I read Nathan mention how this was a rarity (only in AIX, right?)-- 
but are there any plans to make the new libpthread dynamic-capable?

The killer is when libpthread is bumped, pkgsrc-linked code must be updated 
manually, in multiple dependency trees (for a large set of installed 
packages).  You gotta just guess what links to pthread now.  This was a bit 
more manageable with devel/pth, as you could walk away from a 'make update' 
and know you'd be coming back to new code.

Perhaps we can we create a meta-pkg (devel/nbsd-pth?) that will simply check 
for a new version in /usr/lib and initiate a 'make update' for dependent 
packages?  This would imply setting up nbsd-pth as an either-or to GNU pth, 
which is probably not a great idea.

Perhaps a better idea is to patch our GNU pth to defer to the in-tree pthread 
if it exists, and we can keep devel/pth as a dependency.

At present, it sure makes it *tough* to debug Alpha userland; as by the time I 
start to get meaningful debug data on e.g. mozilla-- pthread has a slough of 
new code in it, which can affect any one of a number of its dependencies.

Dave