Subject: Re: On pw_dup(3), and development in general (was: Re: CVS commit: src/lib/libc)
To: Klaus Klein <kleink@reziprozitaet.de>
From: Jaromir Dolecek <jdolecek@NetBSD.org>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 09/14/2003 17:52:05
I have the same impression and fully agree with Klaus. Please, let's
move pw_dup(3) to libutil NOW. I see no reason to include in libc such
rarely used utility function. Once the reentrancy/thread-safety
changes would be in, you'd just use suitable getpwFOO_r() instead.

Please don't add new stuff to libc, unless it's clearly vital
functionality which can't be elsewhere.

Jaromir

Klaus Klein wrote:
> In the meantime all you've allowed for mere 10 hours between your
> pw_dup(3) proposal[6] and the import, which is _not_ sufficient for
> discussion; a look at a timezone chart alone should make that clear.
> Personally, I can't help the feeling that this is part of an attempt
> to force a breach through which you intend to import BSD auth later
> on, despite [2].  If it's not, the manner in which you pursued this
> issue certainly was not helpful in not creating this impression.

> ...
 
> 1) pw_dup(3) should be moved to libutil (desire to have this in the
>    base system was voiced, so I won't argue towards removal).  The
>    window since the evening of the 9th is still small enough to let
>    this one slide.
> 
> 2) The culture of ad-hoc development hurts in the long term, and in
>    two ways: the base system will suffer from quality issues (this
>    includes unnecessary bloat from interfaces added in the wrong
>    places), and the individual developer will become vulnerable to
>    frustration by a continuous critique onslaught after premature
>    changes.  It takes little effort to avoid this problem.
-- 
Jaromir Dolecek <jdolecek@NetBSD.org>            http://www.NetBSD.cz/
-=- We should be mindful of the potential goal, but as the tantric    -=-
-=- Buddhist masters say, ``You may notice during meditation that you -=-
-=- sometimes levitate or glow.   Do not let this distract you.''     -=-