The fate of libc5
Ben Collins writes:
> Currently libc5 is only still supported under i386 and m68k
> (AFAICT). It hasn't been our primary libc since bo, which will be 3
> releases out of date when potato releases. Isn't it time to get rid
> of this? Are there any compelling reasons to continue to have it
> around?
Consider the case where someone has a bunch of systems with some libc5
binaries compiled locally and installed in /usr/local (which might be
mounted from somewhere else, say).
Now imagine they want to add some new systems to this collection, and
install the latest Debian - whatever that is at the time. If there's
no libc5 in it, then oops! They can't run their locally compiled
programs any more.
Of course they will have the relevant files around somewhere, so they
could work around this even were there no libc5 debs left anywhere
else in the world. Hardly convenient though...
Another example would be someone who saves on tape costs by not
backing up the bits of their system installed by Debian. Personally I
think that that is an idea of dubious value anyway, but people may do
it anyway.
ttfn/rjk
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