Re: local copies of libs

[Moritz Muehlenhoff <jmm@inutil.org>]

Hendrik Sattler wrote:
> since I often see that packages keep local copies of libs and use those, I=
>=20
> kind of want to object to arguments for such build behaviour.
>
> The latest one I found is xmms-wma: it uses a local stripped-down copy of=20
> ffmpeg's libavcodec and libavformat.
>
> The given reasons are pretty much always the same. Here:
> * linking this way uses less memory
>=2D Well certainly if you only look at your own package. In combination wit=
> h a=20
> program that links against libavcodec (4.5MB, probably the main reason for=
>=20
> this argument), the combination consumes more memory.
>
> Maybe such libs as libavcodec would benefit from a local split (one master =
> lib=20
> with smaller codec libs and a lib with common routines) or a plugin=20
> mechanism. This would stop this non-sense of using local copies.
>
>=46or some, the reason is acceptable, for some it isn't? So what makes it=20
> candidate for a bug report with a severity greater than wishlist?
> What is the main opinion among Debian maintainers?

libavcodec had several vulnerabilities and without doubt it'll have more in
the next 30 months after Etch release. So it's absolutely necessary to
link dynamically. (Many do already, e.g. xine-lib).
I'll file RC bugs for any packages still embedding or link statically soon,
just haven't had the time yet.

Cheers,
        Moritz