Re: core recovery tools, apt-get, and dpkg should be static

[Chris Waters <xtifr@dsp.net>]

Justin Wells <jread@semiotek.com> writes:

> I think you'd be surprised to learn how little RAM we're talking
> about here.

I think you'd be surprised at how little RAM I and many other people
have.  Especially on some of my systems.  My 486 to-be-router has
trouble with the *existing* system, *not* running X.

> Especially if the statics used old libc rather than 
> glibc 

A logistical nightmare.  The maintainer is forced to keep statically
linkable copies of the old libc, along with headers and all.  And to
ensure that any incompatibilities between the older libc and new are
resolved.  Are you volunteering to create these packages?  If so, then
I'd certainly be willing to see them as an *option* for the paranoid.
But I have no interest in building, installing or using them.

> If you actually analyze it, we're talking about very small 
> amounts of memory here, in excange for a large increase in 
> the reliability of the system. 

My system has been running quite reliably for nearly three years now.
I don't need *any* increase in reliability, let alone a large one.
At which point, I'm looking purely at the costs.  And I find the costs
unacceptable, since *I* get *no* measurable benefit whatsoever.

> But if finally you still somehow insist that you cannot afford 
> the extra 300k of RAM that static linking would cost you, then 
> yes they could be put in /sbin or somewhere like /stand instead,
> and you could ignore them most of the time... until your system
> failed.

I would ignore them entirely.  In fact, I see no reason to install
them at all.  I *have* a boot floppy for emergencies, and I've never
had a need for even that in the nearly three years I've been running
Debian.

Like I say, if you want to make *optional* packages for the paranoid,
then I have no objections.  If you want to make this standard, then I
strongly object.
-- 
Chris Waters   xtifr@dsp.net | I have a truly elegant proof of the
      or    xtifr@debian.org | above, but it is too long to fit into
http://www.dsp.net/xtifr     | this .signature file.