Re: Question regarding policy (11.2)

[Josip Rodin <joy@gkvk.hr>]

On Thu, Feb 06, 2003 at 01:21:45AM -0700, Ivan E. Moore II wrote:
>     "All libraries must have a shared version in the lib* package and a
>     static version in the lib*-dev package"
> 
>    I'm not too keen on providing static versions of libraries [whose]
> intent [is use in] embedded devices.

I'm not too keen on providing static versions at all. I can't remember
I last saw someone use a -dev package for that. People usually need a
-dev package for the .so file and the .h files.

I propose we make an exception:

          In general, libraries must have a shared version in the
          library package (<package>lib*</package>) and a static
          version in the development package (<package>lib*-dev</package>).
          The shared version must be compiled with <tt>-fPIC</tt>,
          and the static version must not be. In other words, each source
          unit (<tt>*.c</tt>, for example, for C files) will need to be
          compiled twice.

...changed to...

          The shared version of a library must be placed in the library
	  package, <package>lib*</package>, and it must be compiled with
	  <tt>-fPIC</tt><footnote>
		GCC option for generating position-independent code,
		suitable for dynamic linking.
	  </footnote>.

	  The static version of a library must be compiled without the
	  <tt>-fPIC</tt> option. It must be placed in the development
	  package, normally <package>lib*-dev</package>, but if its size
	  exceeds the size of the rest of the files in the development
	  package, it can be placed in a separate package called
	  <package>lib*-static-dev</package>. It is recommended that the
	  <package>lib*-dev</package> packages then declare a
	  <tt>Suggests</tt> or <tt>Recommends</tt> relationship to their
	  respective <package>lib*-static-dev</package> package.

This change doesn't seem like it would harm the users of static libraries in
a major way (if they noticed that it was missing, they would see the answer
in dpkg -s output or in their frontend). It would help the users who just
want to (re)compile stuff by making them get/install half the bytes.

-- 
     2. That which causes joy or happiness.