Re: libc6 posix version/breakage
GOTO Masanori <gotom@debian.or.jp> writes:
> At Mon, 11 Aug 2003 10:15:22 -0700,
> Zack Weinberg wrote:
>> "Portable" shell scripts CANNOT use these POSIX.2001-mandated command
>> line syntaxes; there are still operating systems in wide use that do
>> not implement them. Thus, for instance, config.sub/config.guess will
>> continue to use the old syntax for the foreseeable future, as will
>> gcc's Makefiles.
>>
>> POSIX.2001's removal of the "obsolete" syntaxes is brain damaged and
>> coreutils MUST NOT follow suit. I would encourage y'all to address
>> this, not by backing down glibc's _POSIX2_VERSION number, but by
>> patching coreutils to support the old syntaxes again - unconditionally
>> and without warnings. And then beat the upstream maintainers of
>> coreutils upside the head until they take said patch. Do the same for
>> any other shell utility that has been infected with this brain damage.
>
> Seconded. Keeping old behavior is good rathan than dropping down
> _POSIX2_VERSION value. Some program want to know API compatibility
> using _POSIX2_VERSION. Dropping chmod user.grp behavior makes us
> advocate users to use new behavior.
>
> BTW, I think it's good idea to transit newer behavior of standard
> utilities during debian sid.
I am not sure I understand what you are saying in the second
paragraph. But, as an upstream author trying my damndest to write
portable shell scripts, I would ask that the old command line syntaxes
of these tools be preserved - accept, don't complain - for at least
another five years. Ten would be better. One hopes that that is
longer than two Debian releases ;-)
zw
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