Re: [ft-devel] LD version script

[Werner LEMBERG]

>> Just let me know if you want me to proceed.  I am not going to
>> spend the time on this if the consensus (sans me) is that we don't
>> need/want it.

Making new applications work with older versions of FreeType shared
libraries in case the new or changed functionality isn't needed sounds
useful, so yes, please continue.  AFAIU, it's essentially a
modification of the Makefile to call Alexei's script if the linker
supports versioned symbols, together with slightly massaging the
libtool call.

> Ah, I was reading the following and came across something that is an
> argument against version scripts.
> 
> https://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/Visibility
> 
> In particular: "Furthermore, using linker version scripts doesn't
> permit GCC to better optimise the code."

I think this is a misunderstanding – as mentioned earlier, Drepper
suggests to use *both* (i.e., a C attribute in the source code *and* a
linker version script for symbol versioning).  The word `permit'
doesn't mean that a linker version script prevents code optimization
by the compiler.


    Werner