[tex-live] Question concerning libc and i386-linux binaries

[Norbert Preining]

On Don, 18 Apr 2002, Kaja P. Christiansen wrote:
> RedHat binaries were compiled with libc-2.2. Perhaps we should 
> provide binaries with different glibc versions, as Thomas does 
> in teTeX distribution?

I suggested this already once. The problem is the size. I think
we would need glibc-2.0 (redhat 6.0 is there I think and a lot of
servers), glibc-2.1 and glibc-2.2. But this gives ENORMOUS size
increase.

Same for i386 and alpha and ...

The problem is the creation of binaries on old glibc machines to
have compatible programs. I can use the glibc-2.0 bins upward
everywhere, but not downward. And the new i386 bins are not 
useable anymore on other (older) machines.

I will keep a debian-potato on alpha around folder glibc libs
and compatibility, but I am not sure how long I can do this, well at least
some time ;-)

Best wishes

Norbert

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Norbert Preining <preining@logic.at>   University of Technology Vienna, Austria
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