[tex-live] How about deliver libkpse binaries?

[Karl Berry]

    I'm wondering why all texlive binaries are staticly linked to
    libkpse, why don't we use dynamic linking?

Because generating kpse as a dynamic library for TL would make it
impossible to install.  It's hard enough now.

    Even if we don't use dynamic library, I do think a
    libkpse.a/libkpse.lib will be needed, 

GNU/Linux distributions generally do that (and libkpathsea.so too).  I
don't imagine it is much fun for them.

    for now, if I wish to modified a small program (afm2tfm, for
    example), I still have to extract the whole sources archive,
    configure and build kpathsea, that's too complicated. 

Sorry.  That's how it is.  Most programs in TL have an independent
existence and releases, but afm2tfm (and dvips), do not (any more).

    If we have a SDK including header files and lib files, it will be
    much easier for us to provide small patches.

I don't necessarily disagree, but it is far from easy to create such an
SDK.  If someone wants to invest the significant time and effort to do
so, that's ok by me.  Don't underestimate the work.  To do a good job,
it would mean essentially becoming a co-maintainer of kpathsea.  It's
not something that can be done once and then left alone.


Meanwhile, how is the Chinese translation coming?  Can you send me
files yet?

Thanks,
Karl