Re: RE : Re: [tlug] Small footprint Linux distribution without a GUI

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

Curt Sampson writes:

 > You don't need static libraries on your system; if a program is using
 > code from a static library, it's copied into that binary.

But you may want static libraries on *some system* (ie, the system
where you are compiling).  For critical binaries, the guarantee that
upgrades won't hose you can be essential.  Eg, recent upgrades to
something in the SSH stack (it depends on SSL at least) broke it for
me on both MacPorts and Gentoo.  (Sadly, both projects immediately
closed the bug with WORKSFORME.  MacPorts is just sad, but I expected
better of Gentoo.)  init(8) for example is almost always statically
linked.  I have daily access to console on all those systems, so it's
not a big deal, but I am strongly considering doing the extra work of
keeping a working statically linked version of sshd around.