Re: getline.h

[Eric Blake]

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According to Bruno Haible on 8/18/2007 4:36 PM:
> Eric Blake wrote:
>> Now that POSIX 200x is standardizing getline and getdelim as part of
>> <stdio.h>, should we get rid of getline.h and beef up stdio_.h, then
>> adjust all the callers (such as yesno.c) to assume this?
> 
> Hmm, can't we wait until the POSIX standard with these changes is official?
> Arguments pro waiting:
> 
>   - The majority of users is looking at the newest released POSIX on the
>     public web of www.opengroup.org. They will be confused if gnulib
>     voluntarily deviates from that.

True, and the drafts of 200x are only available to Austin group members
(although membership does not cost any money, so we can point people in
the right direction).

> 
>   - Decisions of a standardization comittee can anytime be changed or even
>     withdrawn before the next standard release, causing double work for us
>     if we follow the standard closely.

True, but draft 3 implemented narrowing-down rules, where only the
portions modified in draft 2 can be rejected; getline and getdelim were
pretty much untouched, meaning they have already obtained reasonable
consensus.

> 
> Arguments against waiting:
> 
>   - When the POSIX standard with these changes is released, it will take us
>     less time to implement the changes.

Another argument for making the change now:

 - Many GNU developers do their primary development with glibc headers,
where getline is already available in <stdio.h>; putting getline in
stdio.h instead of getline.h makes existing Linux programs easier to port.

I could go either way, although I'm leaning toward doing it now; I'll wait
for anyone else to speak their mind.

- --
Don't work too hard, make some time for fun as well!

Eric Blake             address@hidden
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