Firefox 2 on Dapper

[Donn]

> > So, Windows has a clever way to allow apps to search for the libs they
> > need while Linux has only one copy of the libs and no way for apps to
> > look for others. Yeah?
> > <wishful thinking>
>
> More like brute force - when you install a windows program on windows -
> they bring all the libraries with them -even if two or more programs use
> the exact same library. On linux there is an attempt to prevent replicating
> library structures by having multiple instances of the same library.
Nathan, without being called a Troll or flaming or anything - could I ask some 
more about this? If so, read on. Else quit now! :)

I am wondering if this ability of Windows (to have multiple versions of a 
thing (call it libBlah.dll) without them overwriting each other and such that 
apps can find the ones they need) -- is this the main mechanism for what we 
see happening when things like Firefox2 can run on Windows 98?

(I understand that FF for Windows will come with all those libs again, but I 
am thinking that this would not be a bad option on Linux too. I also 
understand that FF is a bad example cos it comes pretty much standalone. I am 
recalling my own hassles with wxPython and Inkscape and a few others. The 
main thing driving this thread is the feeling of "pressure" one has about 
staying on a distro for more than a year.)

I don't propose to solve the problem, only to try and understand it.

I am pretty sure to the above question must be 'yes' - given the things Art 
Alexion has been telling me.


/d