Dollars and Sense

[Mark Terribile]

>Using "asm( whatever )" to change the names of symbols is flawed for the
>same reasons assembly language output processing is.  There are compilers
>which neither put out assembly language nor have the capability to interpret
>unusual (or any) "asm" statements.

>I think the best idea so far was improving linkers so that they can do it.
>Another option is to write programs for the various systems that filter
>object files' symbol tables to change the names as desired.
> Tim Maroney, Carnegie-Mellon University Computation Center

But Tim, there are some brain-damaged systems that only allow ``privileged''
programs to tinker with object files.  The HP3000 is on such system.  In order
to protect the integrity of the OS, never mind user programs, the segmentation
control has to be enforced by the assembler and linker ... and what's worse,
the program has a final link needed when the program is loaded to run.  THAT
linker is built into the OS.

Perhaps your real-world CS is as colored as your philosophy :-) (THAT
discussion by private mail, please)
-- 

	from Mole End			Mark Terribile
		(scrape .. dig )	hou4b!mat
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