Simon Hobson wrote on 25.07.2018 23:25:
> KatolaZ <katolaz@???> wrote:
>
>> Replace 'links2' with 'openssh-server' and 'libfbdirect' with
>> 'libsystemd0', and you should see what I mean. Most of the De??an
>> installations actually have tons of libraries that are never used, or
>> are just used to probe for a certain functionality that is not
>> available. This happens all the time, under the hood.
>
> Well yyeeessss, and no.
> AIUI it is **possible** to write your program with functionality along the lines of :
> - test if libx is available
> - if so
> -- load libx
> -- call function y to see if facility z is available

And there's also the option of linking statically at build time.

Please note I'm mentioning this only for completeness' sake, not
that I actually propose to descend to that ring of hell. (Except
for the few and far between well defined cases where this is
actually a reasonable thing to do.)

Static linking: 
    After shooting your foot you rebuild the world to recover.

Dynamic linking: 
    You shoot everyone's foot at once in a single shot.

Moral of the story: There is no silver bullet.

Regards,
Urban

--
Sapere aude!