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Microsoft to End DLL Confusion
MankyD writes "ZDNet is reporting that Microsoft is attempting to do away with DLL version conflicts in its next version of Windows with a technology it calls 'Strong Binding'. When new programs attempt to overwrite old versions of DLL's, the Strong Binding will index the DLL's and allow the programs to reference them by a unique ID, rather than by file name. Hopefully it will prevent a new program from breaking an old one. I would think this might add to DLL clutter however."
Now Microsoft is hoping to end when has become known as DLL Hell by building into Windows Server 2003 a system that will stop updated DLLs installed by new applications from overwriting older versions of the same DLLs that may still be used by existing applications.
W2003 - W95 = 8 Years to have that briliant idea!
Microsoft re-invents static linking.
Christ, if you are going to do this, why not create a recompiler that bundles the executable and all of its referenced DLLs into one EXE and be done with it.
As a nice side effect it'd make it a hell of a lot easier to move programs around your disk and between machines... Oh, ok, now I get it.
-josh
This has been around for ages in .NET, and doesn't look like anything new to me. The image that comes to mind is of Dr. Evil putting "la-ser" in hand speechmarks.
It's funny reading through the different replies to this story-
.
Reply 1- "This is a horrible idea! Look at all the RAM/disk space this is going to use. M$ programmers are idiots!"
Reply 2- "VMS/Apple/*enter slanted fav OS here* already does this! This was a good idea when it was done 10 years ago by ____
Reply 3- An idea like this is so stupid, it will NEVER work right.
So, its a stupid idea that will never work EXCEPT it has already been done BUT will take up too many resources UNLESS it is done by our fav OS AND then thats okay
*grin*
---"What did I say that sounded like 'Tell me about your day?'"---
Microsoft said side-by-side DLLs would end DLL Hell. Then it was Windows File Protection... that was really going to end DLL Hell this time. Honest! Then came Fusion. Now it's Strong Binding.
Nice nick. Maybe we could grab a beer and take turns blaming each other for all the worlds problems.
You think that I'm crazy, you should see this guy!
Finally Microsoft have started to figure out how to use cut`n`paste, so they could copy the method used in everybodys favorite os. The /lib/ dir have as far as shared objects go always used an unique id for its libraries, this is called a version number. and usually build up the name of the library, like my-incrediblelib.so.9.2.1
They kept ".dll" for assemblies because the alternative ".ass", frankly, stinks.
Well, Microsoft does one thing better than any other company. It can take a bad idea and make it even worse than it was before.
"Microsoft is attempting to do away with DLL version conflicts"
Imagine Bill Gates in a black mask and with a much cooler voice:
"There is no conflict".
graspee
Y'alls do realize the original purpose of .dll's wasn't to save disk space, but was to make drag-and-drop copying of things like Word much more difficult, don't you?
So, too, the system registry.
We now return you to your shared delusions.
"Has [being a kidnapped teenage girl, raped repeatedly for months] changed you?" - Katie Couric to Elizabeth Smart