Re: [AD] Allegro 4.0.3

[Eric Botcazou <ebotcazou@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> Hmm... imagine the following scenario: Anna makes a game using Allegro
> 4.0.3, in Windows, and uses the 4.0.3 DLL.
> She gives the game (but not the DLL) to Bob, who has the 4.0.2 DLL
> installed. Of course, Bob should upgrade his Allegro version, but since
> both DLLs are called alleg40.dll, shouldn't the program work correctly with
> either?

I don't think so. That would again mean that we guarantee forward 
compatibility ad vitam eternam. Instead Anna will say: "the game requires 
Allegro 4.0.3 or a more recent 4.0.x version".

Now there is a big problem, because abi._tx says:

"Once Allegro 4.0 is released, we plan to maintain Application Binary 
Interface compatibility for the rest of the 4.0.x series. For example, that 
means you will be able to use a executable compiled using version 4.0.10 with 
a version 4.0.42 dynamic linker library, or even 4.0.0."

which clearly implies forward binary compatibility... <sigh> I think we made a 
mistake here and I'm not sure that programs compiled with Allegro 4.0.2 work 
with the 4.0.0 DLL (I personally only tested that programs compiled with 
Allegro 4.0.0 work with the 4.0.2 DLL).

So what to do ? Should we enforce the rule anyway ? If so, I'll have to revise 
the list of backported patches.

-- 
Eric Botcazou