[Python-Dev] hard linking executables

[Barry Warsaw]

On Jul 27, 2011, at 12:19 AM, Antoine Pitrou wrote:

>Ok, apparently the decision to make hard links for executables dates at
>least back to:

That still doesn't explain *why* hardlinks were originally chosen instead of
symlinks.  In the absence of any other compelling argument against it, I think
they should all consistently be symlinks.  I don't see any Ubuntu or Debian
(where /usr/bin/python3 -> python3.2) bug reports indicating any problems, and
I haven't experienced any issues with it personally.

>changeset:   16221:588691f806f4
>branch:      legacy-trunk
>user:        Neil Schemenauer <nascheme at enme.ucalgary.ca>
>date:        Wed Jan 24 17:11:43 2001 +0000
>files:       Makefile.pre.in
>description:
>Flat makefile based on toplevel Makefile.in and makefiles in build
>subdirectories.  Those other makefiles will go away eventually.
>
>[...]
>
>+# Install the interpreter (by creating a hard link to python$(VERSION))
>+bininstall:    altbininstall
>+       -if test -f $(BINDIR)/$(PYTHON); \
>+       then rm -f $(BINDIR)/$(PYTHON); \
>+       else true; \
>+       fi
>+       (cd $(BINDIR); $(LN) python$(VERSION)$(EXEEXT) python$(EXEEXT))
>+

-Barry
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 836 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/attachments/20110726/dc922eb4/attachment-0001.pgp>