On Sat, 19 Jan 2002, Ken Martwick wrote: > If one wants to run a Linux program that uses libraries > earlier than those in the distribution, one can download the > libraries. But then, since (in Slackware at least) they are > installed in some obscure subdirectory, how can the program > be given access to them? At least in the case of "X" li- > braries, the designations are the same as later versions. > Anyone for an exclusive-or link?
Generally speaking, newer libraries are compatible with programs requiring older ones, and the old library is replaced with a link to the newer one. That way you don't have to have multiple versions of libraries taking up space. For instance, on my system, /usr/lib/libgdk_imlib.so.1 is just a link to libgdk_imlib.so.1.9.7 Any program which requires either of those will then end up using the latter. - Steve
