In a GNU/Linux system the libraries can be called by any program, and most softwares use dynamic linking so as to reduce the memory overload. Thus each program becomes dependant on the library it needs. And it should be already available on the system for that software to work.
While in the case of windows it is not true, almost all the softwares do static linking, which means the library is bundled with the software. Say for binary for Pidgin on Windows, it also bundles the needed libraries for gtk and all(thus increasing the total size of the software). But on a GNU/Linux system multiple gtk applications will be using the same library and there is no need to bundle the libraries with each software that you distribute(thus avoiding the overhead of memory). Clear and simple advantage of Free Software!!! I think you might have noticed that on a Windows machine when you try to run an exe build using VB it sometimes complain for VB runtime. It is because the binary was created in mind with the library being already available in the system. But since that system doesn't have the VB runtime it fails the dependency. So there you would have to install the dependency yourself :) -- Anoop Jacob Thomas http://anoop.caremedia.org -- "Freedom is the only law". "Freedom Unplugged" http://www.ilug-tvm.org You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ilug-tvm" group. To control your subscription visit http://groups.google.co.in/group/ilug-tvm/subscribe To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For details visit the google group page: http://groups.google.com/group/ilug-tvm?hl=en
