[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
"Igor Tandetnik" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On Windows, the loader works in a very different way. Basically,
export/import connections are established at link time, not at load
time. The loader does not perform a symbol search over all the DLLs,
the import tables in the executable image (emitted by the linker)
tell it exactly where to look.
The disadvantages to the windows approach are obvious.
Before I add this characteristic to the ever-growing
list of reasons why I hate windows and especially hate
programming for windows, I should be fair and ask if
there are any advantages to the windows way of doing
things that I have overlooked.
From http://www.iecc.com/linker/linker10.html :
"The runtime performance costs of dynamic linking are substantial
compared to those of static linking, since a large part of the linking
process has to be redone every time a program runs. Every dynamically
linked symbol used in a program has to be looked up in a symbol table
and resolved. (Windows DLLs mitigate this cost somewhat, as we describe
below.)"
Igor Tandetnik
