The state of binary compatibility on Linux and how to address it

There is no distinction between system and program libraries in Linux. We used to pretend there was one before usrmigration, but that was never good to take seriously.

The distro as packager model ensures that everything is mixed together in the filesystem and is actively hostile to external packaging. Vendoring dependencies or static linking improves compatibility by choosing known working versions, but decreases incentive and ability for downstream (or users) to upgrade those dependencies.

The libc stuff in this article is mostly glibc-specific, and you'd have fewer issues targeting musl. Mixing static linking and dlopen doesn't make much sense, as said here[1] which is an interesting thread. Even dns resolution on glibc implies dynamic linking due to nsswitch.

Solutions like Snap, Flatpak, and AppImage work to contain the problem by reusing the same abstractions internally rather than introducing anything that directly addresses the issue. We won't have a clean solution until we collectively abandon the FHS for a decentralized filesystem layout where adding an application (not just a program binary) is as easy as extracting a package into a folder and integrates with the rest of the system. I've worked on this off and on for a while, but being so opinionated makes everything an uphill battle while accepting the current reality is easy.

[1] https://musl.openwall.narkive.com/lW4KCyXd/static-linking-an...

> adding an application (not just a program binary) is as easy as extracting a package into a folder and integrates with the rest of the system

I have fond memories of installed Warlords Battle Cry 3, Warcraft 3, AOE2 etc. directories on flash drives, distributed to 20+ kids in high school (all using the same key). Good days.

Way off topic but you just reminded me of all the time I spent playing Warlords 3 (not Warlords Battlecry 3, the original Warlords games were turn-based). One cool feature it had that I'm surprised I haven't really seen other turn-based games do is a "play by email" option similar to correspondence chess, except you're just emailing save files back and forth and the game makes importing/exporting the save files via email a bit more streamlined.