Re: GnuTLS for W32

[Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>]

> From: Ted Zlatanov <tzz@lifelogs.com>
> Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:06:51 -0500
> 
> On Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:14:19 -0500 Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> wrote: 
> 
> OK, so let's do a restart after a DLL package install or upgrade.  It's
> better than nothing.  Can this process be reused for other DLLs like the
> libxpm DLL?  Can we activate the new DLL after Emacs restarts, so the
> old one will remain active as long as Emacs is using it and the user is
> not forced to restart immediately?

We can, although it'd probably still need some code changes.  E.g.,
displaying the splash image at startup will automatically load an
image library, and we will have to defer that until after the DLL is
replaced.  (Assuming I understand you correctly that you propose to
run package.el in the new, restarted instance of Emacs and replace the
DLL before it is first used.)

> I'm not sure if multiple Emacs processes are an important use case.  I
> would guess it's an edge case on W32

Happens to me all the time when I'm working on some bug and have the
"regular" Emacs running alongside.  Also, I understand that some
people who use Gnus have it run in a separate session.

> I'm not sure what you and Juanma want to say.  That because we don't
> have salaried positions for tracking GnuTLS updates to Emacs, it's a
> burden?  Or that we shouldn't even do it?  Or that we need more people
> to run the Emacs infrastructure?  What's the problem and how can we
> solve it?

What I want to say is this:

> EZ> Bottom line, I feel that letting users download and unzip DLLs is by
> EZ> far more practical for this purpose than what you suggest.  It also
> EZ> has the advantage of already working.

What you propose is a laudable goal, but I think it has practical
complications that make its gain not worth the effort.  Please keep in
mind that Windows users of Emacs already know how to download and
unzip a distribution, because that's how they install Emacs in the
first place.

That said, if someone is motivated enough to invest the effort, I'll
applaud them.