[arch-general] upgrading postfix - newaliases: error while loading libdb-5.1.so -- ignore?

[C Anthony Risinger]

On Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 7:02 PM, Baho Utot <baho-utot at columbus.rr.com> wrote:
> On Wednesday, July 06, 2011 05:59:33 PM Paul Ezvan wrote:
>> >
>> > sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/libdb-5.2.so /usr/lib/libdb-5.1.so
>>
>> Please don't do that, this is a bad workaround !
>
> Why?

... segfaults, leaks?, corruption, security ++ an unending list of
random/periodic/hidden/visible/dramatic/subtle/obscure/obvious/minor/major
problems, crashes, and/or lockups.

soname bumps denote backwards incompatible changes at rather low
levels (ABI), ie. an *intentional* break in the interface agreement
between the library and any consuming binaries.  it causes work
downstream and is mostly avoided if possible -- developers usually
have good reasons when it happens.  [willful] ignorance subjects *any*
binary loading the library directly, or by proxy, to a wide list of
unknowns -- resultant behavior is roughly 300% unpredictable, and
varies heavily by context, circumstance, whim, weather, date, mood,
not to mention cosmic alignments ...

... a Bad Idea i daresay :-)

C Anthony