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(gettext.info)Temp catgets


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Temporary - About `catgets'
---------------------------

   There have been a few discussions of late on the use of `catgets' as
a base.  I think it important to present both sides of the argument and
hence am opting to play devil's advocate for a little bit.

   I'll not deny the fact that `catgets' could have been designed a lot
better.  It currently has quite a number of limitations and these have
already been pointed out.

   However there is a great deal to be said for consistency and
standardization.  A common recurring problem when writing Unix software
is the myriad portability problems across Unix platforms.  It seems as
if every Unix vendor had a look at the operating system and found parts
they could improve upon.  Undoubtedly, these modifications are probably
innovative and solve real problems.  However, software developers have
a hard time keeping up with all these changes across so many platforms.

   And this has prompted the Unix vendors to begin to standardize their
systems.  Hence the impetus for Spec1170.  Every major Unix vendor has
committed to supporting this standard and every Unix software developer
waits with glee the day they can write software to this standard and
simply recompile (without having to use autoconf) across different
platforms.

   As I understand it, Spec1170 is roughly based upon version 4 of the
X/Open Portability Guidelines (XPG4).  Because `catgets' and friends
are defined in XPG4, I'm led to believe that `catgets' is a part of
Spec1170 and hence will become a standardized component of all Unix
systems.


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