From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.3 (2006-06-01) on yquem.inria.fr X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.0 required=5.0 tests=AWL autolearn=disabled version=3.1.3 Received: from mail2-relais-roc.national.inria.fr (mail2-relais-roc.national.inria.fr [192.134.164.83]) by yquem.inria.fr (Postfix) with ESMTP id CF192BC6B for ; Mon, 7 Jan 2008 16:54:47 +0100 (CET) X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Filtered: true X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Result: AgAAALDZgUfB/BYflmdsb2JhbACQFAEBAQEHAggiB5c5 X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="4.24,254,1196636400"; d="scan'208";a="5799135" Received: from smtp20.orange.fr ([193.252.22.31]) by mail2-smtp-roc.national.inria.fr with ESMTP; 07 Jan 2008 16:54:47 +0100 Received: from me-wanadoo.net (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mwinf2024.orange.fr (SMTP Server) with ESMTP id 2C3A51C00094 for ; Mon, 7 Jan 2008 16:54:47 +0100 (CET) Received: from [192.168.1.59] (APuteaux-154-1-66-105.w81-249.abo.wanadoo.fr [81.249.49.105]) by mwinf2024.orange.fr (SMTP Server) with ESMTP id 101661C0004A for ; Mon, 7 Jan 2008 16:54:47 +0100 (CET) X-ME-UUID: 20080107155447659.101661C0004A@mwinf2024.orange.fr Message-ID: <47824B45.1000507@frisch.fr> Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:54:45 +0100 From: Alain Frisch User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.9 (Windows/20071031) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Caml mailing list Subject: Re: [Caml-list] Shared run-time DLLs for commerce References: <200801071130.29025.jon@ffconsultancy.com> <4782231A.3050805@frisch.fr> <200801071503.26977.jon@ffconsultancy.com> In-Reply-To: <200801071503.26977.jon@ffconsultancy.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Spam: no; 0.00; frisch:01 frisch:01 run-time:01 ocaml:01 ocaml:01 libs:01 camlp:01 wrote:01 caml-list:01 cma:01 alain:01 alain:01 dlls:01 binary:02 binary:02 Jon Harrop wrote: > We're currently distributing .cma files but the main problem is that they're > far too brittle Ok, your concerns are not really about being able to distribute shared libraries, but rather being able to distribute binary libraries that don't depend on precise version of other dependent libraries and of OCaml. I don't think you'll get them any time soon. Suggestions: 1. Distribute the source code, even without an open source license. I cannot imagine this would reduce your sales, but you know better. 2. Distribute a fully packaged OCaml distribution that includes all the dependent libraries (your users will be free to add third party libs as well). 3. Obfuscate the parts of the source code you want to keep secret. Camlp4 might help here. 4. Distribute a static binary that plays the role of a server that encapsulates all your precious trade secrets + a client library distributed in source code. > Ah, I hadn't noticed these .cmxs files. They look good but I assume they are > also brittle? Yes, indeed. -- Alain