From: Paul Jackson <pj@sgi.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 02:00:01 GMT
Subject: Re: using git directory cache code in darcs?
Message-ID: <20050417190001.7e1ae3ac.pj@sgi.com>
In-Reply-To: <7vvf6lugw7.fsf@assigned-by-dhcp.cox.net>

Junio wrote:
> What Linus is saying is that he wants you to talk with git
> plumbing by invoking the executables he have, via system(3),
> popen(3), etc.

Hopefully, Linus didn't specify system(3) or popen(3) for production
software.

They are a rich source of security holes.  Inefficient, too, since they
invoke a shell process to interpret the command.

Use execve(2), or exevl(3), execle(3), execv(3).

Or if you really enjoy the path search, use execlp or execvp, but with
your own $PATH, not trusting the one passed in via the environment any
further than you can throw it.

However, on further consideration, I think Linus is wrong to recommend
that the git executables, not a libgit library, be the 'basic user level
on which all else is based."

I will reply to a Linus post, expounding on that thought further.

-- 
                  I won't rest till it's the best ...
                  Programmer, Linux Scalability
                  Paul Jackson <pj@engr.sgi.com> 1.650.933.1373, 1.925.600.0401