Two questions and one proposal

[Pavel Roskin <pavel_roskin geocities com>]

Hello!

I've got two questions:
1) Is this list for GLib developers too? If not, README and HACKING in the
GLib should be changed.
2) Is GLib the right place for code implementing pseudoterminal opening in
the portable way?

Here are some thoughts why and how this should be done:
1) ZTerm from GNOME and all other terminal emulators using Imlib are
already linked with GLib (AFAIK). All of them open pty's
2) GNU Midnight Commander uses GLib. It opens pty's too (for its subshell)
3) Wine is going to use GLib, and it open pty's for console programs (such
as CMD.EXE)
4) Samba, rxvt and all clones of xterm open pty's. Some of those programs
could switch to using GLib some day.
5) Some people are using Linux-2.2.x with old C libraries (older than
approx. glibc-2.0.98). GLib could give them a small part of new GLibc's
functionality (opening /dev/ptmx) without forcing them to upgrade libc.
6) Some people are using new GLibc with Linux kernels without /dev/ptmx
support. Simple checking for grantpt() is not sufficient, since this
function can return an error.
7) Some commercial systems have problems with /dev/ptmx, so it should be
tried last.
8) Such programs as Midnight Commander and Wine are often distributed as
binaries, so it is not acceptable to make the choice at the configure time
9) Because of all said above, every method of pty opening which can be
compiled (including direct kernel calls), should be compiled. At the run
time every available method should be tried in the system-specific order.

I can contribute some preliminary code working on Linux, Solaris and
HP-UX. Ok?

Pavel Roskin