[cap-talk] Importance of fd based library API extensions?

[Rob Meijer]

Working on some texts concerning the subject of POLA/POLP usage
on mainstream operating systems using the multi process approach,
I came to the insight that the main obstacle to this approach
seems to have not much to do with incomplete kernel mechanisms or
legacy 'program' code, but actually much more with the simple fact
that existing 'libraries' mostly 'insist' on opening their own files,
sockets, directories etc.

This results in new programs that would want to use least authority
in their design (using the multiple process approach) would thus not
be able to use the great amount of existing library code.

>From the point of view of library developers it would in most cases seem
like a minor effort to extend the library API to not insist on opening
sockets, files,directories etc.

I am very interested to know if others share this insight, and if so, if it
would be important/useful for us to actively advocate this approach to
library API's ?

Rob