In article <405b1638@news.povray.org>,
 David Burnett <var### [at] ntlworldcom> wrote:

> For a guess the library author would have a compiler and it only takes
> on willing person per platform to compile it for others. So that not to 
> much of a problem really. The lack of a complier would only effect
> people want to use a libraries features for a platform that one one has 
> complied it for which is no different to those who want to use a 
> Unofficial version of Pov in the same scenario.

Except that unofficial versions are relatively few, and the source code 
is guaranteed to be available. As you mention, library loading can be 
abstracted and two implementations would cover almost every user, but 
the result will be a lot of plugins being distributed as binaries for 
just one platform, people trying to use plugins for other platforms and 
asking why it doesn't work, and so on. The main reason against it is the 
support headaches.

There is also a small security issue...if any scene could load and run 
code from a plugin included with it, it would be easy to write a trojan. 
If this were done with an unofficial version, word would get around 
quickly, but it could be a big problem when it can be done with 
individual plugins and scenes. You'd need an option to have POV only 
load plugins from certain specified locations, similarly to the file I/O 
restrictions.

-- 
Christopher James Huff <cja### [at] earthlinknet>
http://home.earthlink.net/~cjameshuff/
POV-Ray TAG: <chr### [at] tagpovrayorg>
http://tag.povray.org/

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