Re: Suggested method for returning a string from a C program?

On Tue, 25 Mar 2025 16:37:01 +0000
bart <bc@freeuk.com> wrote:

On 25/03/2025 15:14, Michael S wrote:

On Tue, 25 Mar 2025 14:58:28 +0000
bart <bc@freeuk.com> wrote:
 

>
So, what exactly is released to end-users? 

 
I case of Firefox? An installer. After installer finished, I
suppose it ends up as directory with exe file + few DLLs.
In case of in-house software, either the same or just an exe.
possibly with few accompanying file, like default options etc...
 

Where is the final linking
done? If on the user's machine, will the necessary tools also be
bundled?
 

 
It seems, you are thinking about source distribution rather than
normal (==binary) distribution.
 

 
No, I want to distribute programs, but binaries are problematic, so I
have to take one step back. Instead of one convenient binary file, I
supply one convenient file in another format.
 
If that format is HLL code then it needs a finalising process.
 
I also have a private binary format, but while that may appear as
data to AV, humans might still not trust it.
 
 

Most people trust Mozilla binary distributions.
Majority of those who don't wouldn't trust their source code
distributions either.

For in-house software, employee that does not trust binary created by
his colleagues and approve by company's QA is unlikely to keep his job
for long.

For your case, I can believe that there exist people (World is a big
place after all) that would not trust your binary, but would trust
amalgamated source code, but I personally consider them naive to
extreme. Ken Thompson's famous "Reflections on Trusting Trust" come to
mind.