Jaroslaw,

I think there is something quite specific for interpreted languages 
extensions, in regard to compatibility mode. A normal application is linked 
with 32-bit libraries and compatibility mode is transparent.

This is different if you application is providing some Python scripts (the 
same applies to Perl) that rely on interpreted language extensions (like a 
Python module) implemented as a shared library. This in fact breaks 
compatibility mode because you have only the 64-bit version of the 
interpreter that cannot use 32-bit extension. Thus you have to rebuild the 
application which is against the idea of compatibility mode.

This is the reason I advocate adding 32-bit version of interpreted 
languages like Python and Perl (I am afraid that Perl will be more 
difficult) in 64-bit distributions. This will not break anything in the 
standard behaviour and add some extensions for scientific application 
support, the main goal of SL.

Grid middleware is just one example, there are other applications having 
the same problems.

Michel

--On jeudi 26 avril 2007 15:21 +0200 Jaroslaw Polok 
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> In normal world applications are written
> to the specification of the operating system ...
>
> In grid world seems it is the other way around ?
>
> I find the idea of "extending" SL that way completely
> countrary to the idea of "Red Hat Enterprise Linux
> compatible OS" - what SL is supposed to be in first place.
>
> But maybe other people on the list disagree with me ..
>
> Cheers
>
> Jarek
>
> __
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> _ Jaroslaw_Polok ___________________ CERN - IT/FIO/LA _
> _ http://home.cern.ch/~jpolok ___ tel_+41_22_767_1834 _
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