tip about a problem you can run into with readline() - and a workaround

[Brian K. White]

Yes we've seen it on 5.0.15 on linux.
I and several others have each independently encountered it, determined 
the same fix, and reported it here, all more or less in parallel.

For us it unquestionably appeared as a new problem in 5.0.15 with 
long-standing code that works fine on 5.0.14 down to whenever readline 
even appeared, on linux/solaris/sco/windows/freebsd.
We only updated 2 out of many boxes all running the exact same code and 
the problem only appeared on those two boxes, so the pattern is very 
definitely that something changed between 5.0.14 and 5.0.15, which of 
course is something we all knew already and which an unfortunately few 
and disregardable number of us expressed outrage about.

Whether there is a more specific pattern, like only particular versions 
of linux or other factors tickle the problem I can't yet say.

The only two boxes we updated, and the only two to have this problem, 
are somewhat different kernel versions, but very similar filepro and 
system configuration and exactly the same process tables.
One is a very recent 64bit kernel & OS, the other is 4 or so years old 
and 32 bit. fp binaries of course are 32bit, so I am always on the 
lookout for problems that only appear on 64bit systems, but this isn't one.
In fact I haven't seen any, or at least am not suffering any I know of 
these days or in the last few years.

-- 
bkw

John Esak wrote:
> Hi,
>
> We just had two instances where readline() didn't work properly. Ken says he
> has seen this behavior on some systems only, and I know for a fact that it
>