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Date:      Fri, 15 Feb 2002 10:36:30 +0000
From:      Konstantin Chuguev <Konstantin.Chuguev@dante.org.uk>
To:        freebsd-ports@freebsd.org
Subject:   iconv port: plea for take-over
Message-ID:  <3C6CE4AD.6306584F@dante.org.uk>

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Hello All,

[I am not subscribed to the list anymore, so please reply directly]

The iconv library has got some serious bugs, but has not been upgraded for
ages. Apart from being buggy, it lacks some modern charsets (such as
iso8859-16), which a year ago was the only reason why GNOME library refused
to work with it. (Not that I want libiconv to be thrown away, I just can see
how painful it is for port developers to patch libiconv to libgiconv and
many packages to use a non-standard name beginning with "g").

I am really sorry, but being the only developer I did not have enough time
to make new versions. Finally, it happened that I do not have any FreeBSD
systems around me.

In my opinion, iconv still has some advantages compared to GNU libiconv:

   * BSD-style license;
   * use of BSD-specific functions (portability to non-BSD systems was not a
     goal);
   * modularity as well to some extent.

As far as I remember, a port of iconv was created for NetBSD as well, based
on the same source with minor patches.
Some people were interested in including [part of] iconv into the kernel, to
be used by various filesystems. I still think it would be a good idea,
although I cannot help much there.

So, if anybody wants to help and improve the library, please take it over.
All I am asking for is my name retained in the files created by me :-)

Take the last version here:
http://www.dante.net/staff/konstantin/FreeBSD/iconv/

Thanks,
    Konstantin.

--
         * *       Konstantin Chuguev           Francis House
      *      *     Applications Engineer        112 Hills Road
    *              Tel: +44 1223 302992         Cambridge CB2 1PQ
D  A  N  T  E

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