2002-12-12 15:43:23

by Alexandre Pires

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Modules and dll

Hi,

We could compare the modules programs of linux with dlls of Windows ?
Exist many differences between them (in relation to the functioning) ?

Thanks
Alexandre R. Pires
Brasil


_______________________________________________________________________
Busca Yahoo!
O melhor lugar para encontrar tudo o que voc? procura na Internet
http://br.busca.yahoo.com/


2002-12-12 16:10:21

by Jesse Pollard

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Modules and dll

On Thursday 12 December 2002 10:49 am, Alexandre Pires wrote:
> Hi,
>
> We could compare the modules programs of linux with dlls of Windows ?
> Exist many differences between them (in relation to the functioning) ?

no. Windows DLLs are more like shared libraries. They are easily replaced (if
inactive), and do not directly destroy the system if missing.

DLLs are connected to applications via subroutine calls (Win DLL and shared
libraries), modules are usually accessed via special files, or system calls.
There is no direct linking (by memory mapping the module code to the user
mode application). Shared libraries are done this way.

Modules are closer to the device drivers in windows, which is what most
modules support. They can also support extending the OS by adding
additional capabilities - TCP/IP, IPv4, and IPv6 come to mind as some of the
most used, followed by the loadable binary interpretation (elf vs a.out).

Another difference is the way they are used - modules are loaded into
kernel mapping either by a kernel resident loader, or a userspace tool that
does the same. Shared libraries and DLLs are just put on disk where the
applications have been linked to expect them (or use an environment
variable to provide a search list of places to look when the application is
run.

--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jesse I Pollard, II
Email: [email protected]

Any opinions expressed are solely my own.

2002-12-12 16:13:33

by Richard B. Johnson

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Modules and dll

On Thu, 12 Dec 2002, Alexandre Pires wrote:

> Hi,
>
> We could compare the modules programs of linux with dlls of Windows ?
> Exist many differences between them (in relation to the functioning) ?
>
> Thanks
> Alexandre R. Pires
> Brasil

They are completely different. The only thing in common is that they
exist as files. Under windows, DLL are like the run-time library files
you see in /lib and /usr/lib. They have something in common with
shared object files. Beyond that, they are very different.


Cheers,
Dick Johnson
Penguin : Linux version 2.4.18 on an i686 machine (797.90 BogoMips).
Why is the government concerned about the lunatic fringe? Think about it.