Re: cvs commit: openssl/apps openssl.c

[Richard Levitte - VMS Whacker]

From: Dr S N Henson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

drh> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
drh> > 
drh> > levitte     13-Dec-2000 18:15:05
drh> > 
drh> > 
drh> >   Now, if someone could explain to me why OBJ_dup() cheats...
drh> > 
[...]
drh> 
drh> If ASN1_OBJECT_FLAG_DYNAMIC isn't set then the ASN1_OBJECT structure is
drh> form the static list of the "standard objects" OpenSSL understands. As
drh> such it doesn't need to be dup'ed.
drh> 
drh> The standard functions that modify ASN1_OBJECTs (hopefully) check this
drh> flag carefully if an attempt is made to modify it.

OK, I was thinking in a slightly more philosophical (sp?) way: why
does one make a duplicate of anything?  My answer to that is "to get
some kind of template that one wants to modify for some purpose or
another".  I have a hard time seeing a reason to call a "duplicator"
if all one wants is to get a pointer to the object.  Which brings me
to my next point: if someone happens to "duplicate" an object that is
part of the static list with the purpose of modifying it for his or
her own purposes, he or she will be screwed and have a hard time
understanding why.

Sorry, but I think this should be made som other way.  OBJ_dup()
should create a true duplicate at all times.

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