Re: -fPIC

Peter Eisentraut <peter_e@gmx.net> writes:
> So far, we have tended to use -fpic to compile position-independent code 
> until we have received some sort of overflow that forced the use of 
> -fPIC.  Since 8.0, the makefiles to build shared libraries are also 
> available to external modules through the pgxs system, so we cannot 
> exactly check anymore what the fpic vs. fPIC requirement of each 
> conceivable module is.  I have just received confirmation that PL/Java 
> needs -fPIC to compile on Alpha and S/390 on Linux, so we need to make 
> at least that change, but maybe it's more prudent to change to -fPIC 
> across the board now.  Comments?

PL/Java is bigger than the whole backend?

The reason for -fpic vs -fPIC (on the machines where it makes any
difference at all) is that the former is faster.  I'm not real thrilled
by the prospect that a bloated add-on should get to dictate an
across-the-board slowdown even on installations where it will never
be used.

I think the correct answer is for PL/Java to do s/-fpic/-fPIC/ on
CFLAGS in its Makefile, rather than trying to force the same on
everything else.
        regards, tom lane