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Show HN: Libcox – A C Library for Cross-Platform System Calls

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Re: Show HN: Libcox – A C Library for Cross-Platform System Calls

#11

Post by DanBC »

vezzy-fnord wrote: post #6
wlkr wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I could very well be feeding a troll here but I found your point, frankly, ludicrous. Cox is itself a valid word [1] with meaning entirely unrelated to the male genitalia. I don't think the library was named after, for instance, a certain English apple but I find the idea of avoiding a library simply because its name happens to be a homophone of a crude word to be absurd; perhaps it is further indicative that one has…

Cox is also a common English last name.

Cocks is a much rarer English last name. Some relevance to an HN audience though: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford_Cocks

Re: Show HN: Libcox – A C Library for Cross-Platform System Calls

#12

Post by [deleted] »

wlkr wrote: post #3
FreddyFreddy wrote: post #2

This library has an unfortunate name. When pronounced, it sounds like "libcocks". "Cock" is American slang for "penis". "Cocks" refers to multiple penises. I know it may seem minor or irrelevant to some here, but a name like that could cause problems for some users, ultimately preventing them from using this library, even if it were the best option available. These kinds of users are in environments where the use of…

I could very well be feeding a troll here but I found your point, frankly, ludicrous. Cox is itself a valid word [1] with meaning entirely unrelated to the male genitalia. I don't think the library was named after, for instance, a certain English apple but I find the idea of avoiding a library simply because its name happens to be a homophone of a crude word to be absurd; perhaps it is further indicative that one has…

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: Libcox – A C Library for Cross-Platform System Calls

#13

Post by cpplinuxdude »

wlkr wrote: post #3
FreddyFreddy wrote: post #2

This library has an unfortunate name. When pronounced, it sounds like "libcocks". "Cock" is American slang for "penis". "Cocks" refers to multiple penises. I know it may seem minor or irrelevant to some here, but a name like that could cause problems for some users, ultimately preventing them from using this library, even if it were the best option available. These kinds of users are in environments where the use of…

I could very well be feeding a troll here but I found your point, frankly, ludicrous. Cox is itself a valid word [1] with meaning entirely unrelated to the male genitalia. I don't think the library was named after, for instance, a certain English apple but I find the idea of avoiding a library simply because its name happens to be a homophone of a crude word to be absurd; perhaps it is further indicative that one has…

Unfortunately I agree with the comment; please rename.

Other than that: fantastic work.

Re: Show HN: Libcox – A C Library for Cross-Platform System Calls

#15

Post by anta40 »

FreddyFreddy wrote: post #2

This library has an unfortunate name. When pronounced, it sounds like "libcocks". "Cock" is American slang for "penis". "Cocks" refers to multiple penises. I know it may seem minor or irrelevant to some here, but a name like that could cause problems for some users, ultimately preventing them from using this library, even if it were the best option available. These kinds of users are in environments where the use of…

Initally I thought it was written by Russ Cox, one of golang contributors.

Re: Show HN: Libcox – A C Library for Cross-Platform System Calls

#16

Post by j_s »

kylequest wrote: post #14

Aside from being C and "lightweight" I wonder when you'd want to pick this instead of POCO or ACE...

Not sure if climbing this high on HN on a U.S. holiday indicates a real need or clever marketing for this new project, but congratulations to them for getting the word out.

Thanks also to you for sharing a couple well-established alternatives.

Re: Show HN: Libcox – A C Library for Cross-Platform System Calls

#17

Post by st2p »

Thought it was either written by Russ Cox or it had something to do with Roosters. But seriously, it's more of a personal problem if someone can't make the minute mental leap to discriminate between cox and cocks-the name is perfectly fine and doesn't need to be changed.

Re: Show HN: Libcox – A C Library for Cross-Platform System Calls

#18

Post by [deleted] »

forgotmypassw wrote: post #9
FreddyFreddy wrote: post #2

This library has an unfortunate name. When pronounced, it sounds like "libcocks". "Cock" is American slang for "penis". "Cocks" refers to multiple penises. I know it may seem minor or irrelevant to some here, but a name like that could cause problems for some users, ultimately preventing them from using this library, even if it were the best option available. These kinds of users are in environments where the use of…

Just before I went to read the comments I was almost 100% positive I'd see one like that, thanks for not disappointing me.

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: Libcox – A C Library for Cross-Platform System Calls

#19

Post by norswap »

kylequest wrote: post #14

Aside from being C and "lightweight" I wonder when you'd want to pick this instead of POCO or ACE...

As it explains quite clearly, this is "portable system calls". Lightweight indeed, it's the whole point!

So if you ask this question, you might as well ask why system calls are not more expansive in their capabilities.

I think there's a reason, system calls are much simpler. They are building bricks. If you want to layer something complex on top, you're free to do so.

About your suggestions, ACE's documentation is particularly bad. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Re: Show HN: Libcox – A C Library for Cross-Platform System Calls

#20

Post by geofft » 

    rc = libcox_exec_fmt(pHandle,&pResult,"ls '%s'",zDir); /*Don't forget the single quotes around 'zDir' */
This is either insecure, or so different from a shell as to make it not worth using shell syntax.

I really like the concept though. Took me to figure out what the concept is because "system calls" doesn't mean "shell commands" to me, but having figured that out, operating on shell commands has a lot of things going for it.

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