Re: [Chicken-hackers] [PATCH 3/4] Remove ##sys#expand-home-path.

[Jim Ursetto]

On Mar 15, 2013, at 2:21 AM, Felix wrote:

> From: Florian Zumbiehl <address@hidden>
> Subject: Re: [Chicken-hackers] [PATCH 3/4] Remove ##sys#expand-home-path.
> Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:58:02 +0100
> 
>> Remove ##sys#expand-home-path as shell expansion has no place in a filesystem
>> API.
> 
> Can't we just leave it in there? At least for "load", which is used 
> interactively a lot? 

Although this is more secure in the weird case that you
have filenames starting with ~ or containing $, I think it would
potentially break existing code, especially scripts
(I have used the ~/ shortcut myself in scripts when opening files).
I assume users would have to call 'expand-path' manually then
when they want it, which isn't currently exported and would therefore
need a version test or shim egg to continue working with older
Chickens.

This would definitely need a change request and I can see the
security rationale, but due to the potential breakage I can't
say I'd vote for it without more convincing.

Jim