[Xorp-hackers] valgrind: selector.cc: Reading free'd memory

Ben Greear greearb at candelatech.com
Wed Sep 30 14:09:00 PDT 2009


On 09/30/2009 01:51 PM, Bruce Simpson wrote:
> Ben Greear wrote:
>> The problem is that a method called by an object can cause that object
>> to be deleted, and when that method continues, it is accessing deleted
>> memory.
>
> I defer to the wisdom of folk like Scott Meyers in this sort of
> situation... however I'm glad the problem is read access, which limits
> the scope of error to logic, rather than heap corruption. Caveat: I
> didn't write it, I just have to work with it :-)

It causes core dumps because some other process (or this process) can allocate
and scribble on the deleted memory, so when the method accesses that memory
it can wander off and do horrible things.

>> That reminds me: What is the plan when 'corporate' releases their
>> code to customers? Since it's GPL, we will then have access to the
>> source.
>
> As far as I know, not all of the code in the corporate branch is under
> the GPL, some of it is subject to NDA -- so no, not all of that source
> would be publicly visible.

Well, anything that links with any of the (external SVN) code in Xorp becomes GPL.
They may have a private copy of some XRL logic that allows them to link proprietary
protocols, I suppose...

They would NOT be allowed to pull changes from the external SVN tree into their
internal tree and not treat that code as GPL.

That said, the GPL only takes affect when you sell/distribute the source outside
your domain..so until they ship something, they are not in any violation regardless
of other issues.

> Obviously the parts which are under GPL, are already available in the
> public tree, however it's up to XORP, Inc. to make changes to GPLed code
> available publicly.
>
> I'm not responsible for compliance, so I can't speak for whether or not
> that really is the case. It seems reasonable that release would be on a
> best-effort basis.

Well, I guess we'll see how that goes.  If corporate goes off and makes big
structural changes, and we do similar, seems like we'll probably never merge
a stable product in either direction, regardless of licenses involved...

Thanks,
Ben

-- 
Ben Greear <greearb at candelatech.com>
Candela Technologies Inc  http://www.candelatech.com



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