Re: [Libvir] [patch 1/5] iptables: fix invalid free

[Jim Meyering <jim meyering net>]

David Edmondson <dme sun com> wrote:

> On Wed, Mar 21, 2007 at 04:38:00PM +0100, Jim Meyering wrote:
>> I interpret "wrappers", above, to mean more than just a calloc-like wrapper.
>>
>> A malloc (not calloc, of course) wrapper that always initializes can
>> mask what would have otherwise been a used-uninitialised error, and what
>> would still be a logical U.I. error.
>
> That seems silly.  If the wrapper is defined as zero-initalising then
> it cannot be an error to assume that it zero-initalises.

What seems silly?  A malloc() wrapper that initializes the
memory it allocates?  That's the case in which errors can be masked.
A function intended to be used as a malloc or realloc replacement should
not initialize its memory -- at least not by default.  A calloc-wrapper
_must_ do that.  Not the others.