> ok, I don't see a problem here. the only symbol a Pd external exports (or should export) is the setup function - which is retrieved "manually" with GetProcAddress / dlsym. In theory all Pd externs could have the same setup function, at least on the platforms I know... Note that for example VST plugins all export the same entry point and it seems to work fine :-)

Not just in theory, but in practice at line 253 of s_loader.c

So why aren't all (or at least nearly all) external developers simply using "setup" as the entry point?

-Jonathan