[RFC PATCH, binutils] Add support for creating ELF import libraries

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Thomas,

> One convenient mechanism is to create a so called import library that application 
> developers can link against. Such a library can already be created with objcopy 
> --extract-symbol but this means it is done as a separate step than linking. 
> This patch aims to add support in ld to create ELF import libraries at link time.

Why ?  As you say this can already be done with objcopy.  Why add code to the linker,
potentially creating new bugs, when there is an already existing mechanism that works ?
 
Cheers
  Nick