Perl DBI ↔ MySQL C client library: version‑compatibility question for prepared statements

Goal: Assess whether Perl DBI should enforce a strict minor‑version match when linking against the MySQL C client library to avoid hidden bugs in prepared‑statement handling.

Constraint: DBI’s runtime version check (added in 1.643) only compares the major version of libmysqlclient, leaving minor‑version differences (e.g., 5.6.10 vs 5.6.42) unchecked, which may cause subtle attribute‑handling issues without obvious failures.

Uncertainty: The community has not reached consensus on whether to tighten the check or retain flexible linking, and the issue remains marked “needs more data”.

Should DBI extend its version check to include the minor component?

What additional tests would reveal minor‑version‑specific bugs in statement attributes?

Is flexible linking acceptable if users accept the risk of subtle, version‑dependent behavior?