Hey Benny!

 BP> /usr/lib64/libncursesw.so is just an ascii file :)

Not here.  It is a symlink to /usr/lib/libncursesw.so.6 which is a symlink to /usr/lib/libncursesw.so.6.5 on my new system and /usr/lib/libncursesw.so.6.4 on the systems I have yet to upgrade.  I don't have a /usr/lib64 directory as everything is 64 bit.  On the fidonet node this is what file has to say about it;

 :read !file /usr/lib/libncursesw.so.6.4
 /usr/lib/libncursesw.so.6.4: ELF 64-bit LSB shared object, x86-64, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked, stripped

I only tried compiling fmail on the newest glibc-2.40 based system but if this continues to be an issue I will try the same on a yet to be upgraded ncurse-6.4/glibc-2.39 box which there are currently 3 of here.  They are all x86_64.

Life is good,
Maurice

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... A m‘g God wyrcan wunder ‘fter wundre, wuldres hyrde.
    God may ever work wonder after wonder, the Guardian of glory.
--- GNU bash, version 5.2.26(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)