C++ error FAQs a great service [LWN.net]

C++ error FAQs a great service

Posted Mar 28, 2006 17:24 UTC (Tue) by bkoz (guest, #4027)
Parent article: Building the whole Debian archive with GCC 4.1: a summary

This was a nice contribution by the Debian community: I applaud them for their efforts. Certainly, recompiling an entire distro is no fun.

The thing I liked most about this are the public web pages that have been created that explain the differences between gcc-3.x and gcc-4.x. The previous examples that did this (ie kegel) were not as good IMHO as the new ones produced by this exercise.

- http://womble.decadentplace.org.uk/c++/syntax-errors.html
- http://womble.decadentplace.org.uk/c++/template-faq.html

In my experience it is this kind of timely reporting and instruction that users most desire WRT gcc documentation, and which the gcc team usually fails to deliver. (As they are working on the compiler/runtimes.)

If only the FSF or google would hire these C++ jocks to do this with every release! Whoo hoo.

Great job Debian/Google/Broadcom.

-benjamin

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C++ error FAQs a great service

Posted Mar 28, 2006 20:49 UTC (Tue) by steven97 (guest, #2702) [Link]

Seconded. This is a really useful and interesting investigation. I wish GCC would receive this kind of testing more often.

C++ error FAQs a great service

Posted Mar 29, 2006 2:57 UTC (Wed) by vladimir (guest, #14172) [Link]

> Certainly, recompiling an entire distro is no fun.

Pshaw! We Gentoo folks are used to recompilation! I'm looking to move to GCC 4.1 this weekend, so I'm going to recompile my entire distribution. I suspect that most everyone who migrates to GCC 4.1 will do the same.

P.S. OK, OK. I'm not recompiling an *entire* distribution, just the ~2000 packages I have installed.

P.P.S. I think that Martin Michlmayr did a HUGE favor to the GNU community. Heartfelt thanks!