[PLUG] Something noticed on upgrading to GNU gcc v4.9.0

[Steve Dum]

Gnu c++ is that way. Almost every release they make requires a different 
version of the std library.
This is mostly because they have to make, ehh perhaps that's desire to 
make lib changes to support
new features of the language.

Usually, you can delete the compiler, but not the libraries which are a 
separate package.
Also, usually the other programs have dependencies listed for the 
library package so you can't
delete it. (my ubuntu box has 10 version of libstdc++ that can be 
loaded, well and for building android apps there are another 10 cross 
versions!)

And of course any c++ libraries you want to use, usually need to be 
compiled with the same
compiler. -- Basically there is no binary abi for c++.  Starting long 
ago with cfront Bjarne decided
each compiler should use a different abi as most implementations have 
differences in techniques used in the libraries that made compatibility 
iffy at best.  Gnu C++ changes their abi frequrently, and occasionally 
make 'minor' errors like moving the initialization of something from the 
library to the complier, or back and not rolling to a new version.

reinstall the old libstdc++ and it should be ok -- assuming you can!
Did you have to force the removal?

steve

website reader wrote:
> Is there someway to insure that linux programs can stand-alone?
>
> I am running an openSuse v13.1 OS on a 64-bit Intel corei7 machine.
>
> I upgraded to the gcc v4.9.0 compiler, but when I attempted to remove the
> older gcc v4.8.1 compiler, lots of programs broke.
>
> Examples:
>
>      xrdb, xinit, xdm, xorg-x11-essentials
>      kdebase4-workspace (lots)
>      yast2-x11 (main administration program)
>      plasma-addons
>      kwin, kget, kdm, kdevelop
>      apper (software installer)
>      plasmoid-quickaccess (widgets)
>      synaptiks
>      patterns (various)
>
> So basically the whole desktop is rendered useless, along with xterm, and
> more seriously the administration programs (Yast2 and apper) are rendered
> useless which (imho) could lead to disaster and rebuilding a system if gcc
> v4.8.1 was removed.
>
> I was able to successfully install the new gcc 4.9.0 rel 211729 along with
> the debugsource so I could test some additions to the ISO C++ standards,
> but I had to manually create some symbolic links in the /usr/bin area to
> change over.
>
> However.. Am I under a misunderstanding that we are basically stuck with
> one mandatory compiler, regardless of what revisions of GNU gcc occur? Is
> this due to the statically linked libraries?
>
> Has anyone made an attempt to build linux free of the GNU gcc compiler?  I
> have built the linux from scratch, so I have some understanding of what is
> involved in the gcc, binutils and glibc libraries and the linux kernel, but
> I am a bit surprised to find some of the key programs linked to gcc.
>
> Thanks for your comments here.
>
> - Randall
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