This is the mail archive of the
gcc@gcc.gnu.org
mailing list for the GCC project.
Re: libstdc++-libc6 question
- To: tom dot williams at diversifiedsoftware dot com
- Subject: Re: libstdc++-libc6 question
- From: "Martin v. Loewis" <martin at mira dot isdn dot cs dot tu-berlin dot de>
- Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 22:13:59 +0100
- CC: gcc at gcc dot gnu dot org
- References: <8825682D.0080CEC8.00@notesgw1.dssi-jcl.com>
> Netscape was happy. The question is: why can't gcc generate/install a
> generic libstdc++-libc6 that programs link against and that generic
> libstdc++-libc6 could actually be a link to the latest libstdc++ libraries
> regardless of the version (with the backward compatibility being
> maintained). This way, Netscape would look for libstdc++-libc6 and not a
> specific version.
The different library versions are binary-incompatible (both backwards
and forwards). Applications linked with one of them may not work with
the other. Therefore, cross-linking them does not, in general, work
correctly.
In some cases, you may be able to use a newer library with older
applications, or vice versa. It is sometimes difficult to guess in
advance whether a particular program would work with a particular
library version.
Therefore, gcc keeps them all separate. This may result in higher
administrative burden (obtaining all these libraries), but simplifies
the life of the end-users (less unexpected crashes).
Hope this clarifies it,
Martin