'gcc -V' no longer works properly between 2.95 and older versions

[Michael Deutschmann <michael at talamasca dot wkpowerlink dot com>]

I've recently installed gcc-2.95.  I've discovered that 'gcc -V 2.8.1' or
`gcc -V 2.7.2.3' does not work, although I do have those compilers
properly installed.  A `script' dump of my attempt follows. 

My guess (considering the warning) is that you've gone and changed the 
specs format in a backwardly-incompatible way.  This is a no-no, as it 
makes the manual lie:

(from invoke.texi)
# The only way that the driver program depends on the target machine is
# in the parsing and handling of special machine-specific options.
# However, this is controlled by a file which is found, along with the
# other executables, in the directory for the specified version and
# target machine.  As a result, a single installed driver program adapts
# to any specified target machine and compiler version.

---- Michael Deutschmann <michael@talamasca.wkpowerlink.com>

Script started on Thu Aug 12 21:42:58 1999
bash-2.03$ echo 'int main(void) {return 0;}' > null.c
bash-2.03$ gcc -V 2.7.2.3 null.c -c -onull.o
gcc: Warning: use of obsolete %[ operator in specs
GNU assembler version 2.9.5 (i386-pc-linux-gnu) using BFD version 2.9.5.0.4
Assembler messages:
Error: Can't open 2.7.2.3 for reading.
2.7.2.3: No such file or directory
bash-2.03$ gcc -v -V 2.7.2.3 null.c -c -onull.o
Reading specs from /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i386-pc-linux-gnu/2.7.2.3/specs
gcc driver version 2.95 19990728 (release) executing gcc version 2.7.2.3
gcc: Warning: use of obsolete %[ operator in specs
 /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i386-pc-linux-gnu/2.7.2.3/cpp -lang-c -v -D__GNUC__=2 -D__GNUC_MINOR__=7 -D__ELF__ -Dunix -Di386 -Dlinux -D__ELF__ -D__unix__ -D__i386__ -D__linux__ -D__unix -D__i386 -D__linux -Asystem(unix) -Asystem(posix) -Acpu(i386) -Amachine(i386) n
ull.c /tmp/cc0nYo2T.i
GNU CPP version 2.7.2.3 (i386 Linux/ELF)
#include "..." search starts here:
#include <...> search starts here:
 /usr/local/include
 /usr/i386-pc-linux-gnu/include
 /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i386-pc-linux-gnu/2.7.2.3/include
 /usr/include
End of search list.
 /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i386-pc-linux-gnu/2.7.2.3/cc1 /tmp/cc0nYo2T.i -quiet -dumpbase null.c -version -o /tmp/cc6HZSIH.s
GNU C version 2.7.2.3 (i386 Linux/ELF) compiled by GNU C version 2.8.1.
 as -V 2.7.2.3 -Qy -onull.o /tmp/cc6HZSIH.s
GNU assembler version 2.9.5 (i386-pc-linux-gnu) using BFD version 2.9.5.0.4
Assembler messages:
Error: Can't open 2.7.2.3 for reading.
2.7.2.3: No such file or directory
bash-2.03$ exit
exit

Script done on Thu Aug 12 21:44:12 1999