[Bug c++/11569] there's no substitute for #pragma once

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http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=11569



------- Additional Comments From from-bugzilla at geek-central dot gen dot nz  2003-07-23 04:54 -------
Wolfgang Bangerth wrote:

>Regarding the reasons for removing the features: there have been long
>discussions on the gcc mailing lists about this.

Yes, I have come across archives of such discussions. Let me 
summarize the points:

1) Possible inconsistencies in pragma semantics between different 
compilers ("pragmas are a bad idea in general").
2) Not an official standard supported by all compilers.

Well, I've got news for you. In the years since those discussions, #pragma 
once has become quite a widely supported feature, available on many 
compilers on many platforms. Essentially, it is now a de-facto standard, 
like it or not. Sure, there are technical reasons why it's a bad idea, but that 
doesn't make any difference to the fact that it is widely used. If you don't 
support it, then you put yet another obstacle in the path of those trying to 
port code from other platforms.

I can't claim that GCC isn't big enough to be a law unto itself if it wants to, 
in true Microsoft style. Do you want to be like that, or do you want to be a 
team player, mindful of the needs of those who have to cope with code 
running on multiple platforms using multiple compilers?