Re: running 4.4 libstdc++ testsuite using 4.5's libstdc++ shared library

[Mark Mitchell <mark at codesourcery dot com>]

Paolo Carlini wrote:

>> But, I think the high-order bit is Jonathan's comment above: 
>> libstdc++ is not maintaining backwards-compatibility for its 
>> complete interface. Jonathan, Paolo, I feel that if that is the 
>> case then the SONAME for libstdc++ should have changed beetween 4.4
>>  and 4.5.

> Mark, I think there is a double misunderstanding here. First, we are 
> talking about a small, experimental, c++0x feature, not a normal 
> library facility.

I did understand that -- but "experimental" doesn't sway my opinion.
Once it's in the library, we should expect that people use it.

However, ...

> Second, the concerned facility was completely *unusable* before the
> recent changes.

... that does change my opinion.  If you can be confident that nobody
used a feature, then you don't have to worry about maintaining
compatibility with it.

So, I stand by my comments in general, but this case is not evidence
that we should have changed the SONAME.

Thanks,

-- 
Mark Mitchell
CodeSourcery
mark@codesourcery.com
(650) 331-3385 x713