target removal...

[Ricardo Anguiano]

Jack Howarth <howarth@bromo.msbb.uc.edu> writes:

>    There is one argument for dropping Irix 5. SGI isn't providing
> security patches now for anything older than Irix 6.5. So anyone
> running a box like that on the internet is a hazard to the
> community.  Jack

I respectfully disagree with your argument.  It is true that
unsupported platforms like Irix 5 should be discuraged from connecting
to the internet.  OTOH, GCC has no internet requirements and works
great behind a firewall.  Dropping Irix 5 GCC support will not make
those machines any more secure, but will only cause headaches for
those dependent on that platform.  I believe dropping GCC support will
eventually erode Irix 5 administrators' ability to keep up with
patches/releases issued by third party software projects like bind and
apache, thus making those machines less secure in the future.

GCC has support for platforms no longer supported or manufactured by
any vendor and I don't think we should drop support for those either.
It makes more sense to drop support when those machines are no longer
used, as suggested by an earlier post.

Ricardo Anguiano             anguiano@codesourcery.com
CodeSourcery, LLC            http://www.codesourcery.com