gcc for kernel different than current gcc

Jeff Spaleta jspaleta at gmail.com
Fri Jun 18 13:21:07 UTC 2004


On Fri, 18 Jun 2004 13:43:25 +0200, Patrice Dumas <pertusus at free.fr> wrote:
> It maybe a good think to provide (keep) 'automatically' a compatible gcc,
> just like how different kernels may coexist (I use yum). Or there could be
> another solution...
> 
> Of course this is not a serious issue as it should disappear soon (and it
> seems to be in compat-gcc).

There are several short messages about inconsistences in rawhide
showing up in the lists.
So I'll just pick on yours to make a larger point.  The development
tree goes through cyclic changes. Between official release and the
opening up of the next release's testing process, the development tree
can become very inconsistent becuase this is the time when major
updates to subsystems will occur. The development tree isn't meant to
always be self-consistent, and that is especially true outside of the
pre-release testing phase.

For example right now, according to Katz (
http://www.livejournal.com/users/katzj/ )
the whole tree is being recompiled with gcc 3.4. That takes finite
time, and there are definitely going to be post rebuild problems,
small fires, regarding packages that did not build with gcc 3.4 and
will have to be tweaked to work with the new compiler. I fully expect
to see tree inconsitencies and package dependancy problems in the tree
until the fires are put out.  And I don't think its constructive use
of anyone's time to point out inconsistency until the first pass of
the gcc 3.4 build process has stopped.

But to pick on you a little bit.....
I don't think you understand the point of the development tree.
If your eating out of the development tree right now, and you aren't expecting
problems more serious than a simple gcc mismatch, you aren't
approaching the situation wisely.  If test releases eat babies... the
barren radioactive wasteland of the development tree
post-release/pre-test-release  will eat your babies and sterilize you
so you can't have anymore.

-jef





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