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Mandrake Linux 9.0 Beta 1

Posted by michael on from the keep-both-pieces-when-it-breaks dept.

leviramsey writes "MandrakeSoft has released the first beta of the next version of its distribution. It features XFree86 4.2, KDE 3.0, GNOME 2.0, and is compiled with gcc-3.1, which (alas) makes it incompatible with a fair amount of commercial software."

2 of 475 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Two options by Arandir · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Incidentally, could someone who understands the issues a bit better explain why every upgrade of GCC breaks binary compatibility?

    Short answer: the gcc crew is lazy, inconsiderate, or both.

    Long answer: they keep changing the way they do C++ name mangling, keep changing the GNU-specific extensions, and keep changing the API for their "standard" C++ library. Once the ISO Standard for C++ was released a few years ago, the g++ ABI should have been finalized and set in stone. Yet g++-3.2 is not going to be backwardly compatible with g++-3.1. Aaargh!

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    A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
  2. why does GCC 3.1 break stuff? by Ender+Ryan · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Hmmm... I don't understand why compiling things with GCC 3.1 breaks commercial programs. Is it due to incorrect versions of the libstdc++.* libs? If that is the case why not ship the distribution with both compilers installed?

    Currently I have about half the stuff on my system compiled with gcc 3.1 and have not had a problem.

    Someone who knows more about this please explain.

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    Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken - Tyler Durden