Fedora 29 Dropping GCC From Their Default Build Root Has Been Causing A Heated Debate

[wizard69]

My first thought, too. It's possibly too obvious.

The way i understand this is that the bulk of the complaints are due to developers whose tools or Apps dont build under CLang and their fear that CLang will become the default C++ compiler.

I could be missing something here but i see nothing wrong with this suggested move as it clearly removes the ambiguity around which C/C++ compiler should be used. If the requires statement simply says C++ (probably should be an option) how do the build tools know which compiler to ask for. In theory good C/C++ code shouldnt be compiler dependent but we all know how that works.

[wizard69]

Why not something like "BuildRequires: cxx"?

Requiring GCC removes ambiguity. Frankly i dont know how this can upset anybody, all this accomplishes is that it removes assumptions that people shouldnt make in the first place.

As for the whining about GCC vs CLang well lets just call that immature. For one if your app requires massive changes because you are using a different C++ compiler you as a developer has issues. Second it is fairly foolish these days to ship an app that has only been built under GCC, if for nothing else Clang and the assorted tools there can highlight bugs you might mis with GCC and its tool sets.

In a nut shell if we have programmers that are seeing a massive number of fixes to build under CLang we have a programmer issue not a Fedora issue.

[nomadewolf]

C/C++ can't defend itself. Luckly there people willing to fight for it!...

[carewolf]

Why not something like "BuildRequires: cxx"?

Just c++ would make more sense as that is also the generic name of the C++ compiler on Unix.

[oleid]

Why not something like "BuildRequires: cxx"?

My first thought, too. It's possibly too obvious.

[Weasel]

Shame that they had to make a retarded decision amongst the other good ones they did.

[AsuMagic]

Why not something like "BuildRequires: cxx"?

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Fedora 29 Dropping GCC From Their Default Build Root Has Been Causing A Heated Debate

One of the surprisingly controversial changes being implemented for Fedora 29 is dropping GCC and GCC-C++ from the default BuildRoot for assembling Fedora packages with Koji and Mock...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Fedora-29-GCC-BuildRoot-Debate