GNU gcc 2.6.3 Release Notes

Note:

Some of the links in this file point to online documents which require additional installation.

Table of Contents

What is GNU cc (gcc) ?

gcc is the GNU C compiler. The package includes compilers for C (gcc), C++ (g++) and Objective-C (sources identified by the .m extension).

gcc supports ANSI-C as well as K&R style programs.

In addition the package contains Ron Guilmette's protoize/unprotoize to convert C sources from K&R style to ANSI prototypes style and vice versa. See 'man gcc' or read the info files for more details.

Important Notes (Read This !)

• This version of gcc is deliberately not installed by default.

• This version of gcc is built to work with the SGI assembler and linker so you cannot use it without having the SGI development tools (aka IDO) nor it supports debugging (the -g option) due to symbolic formats incompatibilities between gcc and the SGI assembler. The reason for that is that, unfortunately, the GNU assembler doesn't yet work reliably on IRIX 6.2, and the GNU linker is not yet supported on SGI. Once GNU binutils and the GNU linker are fully ported to 6.2, we hope to release a more functional version of gcc on IRIX 6.2. That future version is expected to support debugging by using the GNU assembler and stabs, but it may still depend partly on IDO (linker, and runtime startup: /usr/lib/crt[1n].o).

• Since gcc doesn't come with a full set of standard libraries header files, or a linker, its usefulness for doing serious development without the SGI development tools (IDO) is limited. You may compile most programs and run them, but not more than that.

  gcc compilation speed is significanly slower than the SGI compiler. Generated code quality is comparable, depending on the specific case, it can be better or worse than the SGI ucode compiler. In addition, 64-bit support and specific optimizations for new MIPS processors in this version of gcc are nowhere close to the SGI native compilers.

See 'man gcc' for further details.

Author's Notice(s):

GNU packages are distributed under the FSF (Free Software Foundation) "Copyleft" which includes the GPL (GNU public license) and the Library GPL.

gcc was written and enhanced over the years by scores of people on the net.

See the Bugs chapter of the GCC Manual for how to report bugs usefully. An online readable version of the manual can be found in the files named gcc.info* under the info directory (provided they are installed).

Builder Notice(s):

Built and packaged for SGI by Ariel Faigon.

This is free software.
Emails for support silently ignored.
Patches and constructive suggestions for improvement are welcome.
In this case, patches to the FSF and Cygnus Support are especially welcome.

Installation Information

GNU gcc subsystems

fw_GNUgcc.sw.*

Execution only environment. The complier executables, libraries, header files, supplemental programs like protoize, etc.

fw_GNUgcc.man.*

Man pages, release notes, & texinfo documentation.

fw_GNUgcc.src.*

Full source distribution.

Installation Method

All of the subsystems for this product can be installed using IRIX. You do not need to use the miniroot. Refer to the Software Installation Administrator's Guide for complete installation instructions.

Compatibility

This build of gcc doesn't require GNU binutils, instead it requires the SGI native assembler, linker and runtime environment. It doesn't support symbolic debugging. The build is compatible with IRIX 5.3.