[kde-solaris] Gentle Question

[Kunal Deo]

I dont understand the point in giving so much importance to ABI. Think 
once again. GCC is being used to for so many software around the world 
including KDE (yes officially KDE is made for Linux and that too using 
GCC). Apache, Playstation, Symbian and many more. If you think of 
portability in mind remember GCC is the answer. It is available on 
almost everything whether its hardware (from x86 to sparc to ARM 
embedded) or software (Windows to Linux to any other UNIX).

Yes performance and compliance will be more on less on different 
platform. But if it the application is going to be cross-platform you 
have to target gcc (and use). GCC also offers a wide range of 
performance enhancement option. Moreover its opensource, so if you think 
you can make this work better on your platform go ahead do it.

Many mature software use it. Whats the problem. KDE is running happily 
in Linux. mingw-gcc has ported numerous applications on Windows, even 
they are running happily.

Kunal

S h i v wrote:
> On Tue, May 13, 2008 at 9:25 PM, Michael Schuster
> <Michael.Schuster at sun.com> wrote:
>   
>> Moinak Ghosh wrote:
>>
>>  >    It is a tricky situation. GCC C++ tends to break ABI compatibility
>>  >    with itself now and then which is real trouble. On the other hand
>>  >    simply building KDE4 with SUN Studio is just a first step. There
>>  >    are N KDE applications out there and each and every one of them
>>  >    will require porting to build with SUN Studio essentially making it
>>  >    difficult to get more KDE apps on Solaris. Kinda porting hell.
>>
>>  well ... IMO, "porting" an app once and then knowing it's going to run for
>>  the foreseeable future, even if other applications around it are changing,
>>  is less of a hell than having to chase ever-newer compiler releases with
>>  the potential ABI changes they bring.
>>
>>     
>
> Port once and live happily for foreseeable future is a myth.
>
> Software moves due to newer versions.
> Compiler moves due to compiler updates albeit much slowly.
>
> What to play catchup with is the choice to be made.
> KDE + huge set of KSoftwares is good bit of work to port and then keep
> up to date with the future *ongoing* updates.
>
> There are compelling arguments on both sides & I am for now in the gcc camp :)
>
> -Shiv
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