http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=54601
--- Comment #1 from Perry Smith <pedzsan at gmail dot com> 2012-09-16 14:39:05 UTC --- Created attachment 28201 --> http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/attachment.cgi?id=28201 Educational program demonstrating when atexit is used. Run it without an argument, the function that declares the static is not called -- thus the DTOR is not registered. Run it with an argument to call the function that declares the static.