On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 9:22 PM, Erik Trulsson <ertr1...@student.uu.se> wrote: > One of the great advantages of much free/open software is the way it > will work just fine even on older hardware.
Yes, but that doesn't change if the compiler changes the default target processor. And, let's face it, most users of gcc don't use it because it is free software but because it performs just fine for them. And when it does not, they just as easily switch to another compiler. To be competitive with alternatives, is why, IMHO, gcc should target newer processors. Because "the other guys" are doing it also, and it hurts the gcc user base if gcc chooses to lag behind. > I think you vastly underestimate the number of older x86 processors in > use. Yes, of course -- but what is the advantage of using the latest GCC for such an older processor? This is something no-one has ever been able to explain to me (I've asked before). I can give some disadvantages, though. The newer compilers usually add nothing much more than support for the newer processors and their new instruction sets, and newer compilers tend to be tuned for newer processors too (simply because the developers work with newer boxes). An older compiler will be no worse than a newer compiler for those older processors -- probably sometimes even better. Ciao! Steven
