"Gnu C Compiler"

"Gnu C Compiler"

[Bill Cunningham]

Does anyone know offhand, what was the last gcc version to be the "GNU C 
Compiler", before the project was changed to "GNU Compiler Collection". 
Something that is just C and written in C I mean. I would like to loko 
at it anyway. Thanks.

Bill

Re: "Gnu C Compiler"

[Jonathan Wakely]

On Tue, 5 Oct 2021 at 18:16, Bill Cunningham via Gcc-help
<gcc-help@gcc.gnu.org> wrote:
>
> Does anyone know offhand, what was the last gcc version to be the "GNU C
> Compiler", before the project was changed to "GNU Compiler Collection".

It was already the "GNU Compiler Collection" for GCC 2.95

> Something that is just C and written in C I mean.

The name change doesn't mean "not just C". It stopped being "just C"
many years before the name change. C++ support was added in 1987, the
same year that version 1.0 of the "GNU C Compiler" was released (see
Wikipedia).

Compiling GCC requires a C++ compiler since 4.8, see
https://gcc.gnu.org/install/prerequisites.html
"Versions of GCC prior to 11 also allow bootstrapping with an ISO
C++98 compiler, versions of GCC prior to 4.8 also allow bootstrapping
with a ISO C89 compiler, and versions of GCC prior to 3.4 also allow
bootstrapping with a traditional (K&R) C compiler."

So basing anything on the name is misguided, it won't help you find
what you're looking for.

Re: "Gnu C Compiler"

[Jonathan Wakely]

On Tue, 5 Oct 2021 at 18:26, Jonathan Wakely wrote:
>
> On Tue, 5 Oct 2021 at 18:16, Bill Cunningham via Gcc-help
> <gcc-help@gcc.gnu.org> wrote:
> >
> > Does anyone know offhand, what was the last gcc version to be the "GNU C
> > Compiler", before the project was changed to "GNU Compiler Collection".
>
> It was already the "GNU Compiler Collection" for GCC 2.95
>
> > Something that is just C and written in C I mean.
>
> The name change doesn't mean "not just C". It stopped being "just C"
> many years before the name change. C++ support was added in 1987, the
> same year that version 1.0 of the "GNU C Compiler" was released (see
> Wikipedia).
>
> Compiling GCC requires a C++ compiler since 4.8, see
> https://gcc.gnu.org/install/prerequisites.html
> "Versions of GCC prior to 11 also allow bootstrapping with an ISO
> C++98 compiler, versions of GCC prior to 4.8 also allow bootstrapping
> with a ISO C89 compiler, and versions of GCC prior to 3.4 also allow
> bootstrapping with a traditional (K&R) C compiler."
>
> So basing anything on the name is misguided, it won't help you find
> what you're looking for.

But for completeness, the name change happened when EGCS replaced the
original GCC:
https://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/History#Reunification

Re: "Gnu C Compiler"

[Kai Ruottu]

Bill Cunningham via Gcc-help kirjoitti 5.10.2021 klo 20.14:

> Does anyone know offhand, what was the last gcc version to be the "GNU 
> C Compiler", before the project was changed to "GNU Compiler 
> Collection". Something that is just C and written in C I mean. I would 
> like to loko at it anyway. Thanks.

In :

https://ftp.gnu.org/old-gnu/gcc/

the first version of GNU C++ seems to be the g++-1.37. As a separate 
source package. The 'gcc-x.y' packages included only
the sources of the "GNU C compiler" and the "GNU Compiler Collection is 
not mentioned at all in the README. For
instance the 1.37.1 one :

------------------ clip ----------------------
This directory contains the version 1.37 test release of the GNU C compiler.
All bugs reported for previous test releases have been fixed.
Some bugs surely remain.

See the file gcc.texinfo for installation and porting information.
The file INSTALL contains a copy of the installation information.

The GNU C compiler is free software.  See the file COPYING for copying
permission.

The files print-self.c and print-self1.c are not part of GCC.
They are programs that print themselves on standard output.
They were written by Dario Dariol and Giovanni Cozzi, and are
included for your hacking pleasure.
------------------ clip ----------------------

The g++-1.37 README tells :

"GNU C++ is GNU CC, with a C++ front end.  GNU CC is the Free Software
Foundation's optimizing, retargetable, ANSI C compiler."

 From the first it is easy to think "GCC" meaning the same as "GNU CC" and
this then : "GNU CC is the Free Software Foundation's optimizing, 
retargetable,
ANSI C compiler".

I remember myself starting to use GCC with the version gcc-1.41 on a
SCO Xenix 386 PC system and then thinking "GCC" meaning the same as
"GNU C compiler".

Still in the gcc-2.x versions using these terms has continued. When the
meaning was changed so needs some research...

Cheers, Kai

Re: "Gnu C Compiler"

[Jonathan Wakely]

On Wed, 6 Oct 2021 at 09:37, Kai Ruottu wrote:
> Still in the gcc-2.x versions using these terms has continued. When the
> meaning was changed so needs some research...

The answer is here:
https://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/History#Reunification