Re: [RFC] QEMU KVM target -> Anthony

Dâniel Fraga
2007-03-18T23:23:32Z

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 18:36:54 -0400
Jim Paris <jim-XrPbb/hENzg@public.gmane.org> wrote:

> Why not install them both? Most distributions make it quite easy.
> For Debian/Ubunty, "apt-get install gcc-3.3" and you'll have it in 60
> seconds. If you want to remove it when you're done, it's just as
> quick.

Just an analogy: it's this kind of thing that allow companies
like Sun and Adobe to take forever to release a 64bit plugin, for
example. Just because people can run the plugin on 32bit... I disagree
with this. I think that if we have a 64 bit machine, we should be able
to use it in pure 64bit mode and the software should follow the
hardware evolution.

The same applies for gcc. If I have a better gcc, I should be
able to compile qemu with it, instead of using the old gcc3.

gcc is the second most important piece of software in Linux
world, so all the software should follow gcc evolution, since there
isn't another viable compiler (icc isn't a free option).

> I don't think it's appropriate to tell the qemu authors what they
> should be doing. Perhaps the problems are more complicated than you
> believe and they thought their time was better spent elsewhere.

Ok, but at least I think that if someone wants to do something
right, it should put all his/her effort so it will be done right,
otherwise it will result in problems like these. And Anthony's patch
would suffice for kvm's purpose.

But you're correct. i can't blame qemu author if he doesn't
want to support gcc4. I'm just on his hands... At the same time, those
who don't want to use gcc3 will be unable to use kvm because kvm
depends on qemu...

I just think that if KVM uses a patched qemu, it does not mind
if we have patches for the qemu distributed in the kvm tarball, since
it will just be used together with KVM. And as far as I know, the
official qemu won't support kvm, right? So you'll have to maintain your
own qemu version separately.

> GCC 4.x also introduced many new bugs. For a list of just the known
> regressions, see: http://preview.tinyurl.com/ywvpxv

Ok, but when qemu will fully support gcc4? Does it mean we will
have to use gcc3 forever?

Thanks.