[Chandler-dev] Compiler versions

[Andi Vajda]

On Wed, 19 Apr 2006, Heikki Toivonen wrote:

> We have had a few bugs (and latest is
> https://bugzilla.osafoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5714) where a
> developer was using a different compiler version than Tinderbox is
> running and was puzzled why their builds failed but Tinderbox builds
> succeeded.
>
> AFAIK traditionally open source projects support/allow a wide variety of
> compilers, because it allows more people to participate (sometimes
> getting a specific version of a compiler can be hard or even impossible).
>
> However, it would be beneficial if there was a way for developers to
> ensure they are using the exact same compiler version that Tinderbox if
> they were able to get it easily, because it would eliminate the errors
> caused by different compiler versions.
>
> I can see two ways to fix this:
>
> 1. By default, only print out a warning about potentially incompatible
> compiler but continue to build anyway. If
> CHANDLER_STRICT_BUILD_ENVIRONMENT_CHECK was defined, the build would
> actually stop with an error.
>
> 2. By default, stop with an error if the compiler is different. If
> CHANDLER_LOOSE_BUILD_ENVIRONMENT_CHECK was defined, just print an error
> and continue.
>
> My preference is 1., because I just don't remember ever seeing a build
> stop because my compiler was not exactly some version.

My preference is neither. We should document which compilers are known to work 
so that developers who want reliability know what to work with.

But we also want to encourage developers to explore and try out new things so 
that we can grow the list of known compilers to work. Printing some kind of 
warning or causing an error is going to discourage that.

Andi..