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Next GCC compiler version imminent

Stephen Shankland Former Principal Writer
Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
Expertise Processors, semiconductors, web browsers, quantum computing, supercomputers, AI, 3D printing, drones, computer science, physics, programming, materials science, USB, UWB, Android, digital photography, science. Credentials
  • Shankland covered the tech industry for more than 25 years and was a science writer for five years before that. He has deep expertise in microprocessors, digital photography, computer hardware and software, internet standards, web technology, and more.
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Stephen Shankland

The next version of GCC--the GNU Compiler Collection used to produce nearly every program in the open-source and free software movements--is just about done.

GCC 4.0 is compiler software that translates what people write into instructions computers can understand. It's expected to bring a framework that will permit new speed optimizations. Mark Mitchell, the GCC 4.0 overseer, has said as recently as April 5 that he hoped to release the new version April 15.

On Monday, Mitchell announced a second release candidate and said the final version awaits documentation and fixes to at most two bugs.

"For a dot-zero release, GCC 4.0 is a nice piece of work. We'll get it out the door in the next few days," Mitchell said in a posting to the GCC mailing list.