Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> >> Yah, that's right. First you install a binary version of the compiler.
> >> Then you use that to compile a minimal version of the compiler from
> >> source. Then you use *that* to compile a full version from source.
> >
> > That used to be common with GCC - not sure if that's the one you're
> > using, but I remember the first time I saw it built was on a SunOS
> > platform, used the Sun CC compiler to build the first time and then it
> > built itself in order to fully optimise itself.
> >
> > On hardware of the time, it generally took about 12 hours IIRC.
>
> Actually, I'm recompiling the Haskell compiler. Which is written in
> Haskell. (And a small amount of C.)

I knew it! ;)

BTW, In my early Debian years I too thought package management sucked.  So, I
began to do my own compilations in a ~/root directory of new packages (gtk and
most of its dependencies) and use those instead with LD_LIBRARY_PATH.
Eventually, I wanted to compile a new version of GCC instead of waiting for the
new version to be packaged to Debian.  All was good, I was learning my way the
hard way.  Then, someday I compiled libc itself and, tired of LD_LIBRARY_PATH,
I decided to replace the current with it.  I don't remember quite exactly what
I did, but I think I *moved* the current libc to /lib/bkup-libc.so or something
and would then move my compiled libc to /lib.  Unfortunately, I couldn't.  The
system began breaking apart, beginning by mv itself and bash and then the whole
system.  Kernel panic ensued eventually.  oh, my...

Nowadays, having learned the hard way in the past, I think package managers are
a blessing.  Not even several /Next/ clicks in a row, just choose what you want
installed and let it go. :)

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