-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Vaclav Mocek
Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2011 12:54 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: SL5, Firefox 4 and libstdc++

On 03/26/2011 08:42 AM, Keith Lofstrom wrote:
> The firefox developers, in their reciprocally infinite wisdom,
> are pushing Firefox 4, which requires libstdc++.so.6 with
> GLIBCXX_3.4.9 .  The available libstdc++.i386 0:4.1.2-50.el5
> RPM contains only GLIBCXX_3.4.8 .  You can read more about it
> here: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2075033
>
> The mozillazine moderator helpfully reminds us that our
> distribution, though upgraded late last year, is out of date.
> The moderator needs an attitude adjustment.
I really don't like this kind of moaning. The moderator doesn't need any 
attitude adjustment, he is basically right. Despite the fact that SL5.x 
was updated the last year, it uses the code base, which more than six 
years old. This is FOSS, you get for free lot of software and if you are 
not happy with that you can invest your time and energy and contribute 
to the community.

While it is your right to dislike moaning, this is surely a valid complaint. At least for business use, you can't upgrade an OS every 6 months. Just like how Windows XP was supported longer than the few months after Vista came out, it would seem like a good idea to maintain compatibility with one OS version back (at least).

> Or perhaps the firefox developers should be encouraged (with
> red hot encouragement irons) to support the older library,
> and proper upgrades.  Abandoning millions of Linux users
> who want long term support is ... Microsoft-ish.
No. The number of users using SL5/CentOS5/TUV5 as a primary desktop is 
negligible, surely not millions, especially now when SL6/CentOS6 are out.

I can't comment on how many people use SL5 etc, but there isn't going to be any sort of quick upgrade to SL6 in any managed environment. So hopefully Firefox 3 is supported for the next few years.

--
James Pulver
Information Technology Area Supervisor
LEPP Computer Group
Cornell University