Thread: Compiler Issue

Originally Posted by medievalelks

What do you have to configure in a compiler to compile a toy first program? "g++ main.cpp" gets the job done.

Install compiler to a proper path.
Configure compiler to know where to find the include paths.
Potentially put compiler in path.

Pushing buttons in an IDE abstracts the programmer from what is happening, and I've seen some that never bothered to learn. So-called "senior" developers whose eyes glazed over when I asked where .class files were generated and to check if the right .jar files were in the class path. Different language, but you get the point. They were lost outside of Eclipse.

And who says you are required to learn what is abstracted? Who says you cannot use a computer without knowing its innards?

Maybe I'm a dinosaur, but the first thing I learned in my first programming class was how to compile and link, and yes, IDE's were available way back then. :-)

But you strike me more of the type of a Linux user, or one who wants power over everything and wants to understand everything. This is fine, of course, but not everyone is like you and wants to take the hard path. Especially not newbies. They may not even be ready.

Install compiler to a proper path.
Configure compiler to know where to find the include paths.
Potentially put compiler in path.

The installer should handle these things for you.

Can't we just say this is a matter of personal preference?

Originally Posted by bithub

The installer should handle these things for you.

Yes we can, just the same as the installer would configure the IDE.

Can't we just say this is a matter of personal preference?

I agree that we should in the context of which is better generally. For newbies, I am not so sure.

That's you. I don't know if everyone else would care. I certainly would not.
I can only expect a programmer to know how to fix compile and link errors (and that's different from having to compile from the command line).