Re: Compile broken after upgrading to Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
- Posted by jimcbrown (admin) Sep 01, 2019
- 1732 views
Your argument doesn't make sense.
I think it does. Let me elaborate below.
GCC is a tool for advanced computer users
There might be some reasonable differences between our definition of "advanced" but I see gcc as a tool for non-developer power users who don't need to know any C at all but still want to install gcc so they can follow guides like https://wiki.winehq.org/Building_Wine (say if they wanted to build and run the bleeding edge version of Wine).
GCC is a tool for advanced computer "C developers" who should be able to read the documentation, use online resources and solve minor problems.
Even in this case, there is a scenario where the user interface fails. An advance computer user, who is not a GNU/Linux power user but comes from a related background (say an old Solaris or HP/UX hat), who is trying to set up Ubuntu on a system in a place that lacks internet connectivity. (How does this person install new packages if there's no internet connectivity? They've got a DVD of everything.)
If this person knew that they should install build-essentials instead of gcc, then they'd be all set. But, without access to ubuntu forums or stackoverflow, how are they to know?
GCC itself is not very user friendly
Agreed, though I'd argue that's the case for using any C compiler. 
You want a user friendly language, then use OE or Phix.
and finding/installing it on Ubuntu is definitely easier than using it.
Agreed.
This whole topic sounds like an option to install/use GCC on Ubuntu has been removed, while in fact what we have here is a very minor isue
Agreed in the sense that gcc has not been removed outright from Ubuntu.
and solving it shouldn't be a problem for any developper/advanced user.
Ehh... I can someday see Ubuntu going to use package names like "wine-essentials" or "office-essentials" and then users on forums asking why "apt install wine" and "apt-get install libreoffice" don't work anymore.
In other words, you are mostly correct but I see a good argument here in generalizing this issue in a way to make a change that will make the Ubuntu command line more user friendly in the future.
