[fpc-devel] supported compiler versions for building stable releases.

[Marco van de Voort]

In our previous episode, peter green said:
> I have long understood that each stable release of freepascal is made to 
> be compilable with the previous release but at a quick glance at the 
> website I couldn't seem to spot any official statement of this.

Mostly correct, except for new targets/architectures. There the order is
"starting compiler last release" -> "current version on supported
target/arch" -> "crosscompile current version to new target/arch"

> Is it indeed "supported" to compile a stable release with the previous
> stable release and if so is there a statement of this anywhere.

Yes.

> I ask because i've been helping someone in debian who is trying to 
> convince another compiler (for a totally different language) to adopt a 
> similar policy.

There is some at

http://www.stack.nl/~marcov/buildfaq/#toc-Section-2.2

I guess the reasons why are a bit thin though in the buildfaq.

The main reason is binary version management, a random version only has to
be compilable by itself and the last release before it.  A random version
being any distinct SVN version (fixes, trunk or a new release tag).