Next GCC compiler version imminent

The next version of GCC--the GNU Compiler Collection used to produce nearly every program in the open-source and free software movements--is just about done.

GCC 4.0 is compiler software that translates what people write into instructions computers can understand. It's expected to bring a framework that will permit new speed optimizations. Mark Mitchell, the GCC 4.0 overseer, has said as recently as April 5 that he hoped to release the new version April 15.

On Monday, Mitchell announced a second release candidate and said the final version awaits documentation and fixes to at most two bugs.

"For a dot-zero release, GCC 4.0 is a nice piece of work. We'll get it out the door in the next few days," Mitchell said in a posting to the GCC mailing list.