C++ Redistributables

[Squeezy99]

Hi,

I am running XP 64 and have been cleaning out some old software etc. I have
many (8) different C++ redistributables listed - do I need all these or
should a new version clean out the old when installed?
Thanks in advance,
Dave

[Tim Roberts]

Post by Squeezy99
I am running XP 64 and have been cleaning out some old software etc. I have
many (8) different C++ redistributables listed - do I need all these or
should a new version clean out the old when installed?

As with many things, it depends. If you always rebuild your applications
with the newest compiler, then you don't need the older redistributables.
However, many people want the ability to recompile their old apps and then
release them with the original redistributables.

[Squeezy99]

Post by Tim Roberts

Post by Squeezy99
I am running XP 64 and have been cleaning out some old software etc. I have
many (8) different C++ redistributables listed - do I need all these or
should a new version clean out the old when installed?

As with many things, it depends. If you always rebuild your applications
with the newest compiler, then you don't need the older redistributables.
However, many people want the ability to recompile their old apps and then
release them with the original redistributables.
--
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

Thanks for the reply.
So a later version of the redist. does not replace an older version, they
are not 'backwards compatible'.

Regards,
Dave

[Tim Roberts]

Post by Squeezy99
So a later version of the redist. does not replace an older version, they
are not 'backwards compatible'.

Well, again, the answer is complicated. It would be extremely rare for an
upgrade of a run-time library to make a breaking change. However, thanks
to manifests, unless you take steps to provide otherwise, C executables now
tend to be tightly coupled to one particular version of the run-time
library. Not because they NEED to, but because that's what the default
configuration provides.

Microsoft aims the releases at companys who "certify" their applications
with a particular CRT version, and do not want automatic updates.