>By extension, if I stick to ansi C, can I mix gcc compiled libraries:
No, many vendors have their own compiled (.lib, .a) library format.
>Do the answers apply equally to object files (.o, .obj)...?
No.
>...and shared/dynamic libraries (.dll, .so) ?
Yes, given the C ABI caveat.
>e.g. can I replace a .so created with Sun's compiler on solaris with a gcc generated .so ?
Yes, given the C ABI caveat.
>Do the answers follow from some kind of formal ansi C compliance contract (would appreciate a URL) or lack thereof ?
On Solaris, they have a well-specified C ABI specification.
On Windows, there is a well-specified DLL specification. (But that doesn't extend to a C++ ABI for DLLs.)
Other platforms (Linux, Darwin, Amiga, Mac OS 9, et al) are in a similar situation.
> Finally, here is the context of my questions . My clients: . Applications - C/C++ . Platforms - Windows, Linux, IRIX, Solaris, hp-ux, AIX ... . Development environments - MSVS, gcc, etc.. (native compilers) . Me'self: . Algorithms - C (some Java, hope to use gcj) . Deliverables - plug-in libraries . Development environment - prefer GCC solely
Are your plug in libraries .DLL and .so files, with a C ABI? Then that should work.
I'm not sure what you are using Java for, since Java compiles to bytecode for a JVM.
(In my opinion, the JVM is an operating system unto itself. On par with OS X or Windows NT ... it just happens to be hosted on another OS. That's a somewhat simplified view of things.)
--Eljay
