We would like to inform you that GCC 6.3 will become the default GNU compiler on Linux platforms, with the exception of the supercomputers.
GCC 6.3 has been the default GNU compiler on the supercomputers since November 2017.
When is this happening?
This change will take place on 11 April 2018 at 11 UTC.
How can I test the new compilers?
In order to test this new compiler set before the actual change, simply run the following line before you build your programs:
module swap gnu/new
After the upgrade, if you detect any issues, you may go back to the previous default compiler by running:
module swap gnu/old
Do I need to recompile my programs?
There is no immediate need to recompile all your programs at this point. Your existing executables and libraries will continue to work as they are. You may temporarily continue using the older compiler since it will remain installed. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend you to test the new compilers before this upgrade, to make sure you are ready to use them.
Future versions of ECMWF and 3rd party software and libraries will only be made available for the latest compilers.
More updates coming up...
Please note that as part of our regular software update cycle, other ECMWF and 3rd party software and libraries will also see their default versions updated in May 2018 across all ECMWF platforms. Further details on the packages and versions selected, as well as the exact date of implementation, will be announced at a later stage.
Still using csh?
If you are still using csh as your login shell, you should consider moving to bash or ksh. These are the fully supported shells across all ECMWF platforms, with bash being the default for new users and the recommended one. Csh has not been supported on our supercomputers for several years, and may become completely unsupported in the future across all the other computing platforms at ECMWF. To change it, just run the command *changesh* on ecgate and follow the instructions.