Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 11:44:00 -0500 Message-Id: <200211281644.gASGi0j07750@envy.delorie.com> X-Authentication-Warning: envy.delorie.com: dj set sender to dj AT delorie DOT com using -f From: DJ Delorie To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com In-reply-to: <3de640b6$0$8306$9b622d9e@news.freenet.de> (bdeck@lycos.co.uk) Subject: Re: a.out.h References: <3dde675f$0$29802$9b622d9e AT news DOT freenet DOT de> <200211221954 DOT gAMJsqm17743 AT envy DOT delorie DOT com> <3dded421$0$21171$9b622d9e AT news DOT freenet DOT de> <200211230138 DOT gAN1cur21059 AT envy DOT delorie DOT com> <3ddf3e97$0$29791$9b622d9e AT news DOT freenet DOT de> <200211231403 DOT gANE3fg28636 AT envy DOT delorie DOT com> <3de640b6$0$8306$9b622d9e AT news DOT freenet DOT de> Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com Errors-To: nobody AT delorie DOT com X-Mailing-List: djgpp AT delorie DOT com X-Unsubscribes-To: listserv AT delorie DOT com Precedence: bulk > Why is "a.out" the 'default COFF output file name when DJGPP "is *not* an > a.out system"? *Every* unix compiler's default output executable is a.out. Even Linux/ELF systems default to a.out. It has nothing to do with the file format, it's just a standard output name. The fact that it matches the name of an ancient file format is due to ancient history, not current issues.