[avr-chat] GNU toolchain: which releases (especially avr-gcc) to use?

[devusr.uh (Uwe)]

Hello all!

I am a newbie to the AVR world, I already put my ATmega32 on a 
breadboard, and compiled the toolchain w/ gcc 3.4.3 sources and gave the 
4.0.2 sources a try (well, actually a shell script did the job plus user 
space installation under Linux) w/o a problem.

Even the obvious "Hello World" compiled pretty nice, but then something 
hit me. As I did some 'RTFM' I came across some postings which told 
about some 'major problems' with using gcc-4.0.x for compiling C sources 
for the AVR microcontrollers. Do this 'problems' really exist?

Most of the installation hints for the toolchain which I found used 
gcc-3.4.3 and avr-libc-1.2.x . Now I am wondering which release number 
is recommended for each packet in the toolchain. It seems to me that it 
is OK to use the newest releases (apart from the gcc sources). But then: 
Which gcc source should be used? 3.4.5 (latest of the 3.4 branch), 3.4.3 
(for what reason?) or even 4.0.2? Is it important w/ which gcc the 
binutils/gcc sources are compiled (I used 3.4.1 and 4.0.0)? I understand 
there is this YMMV (TM) thingy. Can you give me some advice on which 
sources (w/ release numbers) a current (not 'bleeding edge' [speak 
'CVS'], only stable releases) toolchain consist?

Here are the versions/packets which I installed so far:
VERSION_AVR_LIBC=1.4.0
VERSION_BINUTILS=2.16
VERSION_GCC_CORE=4.0.2 or 3.4.3
VERSION_UISP=20050207
VERSION_AVRDUDE=5.0
Procyon AVRlib=Monday October 24, 2005

I understand that w/ uisp and avrdude I have got redundant programs. 
After reading a thread about those programs I guess I will end up with 
avrdude.

I would to use avr-libc due to its easy-to-read defintion of ISR 
routines. Is there a problem when I mix my code for 1.4.0 with code like 
the Procyon sources (which still use the old signal.h)?

I use Mandrake 10.1o w/ a 2.6.8.1 kernel. Not the bleeding edge, I know. 
 ;-)

TIA!

Best regards, Uwe.