Bug#652856: g++-4.6: g++-4.5/4.6 does not call update-alternatives for a "g++" link

[Apparat8 Apparat8 <apparat8@gmail.com>]

Matthias Klose <doko@debian.org> wrote:
> On 12/21/2011 04:52 AM, Brendan Byrd wrote:
> > Package: g++-4.6
> > Version: 4.6.2-7
> > Severity: normal
> >
> > Installation of both or either g++-4.5/4.6 will not provide a direct
> > link to "g++".  The command is called g++-4.X, which won't be
> > auto-detected by programs like configure.  The packages should use
> > update-alternatives, just like gcc already does.
>
> gcc/g++ do not use alternatives, and never will. Install g++ or build-essential

For the record, gcc does in fact have a update-alternatives link:

# update-alternatives --display cc
cc - auto mode
  link currently points to /usr/bin/gcc
/usr/bin/gcc - priority 20
Current 'best' version is '/usr/bin/gcc'.

This is so that configure will work properly if it's searching for
'cc'.  Also, I finally found the g++ package, hidden in the "Not Found
Packages" vs. "New Packages".  Must have been when I updated
preferences and pins.

Any idea why there's a separate g++ package?  All this provides is a
separate g++, which could easily be a linkage to one of the versions.