http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=46563
--- Comment #13 from Andrew Haley <aph at gcc dot gnu.org> 2010-11-22 10:12:04 UTC --- Sure, but not everyone uses the driver, some use ld directly. I might as well ask: why not? libc is linked this way on GNU/Linux systems too. It's easy and convenient. I don't know why C and C++ are treated differently. I suspect it's just a historical accident, but it doesn't matter because it doesn't break anything.