Under linux `ld -v` returns
  GNU ld version 2.14.90.0.7 20031029 Debian GNU/Linux
for instance, and get_versions() function uses
StrictVersion
on '2.14.90.0.7'. This situation triggers an error:
  ValueError: invalid version number '2.14.90.0.7'

As a fix, either use LooseVersion or the following re
pattern
  result = re.search('(\d+\.\d+(\.\d+)?)',out_string)
in `if ld_exe` block.

Pearu

Logged In: YES 
user_id=33168

Is this still a problem?  Jason, do you have any comments?

Logged In: YES 
user_id=86216

Hmm... I botch a Cygwin Python release and I get
assigned a 4 month old Distutils bug. Coincidence
or punishment? :,)

> Is this still a problem?

I don't know.

> Jason, do you have any comments?

This problem seems more like a Distutils issue
than a Cygwin one.  Please assign to a Distutils
developer (e.g., Rene).  Since I'm not familiar
with the issues, I'm afraid that if I try to fix
this problem I may cause another one...

Additionally, I cannot reproduce the problem on my
Linux box unless I write a shell script to
simulate the behavior of Pearu's ld -v...

Fixed by #2234.