How can I install a present-day version of glibc on CentOS 5, without disturbing any existing software? I would like to run present-day versions of git, python, curl, and other common programs on a machine that is permanently stuck on CentOS 5. I have been able to walk the compiler version up far enough to feel like I have a shot at this, but my progress was stopped cold when the versions I was trying to update to went beyond the glibc that existed when CentOS 5 went EOL. How can I get my new software to find a recent version of glibc without doing anything that disturbs the things that are presently running? Ideally, this would be achievable without having to restart the system.

There is a Tutorial on how to add glibc without overwriting the system one from the project. Its used to test builds. A more complicated part would be to direct the installed compiler to use the compiled lib version instead of the system one.

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