Hello,
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joost van der Sluis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "FPC-Pascal users discussions" <fpc-pascal@lists.freepascal.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 9:57 AM
Subject: Re: [fpc-pascal] Notice: Possible copyright infringements in
FPCcodebase
Op dinsdag 20-11-2007 om 01:33 uur [tijdzone +0100], schreef Skybuck
Flying:
Delphi Compiler is written in C/C++ ?!? (Closed source)
VCL/RTL is written in Delphi ! (Open Source)
No. The VCL is written in Object Pascal, yes.
Last time I checked object pascal was really old and Delphi added new
language features.
VCL surely uses new language features ?
So Delphi's VCL might be written in object pascal but is certainly updated
to use new Delphi language features ?!
But it's not open source.
I like to think of open source vs closed source as: Viewable / Non-Viewable.
Borland and CodeGear published the code, so that people can take a look
at it, to see how it works. For documentational purpose. And you can
change the code if you need to, but you still need a Delphi license if
you want to do that.
So the VCl and RTL are closed source, you may not use that code, unless
you have a license, then that license allows you a few things...
Anyway the point being:
Delphi's compiler is written in C/C++ so at first glance Borland/CodeGear
cannot just copy code from the free pascal compiler.
I might learn concepts but then again Borland/Codegear/Anybody is probably
allowed to implement their own versions of these concepts unless there
patented or anything like that.
Which leaves maybe the RTL and VCL as a concern... here units might be
copied/interexchanged etc.
Free-Pascal-Compiler could eat itself into Delphi meaning:
Free-Pascal-Compiler becomes an add-on to Delphi, as an alternative
compiler.
This way Free-Pascal-Compiler does not need to re-produce every VCL/RTL
unit...
Could save lots of time.
Only drawback might be it's no longer a stand alone product ?
Also Borland/CodeGear has Turbo Delphi available for free... I don't know if
it comes with source code.
I wonder how CodeGear feels about sharing their RTL/VCL code with others
like free pascal.
Only reason for them not to do it is:
Try break compatibility.
Try to create extra work for free pascal developers etc.
So only evil reasons to not allow it.
Finally the RTL/VCL not even that great... some parts great, some parts
kinda basic.
I think it would be good to share in this department.
I think Delphi could benefit from a popular/good compatible free pascal
compiler as well, since free pascal compiler can do cross-compiling
something that Delphi's compiler can't do.
This could make Delphi a more extractive Development environment.
Steps:
1. Write code in Delphi IDE and Delphi's fast compiler.
Then when as good as done.
2. Switch to free pascal compiler for any cross compiling or alternative
compiler code checking or so ;)
And it would also take away the fear of some people that Delphi/Pascal might
die some day.
^^^ Good reasons for Borland/CodeGear to support free pascal compiler
compatibility a little bit ;) ^^^
Bye,
Skybuck.
_______________________________________________
fpc-pascal maillist - fpc-pascal@lists.freepascal.org
http://lists.freepascal.org/mailman/listinfo/fpc-pascal
