On 4/3/06, Waldek Hebisch <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Steven Bosscher wrote: > > > The fact is, that the GNU Pascal crew did not want integration with > > gcc the last time this was discussed. GCC, the project, can not just > > suck in every front end out there if the maintainers of that front end > > do not want that. > > Not "did not want integration". At leat I personally would support > integration very much. But there are practical problems: > > 1) When gcc releases version n gcc development works with version n+1. > At the same time gpc developers typically work with gcc version n-1. > So, there is substantial work involved to update gpc from gcc version n-1 > to gcc version n+1 > 2) Adjusting gpc development model. In particular, gpc uses rather short > feedback loop: new features are released (as alphas) when they are ready. > This is possible because gpc uses stable backend, so that users are > exposed only to front end bugs. With development backends there is a > danger that normal user will try new front end features only after > full gcc release.
There's already precedent of a "somewhat different" development model - the gfortran frontend, which usually backports a large number of non regression-fixes and features to gcc version n (where n+1 is current development mainline in your numbering). Gpc clearly would be in a similar position, same for a different model regarding maintainership and patch approval for the frontend parts, here again gfortran is special. Dot releases of stable gcc series (version n and sometimes n-1) are released regularly, roughly in a 3 month cycle, which should be an acceptable worst delay to get hands at some new nifty gpc frontend features that got backported. Richard.
