On Apr 3, 2006, at 6:34 AM, Waldek Hebisch wrote:
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.
You can backport enhancements (SC buy in) to the last release branch
(or two, if you want to do the extra work) and `vend' snapshots off
of that if you want. You could have a new version everyday if you
wanted, with a max to-to-delivery measures in minutes, if you
wanted. I'd encourage the SC to let you `add features' to suit your
users.
What you'd have a harder time doing is adding lots of new code or
destabilizing code to the main part of the compiler on a release branch.
3) gcc develops in lockstep, which requires constant attention from
maintainers. It is clear if such attention will be available. I
must say that in last few years there were frequenty weeks in which
I had no time for gpc work and even some such months.
I wouldn't worry about this a whole lot, just mark Pascal as disabled
by default and let everyone know that time-to-respond can be measures
in months. Though, I'd guess that some people (Hi Andrew) would
build it anyway and submit fixes to get it working/keep it working.
