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Groups > comp.lang.c > #91437 > unrolled thread

Extending C with GC?

Started byluser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com>
First post2016-07-31 15:31 -0700
Last post2016-08-08 22:12 -0700
Articles 20 on this page of 144 — 28 participants

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Contents

  Extending C with GC? luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2016-07-31 15:31 -0700
    Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-07-31 15:52 -0700
      Re: Extending C with GC? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-07-31 17:21 -0700
      Re: Extending C with GC? Jean-Marc Bourguet <jm@bourguet.org> - 2016-08-01 20:34 +0200
        Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-01 12:14 -0700
        Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-01 12:46 -0700
          Re: Extending C with GC? "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-08-01 15:56 -0400
            Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-01 14:28 -0700
          Re: Extending C with GC? Jean-Marc Bourguet <jm@bourguet.org> - 2016-08-01 23:37 +0200
            Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-01 15:03 -0700
            Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-02 00:11 +0200
              Re: Extending C with GC? "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-08-01 18:19 -0400
                Re: Extending C with GC? BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-02 12:46 -0500
      Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-03 15:26 -0700
        Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-03 15:49 -0700
          Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-04 14:07 +1200
            Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-03 19:26 -0700
              Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-04 14:55 +1200
            Re: Extending C with GC? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-08-03 20:38 -0700
              Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-04 05:10 -0700
                Re: Extending C with GC? Siri Cruise <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2016-08-04 05:57 -0700
                  Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-04 06:13 -0700
                Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-05 07:24 +1200
                  Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-04 12:47 -0700
                    Re: Extending C with GC? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-08-04 23:32 -0700
                      Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-05 10:09 +0100
                    Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-05 20:32 +1200
                      Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-05 06:14 -0700
                        Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-06 04:14 -0700
                          Re: Extending C with GC? Melzzzzz <mel@zzzzz.com> - 2016-08-06 13:23 +0200
                            Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-06 04:38 -0700
                          Re: Extending C with GC? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-08-06 04:34 -0700
                            Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-06 05:28 -0700
                              Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-06 06:05 -0700
                                Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-06 06:12 -0700
                            Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-06 14:02 +0100
                              Re: Extending C with GC? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-08-06 06:11 -0700
                                Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-06 14:50 +0100
                                  Re: Extending C with GC? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-08-06 07:57 -0700
                                    Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-06 17:02 +0100
                                Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-06 19:20 +0200
                              Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-06 14:27 +0100
                                Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-06 14:45 +0100
                                Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-06 09:59 -0700
                                  Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-06 19:38 +0100
                                    Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-06 17:03 -0700
                                      Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-07 09:54 +0100
                                        Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-07 21:53 +1200
                                          Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-07 11:34 +0100
                                            Re: Extending C with GC? anton@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at (Anton Ertl) - 2016-08-07 12:06 +0000
                                            Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-07 14:10 +0100
                                              Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-07 15:38 +0100
                                                Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-07 14:32 -0700
                                                  Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-07 23:44 +0100
                                                    Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-07 16:12 -0700
                                                      Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-08 01:42 +0100
                                                        Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-07 18:56 -0700
                                                          Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-08 10:20 +0100
                                                            Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-08 09:39 -0700
                                                Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-08 02:30 +0100
                                              Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-07 20:15 +0100
                                                Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-08 01:24 +0100
                                                  Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-08 02:08 +0100
                                                    Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-07 18:49 -0700
                                                    Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-08 03:28 +0100
                                                      Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-08 12:14 +0100
                                            Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-08 07:37 +1200
                                              Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-07 20:56 +0100
                                                Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-08 08:11 +1200
                                                  Re: Extending C with GC? Melzzzzz <mel@zzzzz.com> - 2016-08-07 22:19 +0200
                                                  Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-07 22:23 +0100
                                                    Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-07 14:29 -0700
                                                      Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-07 22:36 +0100
                                                        Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-07 15:04 -0700
                                                        Re: Extending C with GC? jameskuyper@verizon.net - 2016-08-07 15:19 -0700
                                                          Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-08 00:04 +0100
                                                            Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-07 16:20 -0700
                                                            Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-08 15:21 +1200
                                                              Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-08 10:35 +0100
                                                                Re: Extending C with GC? Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2016-08-08 18:13 +0100
                                                                  Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-08 11:53 -0700
                                                                    Re: Extending C with GC? raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2016-08-10 12:58 +0000
                                                                      Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-10 07:05 -0700
                                                                      Re: Extending C with GC? Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2016-08-10 12:29 -0400
                                                                  Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-08 21:15 +0100
                                                          Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-08 08:57 -0700
                                                        Re: Extending C with GC? luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2016-08-07 15:37 -0700
                                                    Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-07 14:58 -0700
                                                    Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-08 15:26 +1200
                                                      Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-08 10:26 +0200
                                                        Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-08 21:13 +1200
                                                          Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-08 10:41 +0100
                                                          Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-08 12:00 +0200
                                                            Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-08 22:07 +1200
                                                            Re: Extending C with GC? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-08-08 12:57 +0200
                                                            Re: Extending C with GC? Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2016-08-08 18:12 +0100
                                                        Re: Extending C with GC? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-08 21:25 +1200
                                                          Re: Extending C with GC? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-08-08 02:57 -0700
                                            Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-07 13:28 -0700
                                        Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-07 05:42 -0700
                                Re: Extending C with GC? Florian Weimer <fw@deneb.enyo.de> - 2016-08-07 11:49 +0200
                              Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-06 19:18 +0200
                                Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-06 12:35 -0700
                            Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-06 19:27 +0200
                              Re: Extending C with GC? "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-06 10:55 -0700
                              Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-06 12:31 -0700
        Re: Extending C with GC? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-08-03 22:36 -0400
          Re: Extending C with GC? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-08-04 10:57 +0200
            Re: Extending C with GC? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-08-04 04:09 -0700
              Re: Extending C with GC? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-08-04 14:01 +0200
          Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-04 07:52 -0700
        Re: Extending C with GC? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-08-04 08:57 -0700
          Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-04 09:19 -0700
            Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-04 12:30 -0700
              Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-04 15:21 -0700
                Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-04 16:50 -0700
                  Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-05 07:31 -0700
            Re: Extending C with GC? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-08-05 16:01 -0700
          Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-04 21:00 +0200
            Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-04 20:26 +0100
              Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-05 10:37 +0200
                Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-05 15:52 +0100
                Re: Extending C with GC? antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2016-08-21 00:09 +0000
                  Re: Extending C with GC? Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2016-08-21 08:58 +0100
                  Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-21 10:48 +0200
                  Re: Extending C with GC? "Pascal J. Bourguignon" <pjb@informatimago.com> - 2016-08-21 19:58 +0200
                  Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-22 08:46 -0700
                    Re: Extending C with GC? Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2016-08-26 02:24 -0700
                      Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-26 13:37 -0700
                        Re: Extending C with GC? Melzzzzz <mel@zzzzz.com> - 2016-08-27 00:41 +0200
                        Re: Extending C with GC? Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2016-08-28 06:12 -0700
              Re: Extending C with GC? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-08-05 10:06 +0100
                Re: Extending C with GC? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-08-05 15:26 +0100
            Re: Extending C with GC? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-08-05 08:11 -0700
              Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-05 17:43 +0200
                Re: Extending C with GC? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-08-05 15:28 -0700
          Re: Extending C with GC? BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2016-08-04 17:11 -0500
    Re: Extending C with GC? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-07-31 17:35 -0700
    Re: Extending C with GC? jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2016-08-01 07:45 +0200
      Re: Extending C with GC? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-08-01 08:49 -0700
      Re: Extending C with GC? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-08-01 09:06 -0700
        Re: Extending C with GC? Aleksandar Kuktin <akuktin@gmail.com> - 2016-08-05 18:11 +0000
          Re: Extending C with GC? luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2016-08-05 11:24 -0700
    Re: Extending C with GC? "Chris M. Thomasson" <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2016-08-08 22:12 -0700

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#91983

Fromsupercat@casperkitty.com
Date2016-08-08 11:53 -0700
Message-ID<18754f70-8485-4425-a253-5f6425c053fd@googlegroups.com>
In reply to#91978
On Monday, August 8, 2016 at 12:13:40 PM UTC-5, gwowen wrote:
> > Any compiler *I* produce can be built with simple instructions (partly
> > because I keep them simple, partly because I MAKE THE EFFORT).
> 
> Well, that's one of the advantages of software that only ever needs to
> be run on one machine.

It should be possible and practical to extend the Standard in such a way
that a large fraction of programs could simply be distributed as a bunch
of C files, header files, and configuration files such that simply feeding
everything to a standard implementation would either yield an executable
that behaves according to requirements or else identify an optional feature
that the program requires but the platform does not support.

There are some kinds of program where multi-platform support will necessarily
be complex, but there are many others for which a simpler approach would be
much more helpful.

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#92061

Fromraltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos)
Date2016-08-10 12:58 +0000
Message-ID<57ab24b5.7911343@news.xs4all.nl>
In reply to#91983
supercat@casperkitty.com wrote:

> On Monday, August 8, 2016 at 12:13:40 PM UTC-5, gwowen wrote:
> > > Any compiler *I* produce can be built with simple instructions (partly
> > > because I keep them simple, partly because I MAKE THE EFFORT).
> > 
> > Well, that's one of the advantages of software that only ever needs to
> > be run on one machine.
> 
> It should be possible and practical to extend the Standard in such a way
> that a large fraction of programs could simply be distributed as a bunch
> of C files, header files, and configuration files such that simply feeding
> everything to a standard implementation would either yield an executable
> that behaves according to requirements or else identify an optional feature
> that the program requires but the platform does not support.

I see you've never met an end user, either, like so many of the experts
in this group.

I've said many things about Bart, but at least he natively understands
the low level you must stoop to if the average user is to install and
run your programs.

Richard

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#92066

Fromsupercat@casperkitty.com
Date2016-08-10 07:05 -0700
Message-ID<f6ee49b0-8ca7-4293-bcdf-e69d01895673@googlegroups.com>
In reply to#92061
On Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at 7:59:01 AM UTC-5, Richard Bos wrote:
> > It should be possible and practical to extend the Standard in such a way
> > that a large fraction of programs could simply be distributed as a bunch
> > of C files, header files, and configuration files such that simply feeding
> > everything to a standard implementation would either yield an executable
> > that behaves according to requirements or else identify an optional feature
> > that the program requires but the platform does not support.
> 
> I see you've never met an end user, either, like so many of the experts
> in this group.

Obviously for many users on common platforms the preferred approach is going
to be to distribute executables that the platform can simply use.

Otherwise, I'm not sure what you're objecting to.  Are end users expected
to have an easier time with build scripts that will need to be customized
for every compiler, with a failure to customize things properly yielding an
executable file that may 99% work, but fail at inopportune moments, versus
having a set of source files that can only have one possible meaning and
when processed will either yield that meaning or be rejected altogether?

\

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#92083

FromKen Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net>
Date2016-08-10 12:29 -0400
Message-ID<nofkq1$s6d$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#92061
On 8/10/2016 8:58 AM, Richard Bos wrote:
> supercat@casperkitty.com wrote:
>
>> On Monday, August 8, 2016 at 12:13:40 PM UTC-5, gwowen wrote:
>>>> Any compiler *I* produce can be built with simple instructions (partly
>>>> because I keep them simple, partly because I MAKE THE EFFORT).
>>>
>>> Well, that's one of the advantages of software that only ever needs to
>>> be run on one machine.
>>
>> It should be possible and practical to extend the Standard in such a way
>> that a large fraction of programs could simply be distributed as a bunch
>> of C files, header files, and configuration files such that simply feeding
>> everything to a standard implementation would either yield an executable
>> that behaves according to requirements or else identify an optional feature
>> that the program requires but the platform does not support.
>
> I see you've never met an end user, either, like so many of the experts
> in this group.
[...]

I don't know if I would consider myself an "expert" -- just someone who has 
been writing in C for about 30 years, and ported software to numerous 
platforms.  (Note, however, that all the platforms are [mostly] POSIX 
compliant, so I deal with POSIX, and not ISO C.)  But, even after all these 
years, I can still learn something from here.  Sometimes, it's something 
that was standardized after the K&R C which I started with.  Other times, 
it's "un-learning" something I mis-learned many years ago.

I've met many end users, and hang out on a (3rd party) mailing list for the 
software I write/maintain.

I've also gotten to the point that, when an end-user asks "how do I do X", I 
answer the question as-asked, and have given up asking "why would you want to".

I also have to deal with reports of "this code no longer works because 
something in $PROGRAM changed", when nearly always my response is "that code 
could never have worked".  They'll always insist "it used to work", at which 
point I'll request that they try it again on the previous version of 
$PROGRAM, and if it worked as they describe, send files to demonstrate the 
change in $PROGRAM's behavior.  Without fail, they'll eventually reply along 
the lines of "I could've sworn it worked before".

So, yes, I've dealt with (and met in-person) many end users.

-- 
Kenneth Brody

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#91990

FromBartC <bc@freeuk.com>
Date2016-08-08 21:15 +0100
Message-ID<noap90$urp$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#91978
On 08/08/2016 18:13, Gareth Owen wrote:
> BartC <bc@freeuk.com> writes:
>
>> On 08/08/2016 04:21, Ian Collins wrote:
>>> On 08/ 8/16 11:04 AM, BartC wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I believe in having a C compiler (and linker), and simple human-readable
>>>> /instructions/ on how to build a project. (Have the make-file too if you
>>>> like but not instead of.)
>>>
>>> Good luck building something small like an OS kernel, or a compiler with
>>> a C compiler and simple instructions.  See you back here next year.
>>
>> Any compiler *I* produce can be built with simple instructions (partly
>> because I keep them simple, partly because I MAKE THE EFFORT).
>
> Well, that's one of the advantages of software that only ever needs to
> be run on one machine.

One actual machine, or one platform?

If I want to share code, I make it available as more-or-less portable C 
code. Then it can work on x86, x64 or ARM; and (depending on what it 
does) on Windows or Linux. That covers quite a lot of ground.

-- 
Bartc

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#91966

Fromsupercat@casperkitty.com
Date2016-08-08 08:57 -0700
Message-ID<2b1c4228-29f9-407a-9d73-ae6075009431@googlegroups.com>
In reply to#91882
On Sunday, August 7, 2016 at 5:19:17 PM UTC-5, james...@verizon.net wrote:
> In addition, since the standard defines an implementation as "particular set of software, running in a particular translation environment under particular control options, that performs translation of programs for, and supports execution of functions in, a particular execution environment" (3.12p2), you can't have a complete C implementation without also having a CPU, and some kind of data storage, and the software must already be running on that CPU - otherwise it doesn't qualify as an implementation.
> 
> I've been arguing that software alone can't qualify as a conforming implementation for years, but I only recently discovered that it's the standard's definition of "implementation" which justifies my claim. I'd been concentrating on the "conforming" aspect, and arguments based upon conformance necessarily addressed the issue less directly: a conforming implementation is required to produce certain kinds of behavior when translating or executing a program, and software that is not currently executing can neither translate a program, nor execute it, nor produce the required behavior. People for some reason found that a less convincing argument, though it seems pretty strong to me. However, the use of "running" in the present tense in 3.12p1 makes it clearer.

This is part of why I've been thinking that the Standard really needs to
separate out the compiler from the execution environment.  If one has a
compiler plus an execution-environment specification, such that taking the
output from the compiler and running it in any environment meeting the
specification will yield the behaviors described by the Standard, then it
should be possible to define a standard for compiler compliance.  It
should then be possible to distinguish between compiler-generated UB and
environment-generated UB.

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#91884

Fromluser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com>
Date2016-08-07 15:37 -0700
Message-ID<16feeae3-5612-4884-8884-5422074e2597@googlegroups.com>
In reply to#91878
On Sunday, August 7, 2016 at 4:37:04 PM UTC-5, Bart wrote:
> On 07/08/2016 22:29, Rick C. Hodgin wrote:
> > Bartc wrote:
> >> The brick wall is when the build instructions say type
> >> ./configure and that doesn't work because you're not
> >> running linux/unix/whatever.
> >
> > Install cygwin.  It gives you the appropriate bash terminal, and
> > allows linux/unix/whatever on Windows, with generated binaries
> > which run on Windows natively.
> 
> I tried MSYS last time I made a serious attempt. It didn't work.
> 
> My gripe however is with having to install either MSYS or CYGWIN.
> 
> For a C application, why do you need anything beyond a C compiler?
> 

The hot ticket I discovered is MSYS2. Grab that first,
then use its nice gui package manager to install a 
mingw32 or -64 build system. More details on my friend's
quick guide: http://vtorri.github.io/examine/
(also check out his clone of valgrind's "memcheck" for
windoze at the same address).

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#91880

FromKeith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org>
Date2016-08-07 14:58 -0700
Message-ID<lntweww89r.fsf@kst-u.example.com>
In reply to#91875
BartC <bc@freeuk.com> writes:
> On 07/08/2016 21:11, Ian Collins wrote:
>> On 08/ 8/16 07:56 AM, BartC wrote:
[...]
>>> Are we still talking about C code?

No -- so why are you still talking about it *here*?

>>>                                    And how exactly does it take account
>>> of these systems? Is the application written in C, or is it actually
>>> written in Bash?
>>
>> By checking the system headers, checking what libraries and what version
>> of those libraries are installed, checking what compilers (and which
>> versions) are installed, checking the system architecture, system OS
>> (and version) and what ever else is required to build the code.
>
> And that takes tens of thousands of lines of of code?
>
> What does it do with the result? What's the role of make files in all 
> this, or is that yet another level?

Have you considered doing some research?  There are manuals and books
describing how autoconf works.  The first Google hit for "autoconf" is
the GNU project web page; it has a brief description and a link to the
documentation in several formats.

[...]

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
Working, but not speaking, for JetHead Development, Inc.
"We must do something.  This is something.  Therefore, we must do this."
    -- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

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#91917

FromIan Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com>
Date2016-08-08 15:26 +1200
Message-ID<e0qcedFdmg1U2@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#91875
On 08/ 8/16 09:23 AM, BartC wrote:
> On 07/08/2016 21:11, Ian Collins wrote:
>> On 08/ 8/16 07:56 AM, BartC wrote:
>>> On 07/08/2016 20:37, Ian Collins wrote:
>>>> On 08/ 7/16 10:34 PM, BartC wrote:
>>>
>>>>> On my machine that doesn't work. Because it's designed to be meaningful
>>>>> only on Linux or something that emulates Linux.
>>>>
>>>> Nope, the process predates Linux.
>>>
>>> Linux, Unix, whatever.
>>
>> The whatever is important.
>>
>>>> One reason configure scripts are so big is to take into account all of
>>>> the possible (and often long dead) systems the code might get built on.
>>>
>>> Are we still talking about C code? And how exactly does it take account
>>> of these systems? Is the application written in C, or is it actually
>>> written in Bash?
>>
>> By checking the system headers, checking what libraries and what version
>> of those libraries are installed, checking what compilers (and which
>> versions) are installed, checking the system architecture, system OS
>> (and version) and what ever else is required to build the code.
>
> And that takes tens of thousands of lines of of code?

Who cares?  Do you care how many lines of code it takes to open a web page?

> What does it do with the result? What's the role of make files in all
> this, or is that yet another level?

You know full well what it does.

>>> But I'm told I can't just type 'cc file.c' because I first have to run a
>>> script, in a language
>>
>> The script is in the lowest common denominator language.  Every system
>> the code is targeted at will have it.
>
> Well, my system doesn't. Importing most of Linux to make it 'have' it
> doesn't count. And if I did have it, I still wouldn't want it. I like to
> have my own streamlined build procedures.

So keep on pushing shit up hill and stop whinging.

> This configure/make palaver is very unfriendly outside the Linux world
> and is overkill IMO. It's taking something that could be very simple,
> and making it impossible.

It's friendly everywhere except for the Windows world for users too pig 
headed to install Cygwin...

-- 
Ian

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#91927

Fromjacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr>
Date2016-08-08 10:26 +0200
Message-ID<no9fo7$gi0$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#91917
Le 08/08/2016 à 05:26, Ian Collins a écrit :
>> And that takes tens of thousands of lines of of code?
>
> Who cares?  Do you care how many lines of code it takes to open a web page?

This is the root of the degrading of our profession into a a "click 
happy, turn off your brain" profession.

Why bother at all with producing cleanly written software?

NOBODY CARES!

Just click around, use whatever monstruosity is available and finish the 
job today instead of tomorrow!

That is why the New York Times serves you malware in the ads pages it 
serves. Nobody checks anything any more, why bother?

It is impossible to check anything. Hidden in that 20 000 lines 
configure script ANY virus could be hidden safely since nobody will 
check that. Note that the machine infected by a rogue CONFIGURE script 
could be completely fucked up since they run very often with root 
privileges. Since configure scripts are plain text, inserting a back 
door or a trojan there is MUCH easier than patching an executable and 
requires less skills.



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#91930

FromIan Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com>
Date2016-08-08 21:13 +1200
Message-ID<e0r0q6Fia2rU1@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#91927
On 08/ 8/16 08:26 PM, jacobnavia wrote:
>
> It is impossible to check anything. Hidden in that 20 000 lines
> configure script ANY virus could be hidden safely since nobody will
> check that. Note that the machine infected by a rogue CONFIGURE script
> could be completely fucked up since they run very often with root
> privileges.

There is never any need to run a configure script as root.

> Since configure scripts are plain text, inserting a back
> door or a trojan there is MUCH easier than patching an executable and
> requires less skills.

It would also be much easier to spot...

-- 
Ian

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#91934

FromBartC <bc@freeuk.com>
Date2016-08-08 10:41 +0100
Message-ID<no9k3q$t00$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#91930
On 08/08/2016 10:13, Ian Collins wrote:
> On 08/ 8/16 08:26 PM, jacobnavia wrote:
>>
>> It is impossible to check anything. Hidden in that 20 000 lines
>> configure script ANY virus could be hidden safely since nobody will
>> check that. Note that the machine infected by a rogue CONFIGURE script
>> could be completely fucked up since they run very often with root
>> privileges.
>
> There is never any need to run a configure script as root.
>
>> Since configure scripts are plain text, inserting a back
>> door or a trojan there is MUCH easier than patching an executable and
>> requires less skills.
>
> It would also be much easier to spot...

Who's going to bother reading it?

>

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#91936

Fromjacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr>
Date2016-08-08 12:00 +0200
Message-ID<no9l8k$vt5$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#91930
Le 08/08/2016 à 11:13, Ian Collins a écrit :
> On 08/ 8/16 08:26 PM, jacobnavia wrote:
>>
>> It is impossible to check anything. Hidden in that 20 000 lines
>> configure script ANY virus could be hidden safely since nobody will
>> check that. Note that the machine infected by a rogue CONFIGURE script
>> could be completely fucked up since they run very often with root
>> privileges.
>
> There is never any need to run a configure script as root.
>


This BLLATANTLY NOT TRUE!

How will you install in /usr/local or in /usr/bin ???


OF COURSE you need toç be root to run the install script

>> Since configure scripts are plain text, inserting a back
>> door or a trojan there is MUCH easier than patching an executable and
>> requires less skills.
>
> It would also be much easier to spot...
>


Sure, after you have READ AND UNDERSTOOD 20 000 lines of computer 
generated code for each package you install.

Now, to avoid this you would have to furnish an md5 signature, that you 
would have to update each time you add a single space to that script.

And you would have to geta machine for OS X since the line separator is 
different than in windows (another machine you would have to get) and in 
linux (yet another line ending convention).

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#91937

FromIan Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com>
Date2016-08-08 22:07 +1200
Message-ID<e0r3u6Fj0t1U1@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#91936
On 08/ 8/16 10:00 PM, jacobnavia wrote:
> Le 08/08/2016 à 11:13, Ian Collins a écrit :
>> On 08/ 8/16 08:26 PM, jacobnavia wrote:
>>>
>>> It is impossible to check anything. Hidden in that 20 000 lines
>>> configure script ANY virus could be hidden safely since nobody will
>>> check that. Note that the machine infected by a rogue CONFIGURE script
>>> could be completely fucked up since they run very often with root
>>> privileges.
>>
>> There is never any need to run a configure script as root.
>>
> This BLLATANTLY NOT TRUE!

NO IT IS NOT!

> How will you install in /usr/local or in /usr/bin ???

By running "sudo make install".  If you install in /usr/bin, you deserve 
all the pain you bring upon yourself.

>>> Since configure scripts are plain text, inserting a back
>>> door or a trojan there is MUCH easier than patching an executable and
>>> requires less skills.
>>
>> It would also be much easier to spot...
>>
> Sure, after you have READ AND UNDERSTOOD 20 000 lines of computer
> generated code for each package you install.
>
> Now, to avoid this you would have to furnish an md5 signature, that you
> would have to update each time you add a single space to that script.

Most packages do provide md5 or sha sums.

> And you would have to geta machine for OS X since the line separator is
> different than in windows (another machine you would have to get) and in
> linux (yet another line ending convention).

I don't see the relevance, but OS-X uses Unix line endings.
-- 
Ian

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#91944

FromDavid Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no>
Date2016-08-08 12:57 +0200
Message-ID<no9oii$amf$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#91936
On 08/08/16 12:00, jacobnavia wrote:
> Le 08/08/2016 à 11:13, Ian Collins a écrit :
>> On 08/ 8/16 08:26 PM, jacobnavia wrote:
>>>
>>> It is impossible to check anything. Hidden in that 20 000 lines
>>> configure script ANY virus could be hidden safely since nobody will
>>> check that. Note that the machine infected by a rogue CONFIGURE script
>>> could be completely fucked up since they run very often with root
>>> privileges.
>>
>> There is never any need to run a configure script as root.
>>
> 
> 
> This BLLATANTLY NOT TRUE!
> 
> How will you install in /usr/local or in /usr/bin ???
> 
> 
> OF COURSE you need toç be root to run the install script
> 

The configuration script is not the install script.


In the typical build process, you run

	./configure

as a user.  You might want additional options here.  For gcc, for
example, there are a number of commonly-used options such as your choice
of target (for cross-compiling), your choice of languages (do you really
want Fortran, Go, Ada, Java, etc.?), and your choice of directories and
prefixes for the final programs.

Then you run

	make

as the same user, to do the actual build.  You might want a "-j" option
here for parallel builds.

Finally, you have

	make install

either as a user (for user-local installation), or as root (perhaps with
"sudo") to install in /usr/local (typically) or /usr/bin (which is
rarely a good idea).


If you are paranoid, or have reason to suspect malware, and are not
content with the usual md5 or sha checksum verification, then you can do
all these steps as a user.  And on *nix, it's no problem creating a new
user for the purpose which (on most setups) has no write access to other
users' files and thus very limited damage potential.

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#91976

FromGareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com>
Date2016-08-08 18:12 +0100
Message-ID<87mvknchi1.fsf@gmail.com>
In reply to#91936
jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> writes:


> This BLLATANTLY NOT TRUE!
>
> How will you install in /usr/local or in /usr/bin ???
>
>
> OF COURSE you need toç be root to run the install script

./configure is not the install script.  

And calm down.

Sheesh.

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#91932

FromIan Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com>
Date2016-08-08 21:25 +1200
Message-ID<e0r1gfFigp4U1@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#91927
On 08/ 8/16 08:26 PM, jacobnavia wrote:
> Le 08/08/2016 à 05:26, Ian Collins a écrit :
>>> And that takes tens of thousands of lines of of code?
>>
>> Who cares?  Do you care how many lines of code it takes to open a web page?
>
> This is the root of the degrading of our profession into a a "click
> happy, turn off your brain" profession.
>
> Why bother at all with producing cleanly written software?

Because an autoconf configure script is machine generated!  If you or 
Bart don't like what autoconf produces, write something better.  If it 
is so bad, why hasn't it died and been replaced in the 30 years it has 
been in use?

> NOBODY CARES!

So do you read and check every bit of software you use?

-- 
Ian

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#91935

FromMalcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com>
Date2016-08-08 02:57 -0700
Message-ID<357a702d-32bb-404a-b37a-bd7077024854@googlegroups.com>
In reply to#91932
On Monday, August 8, 2016 at 10:25:43 AM UTC+1, Ian Collins wrote:
> On 08/ 8/16 08:26 PM, jacobnavia wrote:
> > Le 08/08/2016 à 05:26, Ian Collins a écrit :
> >>> And that takes tens of thousands of lines of of code?
> >>
> >> Who cares?  Do you care how many lines of code it takes to open a web page?
> >
> > This is the root of the degrading of our profession into a a "click
> > happy, turn off your brain" profession.
> >
> > Why bother at all with producing cleanly written software?
> 
> Because an autoconf configure script is machine generated!  If you or 
> Bart don't like what autoconf produces, write something better.  If it 
> is so bad, why hasn't it died and been replaced in the 30 years it has 
> been in use?
> 
I was reading scientific paper someone wrote on comparing DNA sequence alignment
tools. The author had the honesty to admit that there were some tools he was
unable to test due to difficulties with the install arrangements. It's a nightmare
situation.
However writing your own install system is likely to simply make the  situation worse.

We employ someone who writes installers for our products. That's virtually his
fulltime job. Not quite, but it seems like every few days he's pulled off the main
project to do some work on the installers, I haven't kept a log (I'm not his manager)
but I'd guess at least 50% of his time is spent on these installers. 

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#91874

FromKeith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org>
Date2016-08-07 13:28 -0700
Message-ID<ln37mgxr0z.fsf@kst-u.example.com>
In reply to#91847
BartC <bc@freeuk.com> writes:
> On 07/08/2016 10:53, Ian Collins wrote:
[...]
>> ./configure; make
>>
>> Now that's one massive hoop...
>
> On my machine that doesn't work. Because it's designed to be meaningful 
> only on Linux or something that emulates Linux.

Unix, not just Linux.  I'm fairly sure the "configure;make;make install"
mechanism is older than Linux.

> Getting that sorted /is/ quite a big hoop.
>
> But even if it worked**, the question is WHY? What on earth does it do 
> that absolutely REQUIRES 20,000 lines of scripting code? Is there no one 
> willing to simplify it?
>
> If everyone ignores these issues, then sooner or later we will need 
> 200,000 lines of scripting code (piling up layer upon layer) and no one 
> on the planet will know what it all does.

So you object to running a 20,000-line script.

After the script runs, you have to run a C compiler, either directly,
via a "make" command, or something else.  Do you expect everyone who
uses a C compiler to understand how it works, or to care how many lines
of code had to be written to implement it?

From my point of view (as a Unix/Linux user), the conventional
"configure;make;make install" sequence is trivial; I can type a one-line
command to build and install a software package from source.

The fact that it's not as easy for Windows users is certainly a valid
issue.  In some cases, it might be because the authors of the software
package you're trying to install do not care about Windows.  (Conversely,
some software packages developed for Windows are difficult or impossible
to install on Unix or Linux.)

The size and complexity of a typical configure script are not an issue
*when it works*.  When it doesn't, I fail to see how complaining about
it here will do anyone any good.

You've complained repeatedly about the difficulty of installing Clang on
Windows.  Have you considered communicating with the Clang maintainers?

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
Working, but not speaking, for JetHead Development, Inc.
"We must do something.  This is something.  Therefore, we must do this."
    -- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

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#91850

From"Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com>
Date2016-08-07 05:42 -0700
Message-ID<11a9c3f4-2ef2-42b2-92a1-37868659f5c8@googlegroups.com>
In reply to#91844
Bartc wrote:
> Probably everyone else is happy to jump through all
> those hoops (perhaps because they've always had to do it
> and think that's how it must be). I'm not!

I used to think as you do.  But I was wrong, and you are too.

Consider what you're doing, Bart:  You're turning your back on man-
years worth of debugged software because you don't like the package
they come in.  You complain the wrapping is too hard to open.

I believe a tweak to that attitude is in order because what you're
receiving is a gift that requires a one time knowledge increase on
how to set up the compile environment.  It's a small price to pay
for what you get in return.

Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin

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