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Re: software disenchantment

From David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c
Subject Re: software disenchantment
Date 2018-10-12 13:17 +0200
Organization A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID <pppvt1$lsh$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References (19 earlier) <RVFvD.15651$I34.1016@fx43.am4> <ppneji$ke$1@dont-email.me> <ppo38r$jr7$1@news.albasani.net> <ppo6s0$mog$1@dont-email.me> <pposj3$mtu$1@news.albasani.net>

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On 12/10/18 03:15, BGB wrote:
> On 10/11/2018 2:04 PM, David Brown wrote:
>> On 11/10/18 20:03, BGB wrote:
<snip>
>>> One drawback IMO with GCC is that it tries to do too much with a
>>> single compiler, leading it to be quite big and unwieldy.
>>>
>>> Several smaller and more specialized compilers could possibly better
>>> address some things, with the main GCC mostly focusing on PC-like
>>> targets; probably with other compilers toolchains for various classes
>>> of embedded and microcontroller targets.
>>>
>>
>> gcc /does/ focus on a certain class of processor - what might be
>> termed "C friendly" processors.  This covers a large number of
>> devices, but misses many classes entirely - DSP's, 8-bit accumulator
>> processors, anything with CHAR_BIT != 8 or signed integers that are
>> not two's complement.
>>
> 
> I was meaning if, say, it focused mostly on x86 and ARM and similar
> using ELF and maybe PE/COFF and MachO as output formats.

Where should it draw the line?  Should it just throw out existing
support for other processors?  Should people running Linux on MIPS or
PPC start using a different compiler?

There are many parts of the gcc source that are specific to certain
target processors.  When you configure a gcc build for a target, only
the files and code sections relevant to that target are included in the
build.  A gcc binary is not capable of building binaries for more than
one target family.

So on my system I have a half different gcc executables, each "focused"
on a different processor architecture or perhaps a different target OS.
 (Actually, I have many more, that are different versions of gcc for the
same target.)

> 
> In this case, most of the embedded cross compilers could be done via
> forks or by other more specialized compilers; it doesn't seem like that
> much would be lost as which combination of features exist and the
> quality (or sanity) of the generated code already varies a bit from one
> target to another.

A /vast/ amount would be lost.  I have long experience of gcc for
embedded systems of all sorts - including some that have been maintained
as out-of-tree patches rather than being mainline gcc targets.  It is
/hugely/ better for users that the targets are all together in the
mainline gcc - that keeps them going, keeps them updated, and gives them
the benefits of new features in the compiler.  Compilers for "minor"
targets - such as the AVR - benefit from all the improvements to the
middle-end optimisations, the front-end language updates and warnings,
etc.  There are few developers working on the AVR port - they handle
support for new chips, peephole optimisations, and other backend issues.
 Meanwhile, the avr-gcc compiler as a whole gets link-time optimisation,
function cloning, partial inlining, C++17 support,
-Wmisleading-indentation warnings, and all the other improvements that
gcc has got over the past few years.

> Just because it is gcc doesn't mean it generates good
> code (or, for that matter, that trying to build a cross compiler for an
> obscure target wont just result in a mess of build errors), if it is for
> a target that isn't really being maintained.

Of course.  But maintenance of a target within gcc is far less work than
maintenance of an independent compiler, or even an out-of-tree gcc port.
 As I say, I've used such ports - they invariably stagnate as the
developers can't keep up with the effort of keeping synchronised with
the mainline.

> 
> It doesn't seem like one would really lose all that much apart from the
> "brand familiarity" of it being gcc.
> 

I can understand why it might seem like that, looking from the outside,
but you are wrong.

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Thread

software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-06 15:13 +0100
  Re: software disenchantment David Kleinecke <dkleinecke@gmail.com> - 2018-10-06 09:54 -0700
  Re: software disenchantment Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2018-10-06 10:26 -0700
    Re: software disenchantment fir <profesor.fir@gmail.com> - 2018-10-14 04:26 -0700
  Re: software disenchantment antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2018-10-09 18:20 +0000
    Re: software disenchantment David Kleinecke <dkleinecke@gmail.com> - 2018-10-09 11:54 -0700
      Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-09 21:22 +0100
        Re: software disenchantment David Kleinecke <dkleinecke@gmail.com> - 2018-10-09 17:47 -0700
          Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-10 11:28 +0100
            Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-10 11:38 +0100
              Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-10 05:49 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-10 15:47 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2018-10-10 09:58 -0400
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-10 14:39 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-10 09:42 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2018-10-10 13:18 -0400
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-10 20:31 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-10 17:53 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-11 10:06 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-11 02:34 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-11 12:03 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-11 03:59 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-11 16:56 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-11 09:02 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-11 19:39 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2018-10-15 19:53 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-16 03:54 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-11 20:25 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-11 13:16 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-11 07:15 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-11 17:05 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-11 09:15 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-11 17:33 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-11 19:53 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-11 17:59 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment nobody@example.org (Scott) - 2018-10-10 16:53 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-10 12:45 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2018-10-10 11:04 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-10 14:22 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2018-10-10 15:53 -0400
                Re: software disenchantment Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-11 09:06 +1300
                Re: software disenchantment "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2018-10-10 13:21 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-10 20:27 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-10 22:54 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-11 11:01 +1300
                Re: software disenchantment Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-11 11:05 +1300
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-10 23:16 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-11 11:22 +1300
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-10 23:28 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-11 11:33 +1300
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-11 11:37 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-11 11:50 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-11 14:10 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-11 05:24 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-11 15:12 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-11 13:13 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-11 14:44 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-11 16:38 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment mark.bluemel@gmail.com - 2018-10-11 08:09 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-11 17:43 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-11 17:36 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-11 18:56 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-10-11 11:54 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-11 20:09 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-12 13:10 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-13 12:57 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-11 14:27 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-11 22:03 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-11 15:56 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-12 11:30 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-11 23:34 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-10-11 16:24 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-12 01:46 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-10-11 18:58 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-12 08:50 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-12 11:12 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-12 12:55 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-12 12:10 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-12 13:29 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-12 13:06 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-12 14:30 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-10-12 08:53 -0400
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-12 15:11 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-12 13:55 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-12 15:13 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-12 16:10 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-12 15:22 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-10-12 09:12 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-13 13:00 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-13 12:52 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-14 08:44 +1300
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-13 21:03 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-14 10:13 +1300
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-13 23:02 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-10-13 16:47 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-14 01:05 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment David Kleinecke <dkleinecke@gmail.com> - 2018-10-13 18:12 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2018-10-14 03:05 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-14 20:14 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2018-10-14 11:25 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-12 13:17 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-12 13:16 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-12 14:36 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-12 14:25 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-12 15:55 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-12 15:22 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-12 08:26 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-12 15:51 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-13 13:06 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2018-10-15 19:30 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-12 12:39 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-12 08:44 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-12 13:01 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-11 20:41 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-11 20:02 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-11 22:13 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-11 13:03 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2018-10-11 11:33 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-11 21:04 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-11 20:15 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-12 13:17 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-11 13:10 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-10 19:22 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-10-11 10:58 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-11 02:37 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-11 12:06 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-10-11 04:00 -0700
                Re: software disenchantment Cecil Bayona <cbayona@cbayona.com> - 2018-10-11 13:03 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-11 19:36 +0100
                Re: software disenchantment Cecil Bayona <cbayona@cbayona.com> - 2018-10-11 15:37 -0500
                Re: software disenchantment Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2018-10-10 14:01 -0700
        Re: software disenchantment Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-10-11 09:02 +1300
      Re: software disenchantment Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2018-10-10 19:11 +0000
        Re: software disenchantment David Kleinecke <dkleinecke@gmail.com> - 2018-10-10 13:08 -0700
          Re: software disenchantment Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2018-10-11 14:52 +0000
            Re: software disenchantment scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-10-11 14:58 +0000
            Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-11 17:19 +0200
              Re: software disenchantment Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2018-10-12 09:49 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-10-13 09:30 +0200
                Re: software disenchantment Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2018-10-15 08:53 +0000
                Re: software disenchantment Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2018-10-15 09:44 +0000
    Re: software disenchantment Jens Stuckelberger <Jens_Stuckelberger@nowhere.net> - 2018-10-10 13:36 +0000
  Re: software disenchantment "Chris M. Thomasson" <invalid_chris_thomasson@invalid.invalid> - 2018-10-10 13:51 -0700
    Re: software disenchantment nobody@example.org (Scott) - 2018-10-11 01:53 +0000
    Re: software disenchantment Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2018-10-11 10:20 +0000
    Re: software disenchantment Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-10-11 12:53 +0100
      Re: software disenchantment "Chris M. Thomasson" <invalid_chris_thomasson@invalid.invalid> - 2018-10-11 23:18 -0700

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