From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Jan 14 11:27:55 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0DAD2106564A for ; Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:27:55 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from dougb@FreeBSD.org) Received: from mail2.fluidhosting.com (mx22.fluidhosting.com [204.14.89.5]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A6DD38FC13 for ; Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:27:54 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from dougb@FreeBSD.org) Received: (qmail 23612 invoked by uid 399); 14 Jan 2009 11:27:54 -0000 Received: from localhost (HELO lap.dougb.net) (dougb@dougbarton.us@127.0.0.1) by localhost with ESMTPAM; 14 Jan 2009 11:27:54 -0000 X-Originating-IP: 127.0.0.1 X-Sender: dougb@dougbarton.us Message-ID: <496DCC38.4010809@FreeBSD.org> Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:27:52 -0800 From: Doug Barton Organization: http://www.FreeBSD.org/ User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.19 (X11/20090111) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Pegasus Mc Cleaft References: <20090113044111.134EC1CC0B@ptavv.es.net> <20090113222023.GA51810@lor.one-eyed-alien.net> <496D1ED6.4090202@FreeBSD.org> <200901132356.40820.ken@mthelicon.com> In-Reply-To: <200901132356.40820.ken@mthelicon.com> X-Enigmail-Version: 0.95.7 OpenPGP: id=D5B2F0FB Content-Type: text/plain; charset=KOI8-U Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Alternatives to gcc (was Re: gcc 4.3: when will it become standard compiler?) X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:27:55 -0000 Pegasus Mc Cleaft wrote: > At the moment you can already compile gcc 4.3 from the ports tree, however > things like binutils only seems to exist in the ports as a cross compiling > tool. How hard would it be to add binutils as a port and make the gcc 4.x > ports dependent on it? This way you can install gcc 4.3 with the assembler and > linker that play nice together during the build? At the moment, I have had to > make binutils from a gnu downloaded source and then make gcc 4.3 with a silly > make, IE: make AS=/usr/local/bin/as .......... I think this would be an excellent approach. I am not sure I agree with the idea that we _must_ have a compiler toolchain in the base but it should definitely be possible to "replace" the toolchain in the base with one from ports with a minimum of hassle. Of course I'm aware that this will entail a non-trivial amount of work, not only in changing our existing infrastructure to some extent but also work to non-toolchain code so that it can work with newer versions of th build tools. However, if we are fortunate and one of the current BSDL contenders emerges down the road as a viable alternative to gcc most of the work necessary to make this change now will have to be done anyway. On the one hand I like the "BSD approach" of sticking with tools that work rather than constantly chasing the latest and greatest. However I think we can run the risk of becoming mired in our own success, and losing the agility that we'll need to keep things moving forward in what will only become a more dynamic environment. Doug -- This .signature sanitized for your protection