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Date:      Wed, 9 Jan 2019 09:28:24 -0700
From:      Gavin Howard <gavin.d.howard@gmail.com>
To:        "freebsd-arch@freebsd.org" <freebsd-arch@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: GNU-compatible, BSD-licensed bc
Message-ID:  <CAF=dzRNLpJ-p7_Pv5M8h5w4vuxwcGmdpG_fN9Vk9J%2BN1qtvexQ@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <CANCZdfqCfFhxBtchvBL1vP2KqgY1bZUbWC_eR62KNAdan2vr-Q@mail.gmail.com>
References:  <CAF=dzRNnurahLBOaKgq8_bDXNuM8biYPFbj6F2vp0t58Ejp8bg@mail.gmail.com> <A6C4B09B-4156-47A4-89B0-80E8688D59FC@FreeBSD.org> <CAG6CVpU-rgUVvWYDA%2B2qw62hzK1xOEqVwmXGSx2yrfqNMX8e7w@mail.gmail.com> <CAF=dzRNJMvNq0yiPPdWNk-F8--RPX3D6aydLpmLLX3xyvMAoQw@mail.gmail.com> <1e025f53-fc5e-5b1e-013d-ab9330a0e9db@freebsd.org> <CAG6CVpVe7yMrV1T9W1Qm5rMsTqq3T2LsYJkMKDd0EabAdDj=uQ@mail.gmail.com> <753bc6bf-9269-1ca2-550c-cb7622812a01@freebsd.org> <CAG6CVpU9VahQtYAijzz=M_dbg3R-z9ddbd_aEo8Z9bc3E=m1og@mail.gmail.com> <7c5da163-e12d-2de0-761e-22436fb28b86@freebsd.org> <CANCZdfqCfFhxBtchvBL1vP2KqgY1bZUbWC_eR62KNAdan2vr-Q@mail.gmail.com>

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On Wed, Jan 9, 2019 at 8:29 AM Warner Losh <imp@bsdimp.com> wrote:
>
> On Wed, Jan 9, 2019 at 5:33 AM Stefan Esser <se@freebsd.org> wrote:
>
> > Am 08.01.19 um 22:35 schrieb Conrad Meyer:
> > > Hi Stefan,
> > >
> > > Apologies, I misunderstood the idea.
> > >
> > > However, it seems like any port that depends on gnubc today could
> > continue
> > > to depend on gnubc on older branches until a suitable replacement
> > > propagates into stable.  (And that would be less work :-).)
> >
> > Yes, but the work has already been done ;-)
> >
> > I've been exchanging private mails with Gavin and he has worked
> > on his "bc", e.g. to make the included tests run on FreeBSD out
> > of the box (they used to require GNU bc).
> >
> > A few small issues have been fixed and he is looking into another
> > one (^D handling). Working on the port (and tests performed with
> > its preliminary version) has already improved the quality of the
> > code that is about to be imported into base ...

Yes, it has, and the fix for ^D handling is now in master.

> > If users actually try running with Gavin's bc (as a port) before
> > it makes it into a release, there is a good chance that any
> > unexpected incompatibilitiy (e.g., if it is compatible with GNU
> > bc, but behaves differently from our current bc in base) is found
> > in time.

I already know that there are differences, but it seems to be more
from bugs in your current bc. For example, when running the
`tests/bc/scripts/parse.bc` script, which generates a test of *just*
numbers (and assignments to ibase), the current bc generates a colon
(`:`) for some reason. I have no idea why, and it seems to me that it
is probably a bug, since a colon is not a valid digit. I could be
wrong, though; I haven't dug into it.

> > So, I intend to proceed with an import as a port, independently
> > of the import into base, which I appreciate, too.
> >
>
> We've had several BSDL'd things that started life as a port. I think this
> is a great strategy: make it available TODAY as a port (since the barrier
> to entry is small), if it pans out, integrate into base.

Sounds good to me too. I was going to wait until I had full manuals
written before releasing, but if it will just be a port at first, I
will release quickly (by the end of the week, hopefully) and work on
manuals later. Then I can release again right before the next code
freeze, or whatever would be desired.

Gavin Howard



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