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Re: [patch] config.gcc: Obsolete c4x.


On Tue, 2005-05-03 at 08:49 -0700, Mark Mitchell wrote:
> Ralf Corsepius wrote:
> 
> > 1. I don't recall any consensus on abandoning QImode!=8bits.
> 
> I don't think this issue is relevant in terms of considering whether or 
> not to obsolete the C4X port.  Whether or not QImode is always 8 bits is 
> a fine debate, but it's a separate debate.  I certainly was not taking a 
> position on that debate in approving the obsoletion request.

You have "sanctioned/approved" the patch, so you are establishing facts,
and thereby are taking a position.
 
> Independent of the size of QImode, I think that everyone agrees that 
> supporting targets with > 8-bit minimum addressable units is a useful thing.

And how do you want to test it? Is there any other target in GCC but the
c4x, which applies QImode != 8bits?

To me, it's primarily the QImode aspect which makes the c4x interesting
for testing portability of SW. The port may be generating invalid code,
it may be defect, but ... 

> > 2. tic4x-gcc-3.4.x is buildable, tic4x-gcc-4.x had never built.
> > 
> > i.e. actually a regression has occurred sometime between 3.4.x and 4.0,
> > which had slipped through GCC-regression testing cracks.
> 
> Yes, and that is evidence that the platform is indeed obsolete.

May-be, may-be not, a matter of perspective. 

I am inclined to consider the actual cause to be flaws in GCC's
regression testing and regression fixing policy.

I really don't know what broke the c4x, but I know that GCC's regression
processing policy is ignoring problems on "non-primary target" ("It's
not a regression, because it's not a primary target, therefore you are
closed out from fixing anything on during most stages of development").

> Nobody was willing to invest in making it work in GCC 4.0.

And? So what?

There are other targets in a similar position as the c4x, e.g. currently
the m68k, the avr, the h8xxx or (at certain stages throughout 3.x->4.0
development) the sparc.

Ralf




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