gcc and backends?

["Mr. Bastard Fenux From Hell" <fenux at verborgh dot be>]

dear madame, sir,

Let me start with thanking you, i'm a proud user of gcc. 

but as you have noticed I'm here to nag - and if possible get some
information. As a 'novice' programmer, that is noticing the changing
idea of native compilation versus byte code, interpretation (whatever
the buzzword is managers like to use) 

I was wandering if gcc - that uses frontends to compile ''any'' language
to native code, also  - has the intention to support ''backends'' that will
allow to compile ''any'' language to ''any'' form of 'executable code'
(let it be VM byte code, native code or anything else that will pop up
in the future). I think this would give gcc even more of advantages and allow 
gnu.net, javavm, .net to compete on the same level. (those who know how
to compile with gcc, will have the ability, to compile for several vm's
to, without limitations) If it is on the site, I' sorry to bother you, I
must have overlooked it.

Anyway,
i know it takes a real men to write a compiler, and i was wondering,
- first of all, how much of a man it takes, and - if as mentioned above,
there are already intentions to write ''backends''. I would like to start
on the idea, for as far as I am capable of doing so (know yourself they
always told me, and I haven't reached the level of wizard coder just Yet,
but i hope to do so before i die). As an experiment, and see how
far (or not) I get. It's not that i'm having time to spend, but it seems
fun, and a slow progress, is progress too. (if you could point out to
instant guru internet resources I would pleased too :) *joke*)

no answer, i learned to live with, an answer would be better. (I know
how to read the fine manual but sometimes it's hard to find the find
the fscking manual)

fr.gr. 
	Steven Verborgh,
	Steven@verborgh.be