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Re: Reconsidering gcjx
- From: Joe Buck <Joe dot Buck at synopsys dot COM>
- To: Tom Tromey <tromey at redhat dot com>
- Cc: GCJ Hackers <java at gcc dot gnu dot org>, GCC Mailing List <gcc at gcc dot gnu dot org>
- Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 08:57:15 -0800
- Subject: Re: Reconsidering gcjx
- References: <m3d5iewn0r.fsf@localhost.localdomain>
On Thu, Jan 26, 2006 at 05:08:20PM -0700, Tom Tromey wrote:
> Now that the GPL v3 looks as though it may be EPL-compatible, the time
> has come to reconsider using the Eclipse java compiler ("ecj") as our
> primary gcj front end. This has both political and technical
> ramifications, I discuss them below.
> Steering committee members, please read through if you would. I think
> this requires some resolution at the SC/FSF level.
The political/legal issues include:
* License compatibility: if we have to wait for GPLv3, we're talking 2007,
even if the FSF is fine with it. Even development before then might
be problematic if developers must link GPL and EPL code.
* Using a language other than C. At least you're talking Java; RMS
so strongly dislikes C++ that he goes nonlinear when the topic is
brought up, though his arguments against it sometimes seem
to reflect the state of C++ 10 years ago.
* The FSF not owning significant parts of the compiler.
But before fighting the political battles, we should first figure out if
this is what we really want to do if there weren't political obstacles.
Let's try coming to a technical consensus first.