Re: Generating object files from translation unit dumps?

[Jim Wilson <wilson at specifixinc dot com>]

Diego Novillo wrote:
> We even have features (e.g., PCH) which in principle seem to go against
> this "policy".  This is something that I believe the SC should be
> involved with.

The PCH support was discussed with rms before it went in.  It was 
allowed because it uses a large number of internal gcc structures. 
Someone would have to use gcc header files to make use of it, and then 
they would be covered by the GPL.  Alternately, someone could reverse 
engineer all of the necessary internal gcc structures, but this would be 
a significant amount of work, and the work would have to be repeated for 
each gcc version, and the risk of someone doing this was considered 
small enough that we could accept the feature.

Or in other words, the PCH support was accepted because the files it 
creates are obfuscated enough that other compilers won't be able to use 
them.
--
Jim Wilson, GNU Tools Support, http://www.SpecifixInc.com