vinsci@soft.fi (Leonard Norrgard) (06/26/90)
> It makes little sense to port GCC to the Amiga. First of all, the >main compiler pass itself is only a small part of a C compiler >distribution... It is doubtful that porting GAS (the GNU assembler) would >be much easier than writing one yourself and you still have to deal with >the linker, C library, and includes, as well as other items. The possibility >of easily porting GDB is almost nil (that is a guess, not having tried to >do it myself). Hey! Not so fast, please! First off, there are other reasons to port GCC to the Amiga, other than to get yet-another-C-compiler. Like a C++ *compiler* and zillions of programs written using GCC. Lattice C, for example, can't handle most larger programs without lots of hacking to get it to accept the source. I really hate random limits on #define sizes etc. Also, it would be interesting to compare the Lattice optimizer with the GCC one. I'm working on a GAS port rather than writing a new assembler since GCC & GAS are already related and will be even more in the future (when the intermediate text interface dissappears). Also, having gas to make AmigaDOS object modules means that one can cross-compile on a faster system simply by running gcc&gas on the faster system. Sure, there's a lot to a C system. But we've got to start somewhere, haven't we? With GCC & GAS running, you've already come along way. Add a current commercial compiler and you have libraries, include files and a linker. Of course, free libraries, includes and a linker will be written sooner or later too when someone actually gets around to it. (C-A: how about making ALINK source available? Or is anyone actually using it still? ;-) It would be put to really good use!) > Secondly, you cannot port GCC direct to the Amiga... I tried this and >the executable is on the order of 600K which is unusable. What's wrong with this? Sure, it's not small, and sure, it's not for everyone. It still gets the job done. > Not only that, >but most GNU stuff takes a lot of memory run-time as well. True, but as pointed out, 2.5Meg is enough to run GCC. Those who want GCC will get the extra memory. Those who are not prepared to get more memory will have to live with whatever compiler they have, at least noone can complain on GCCs price! > It would take >a lot of work to port GCC and the source itself is so complex that even if >you do manage to get something running I can only wish you good luck in >tracking down and fixing bugs. Of course it takes a lot of work, that's why we formed a working group to accomplish the port. And Matt, you're welcome any day! The only bugs we will *have* to find ourselves are those not present in the original GNU code, for those, a bug report to prep is sufficient. The GCC porting project can be reached at: (so far about 25 people) amiga-gcc-port-request@nic.funet.fi Let's see, that should be ...!uunet!nic.funet.fi!amiga-gcc-port-request if you're using UUCP addressing. That is the place to ask to get added to the mailing list etc. [Now, to those who might want to join in on this project, please consider before contacting us: a) have you got the time b) have you got the skill ] There's a mailing list set up on nic.funet.fi for the group and FUNET (The Finnish University & Research Network) have donated "enough" FTP:able disk space, so distribution is not a problem. An Amiga GCC has been reported to run on the Amiga, *and* to generate correct code. See? It's not impossible, it just takes a long time... Now, there's still lots of work to do before it's ready for a general release, so don't hold your breath. > -Matt -- Leonard Norrgard GCC port coordinator
jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup) (07/04/90)
In article <31052@cup.portal.com> thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan) writes: >Heck, gcc even runs on a Mac. You (yes, YOU) can get it (free) from apple.com >in pub/gnu as both executable and source distribution. I did, and it runs on >both my company's Mac II systems (running A/UX). Unix, though, not the Mac OS. >However, for the Amiga (under AmigaOS), I personally kinda like having both >the Manx and Lattice products with their nice manuals, but I'm concerned about >John Meissen's remarks of a week ago regarding Lattice (aka SAS) getting out >of the Amiga/PC marketplace. I've seen no followup postings; any more news? >John worked for Lattice on their compiler, and he was a featured speaker at >both BADGE and FAUG last year, so he knows whereof he speaks. I didn't think John worked there anymore, but I could be wrong. In any case, I'll give a try (no warrantee against brain-fade, though). As of July 1, Lattice C for the amiga is now SAS C for the amiga. SAS took the Amiga stuff in-house, it's being handled by John Toebes's group (which has been doing the compiler development for quite a while, now they'll have the libraries and utilities as well). MSDog C will remain at Lattice, I think. Support calls are, I think, being forwarded to SAS (or will be RSN), and every _registered_ owner will be getting info on this and future support and upgrade plans. Sales are already being handled at SAS (919) 677-8000, ask for Amiga C sales rep. For Tech support call the old lattice number and you will be transferred (don't call the sales line). John talked about this to all the developers at the Devcon that just ended (he and Doug Walker were there). Their net connection is poor, and they don't normally read stuff here. Carlotta Deconcelis (sp) is moving to N.C., and may be involved in support at SAS, I don't really know, though. A couple of others are also moving to SAS (including one of the Roth brothers.) They are most certainly continuing development. I think this is overall a good thing for the Amiga community, though things may be a little confused for a month or two until things settle and get around (also, SAS is used to supporting a few hundred customers, not tens of thousands). SAS, btw, is a neat place, I visited it recently after talking at an ASDF annual meeting and pig-pickin'. Their setup makes Commodore HQ look tiny. They have about 15 buildings, including a 5-story (soon to be 9-story) R&D center where John and Doug work. (SAS mainly makes big mainframe and minicomputer software, they bought Lattice a couple years ago to get the compiler tech- nology, so they could use the same compiler across the innumerable platforms they support.) John Toebes says this is reasonably accurate, I just checked with him by phone. -- Randell Jesup, Keeper of AmigaDos, Commodore Engineering. {uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!jesup, jesup@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com BIX: rjesup Common phrase heard at Amiga Devcon '89: "It's in there!"
thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan) (07/06/90)
jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup) in <13036@cbmvax.commodore.com> writes: >in pub/gnu as both executable and source distribution. I did, and it runs on >both my company's Mac II systems (running A/UX). Unix, though, not the Mac OS. I did say ``A/UX'' :-) I won't dignify it by calling it ``UNIX'' since it's buggy and deficient beyond belief (besides being so many releases behind any current "real" UNIX; even A/UX 2.0 is "only" SVR2.0). Two of them are in use at my office as "temporary" port platforms SOLELY because there's an MC68881 on board and we got 'em cheap (otherwise I'd be using the 3B1 as the port platform except I haven't any spare slots for the Floating Point Accelerator; I'd prefer using Amiga/UNIX :-). In any event, MANY thanks for the Lattice/SAS support update! Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]