[gnu.gcc] Reliability

rms@AI.MIT.EDU (06/18/89)

A few people have pointed out their serious disappointment with the
number of bugs remaining in GCC.  This has convinced me that I have
to do more than I have been doing to strive for reliability.

Already I have been doing longer periods of pre-tests before each
release, with more pre-testers.  But this doesn't seem to be enough.

So I am considering separating off GCC version 1, which would be
maintained for bug fixes only, from a new version 2, in which the new
features such as instruction scheduling and so on would be added.
This would probably mean a considerable delay in getting those
features into distribution, but that might be worthwhile if version 1
becomes more solid.  The final merge with G++ would also be put off
for version 2.

Meanwhile, I very much need the help of someone who understands the
X server well enough to find the compilation error if GCC should fail
to compile it properly.

rbj@DSYS.NCSL.NIST.GOV (Root Boy Jim) (06/19/89)

? Already I have been doing longer periods of pre-tests before each
? release, with more pre-testers.  But this doesn't seem to be enough.

? So I am considering separating off GCC version 1, which would be
? maintained for bug fixes only, from a new version 2, in which the new
? features such as instruction scheduling and so on would be added.

Perhaps you could go thru a cycle of features/bug releases. It has
been said that the 4.x BSD releases were feature releases for even x
and bug fix/performance releases for odd x. You could even use a longer
cycle; in the version X.YZ, the Z would be the reliability factor.
Nifty features could be added for say, Z in {0-3}, minor ones in
{4-6}, only fixes in {7-9}.

? This would probably mean a considerable delay in getting those
? features into distribution, but that might be worthwhile if version 1
? becomes more solid.  The final merge with G++ would also be put off
? for version 2.

In that case, wait until the merge happens.

? Meanwhile, I very much need the help of someone who understands the
? X server well enough to find the compilation error if GCC should fail
? to compile it properly.

It ain't me babe.

	Root Boy Jim is what I am
	Are you what you are or what?