[comp.lang.objective-c] Objective C/Runtime system

gumby@Cygnus.COM (David Vinayak Wallace) (09/18/90)

   Date: 17 Sep 90 19:01:34 GMT
   From: noren@dinl.uucp (Charles Noren)

   comp.lang.objective-c is an unmoderated group with the charter:

     The news group comp.lang.objective-c is chartered
     to discuss questions and issues surrounding the
     Objective-C language,  the compiler, class libraries 
     implemented in and/or accessible from Objective-C,
     tools for the Objective-C environment, interfaces to 
     other software systems, and applications written in 
     Objective-C or usable by Objective-C.

I have a couple of points/questions:

1> I have heard that Stepstone owns a trademark on the name Objective
   C.  Is this true?  Must any other compiler than Stepstone's use a
   different name for the language?

2> I am looking for help in writing a runtime library for GNU
   Objective C (or whatever it will be called if my question above is
   true).  Ideally we would integrate with GNU C++ (bletch) so that
   Objective C fans could build upon others' work in a more tasteful
   fashion.

   Having looked at the problem I don't think it's too difficult, but
   it will be somewhat time consuming, which is why help would be very
   much appreciated.  

silbar@candygram.lanl.gov (Dick Silbar) (09/18/90)

Gumby writes:

       Ideally we would integrate with GNU C++ (bletch) so that...

I think I've heard that the new GNU C compiler (that will come with
Next OS 2.0) will indeed compile both Objective C and C++ together.

gumby@Cygnus.COM (David Vinayak Wallace) (09/18/90)

   Date: 18 Sep 90 03:34:49 GMT
   From: silbar@candygram.lanl.gov (Dick Silbar)

   I think I've heard that the new GNU C compiler (that will come with
   Next OS 2.0) will indeed compile both Objective C and C++ together.

I'm painfully aware of the release status of GCC 2.0.  I'm not sure
when NeXT's new OS will be released but it will almost certainly be
before GCC 2.0 is ready.

I don't know what changes NeXT may have made to their version of the
compiler, but here's the story on GCC 2.0 and ObjC:

   Date: 14 Sep 90 22:21:34
   From: gumby@Cygnus.COM (David Vinayak Wallace)
   Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss
   Subject: Objective C
   In-Reply-To: manis@cs.ubc.ca's message of 11 Sep 90 21:14:19 GMT
   Message-ID: <GUMBY.90Sep14222134@Cygnus.COM>
   Organization: Cygnus Support
   References: <46039@masscomp.ccur.com> <1523@camex.COM> <9518@ubc-cs.UUCP>

      Date: 11 Sep 90 21:14:19 GMT
      From: manis@cs.ubc.ca (Vincent Manis)

      On the subject of the Objective-C mods to gcc, is there any word on
      the projected availability of gcc 2.0, which, according to the recent
      newsletter, will have both Obj-C and C++ support? 

   2.0 will compile programs written in C, C++, and Objective C.

   You will be able to run programs written in C using your system's
   libc, and perhaps a gnu libc soon.

   You will be able to run programs written in C++ using libG++,
   Interviews, or the NIH class library.  With some work you could
   even use your system's libC, if it has one.

   You will not be able to run programs compiled with Gnu's Objective C
   except on a NeXT, because there is no runtime library.  This is not
   NeXT's fault!  I have also heard that Stepstone has trademarked the
   very name "Objective C" so the FSF may have to call it something else!

   It's a crying shame that Stepstone is shooting themselves in the foot
   in this way -- the rest of us are getting caught in the ricochet.  All
   they are doing is forcing people to put up with C++.

   If anyone is (seriously) interested in writing or helping write the
   runtime, please drop me a line (gumby@cygnus.com).  I think a lot of
   stuff can be adapted from libG++.  Ideally full intercallability is
   desirable, but probably impossible to achieve.

I've since discovered that Stepstone has indeed copyrighted the name
Objective C, so the FSF needs a new one.

Only one person has replied to my request for runtime help.