Hi,
This is posted partly to start a disscussion, and partly as technical
enquiry.
Granted that this is not strictly GCC related, but in relation to the
GGC toolchain.
Before Java was GPL'ed , comments were made in relation to the so called
'Java' trap.
There is also another 'pit' into which some programmers fall, the use of
a specific vendors
tools or run-times.
Whilst looking into the feasiblity of adding support for 16bit code to
ReactOS (a 'free' implementation
of an otherwise propriatery API) someone mentioned that there were a
considerable number of applications
which were originally developed using a vendors propriaetry toolsets or
runtimes...
In the specific example , the two areas of code originally written in
Visual Basic and Visual C++.
In terms of Visual C++ code, source code can quite reasonably be
patched/adapted to compile under
'free' compilers. However, a proportion of code written for Visual C++
makes use of
propriatery runtimes such as MFC, the runtime EULA of which 'currently'
prevents the use of MFC
based applications with a 'free' OS like ReactOS or GNU based toolchains...
Should there be an alternate but compatible implementation of MFC?
In terms of Visual Basic code, there is of course no 'free' compiler for
VB code written prior
to VB.NET., and again the EULA for the runtime support would prevent use
of the Vendor's
runtime on 'free' systems..
Should there be a way of using Visual Basic style code without using the
vendors runtime?
Technically speaking, I've been told VB used a p-code form rather than
direct compliation
to native code, so ..
Is there a way to automate the conversion/loading of this p-code into
form that would compile with
with a GNU derived toolchain?
Does GCC use some form of 'intermediate' form?
Personally, I'd like to see the issue of 'vendor' shackling reduced by
co-operation and effort from those within the
free software community, especially given the direction in which one
vendor seems to be moving...
