Stick a fork in it

[Bastiaan Veelo]

Aarti_pl wrote:
> Bastiaan Veelo pisze:
>> Aarti_pl wrote:
>>> Any chances to get these branches in the form of open SVN repository 
>>> accessible from D main page? It would be really big step forward IMHO...
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Is a repository with just the front-end useful to you? At least there 
>> is http://dgcc.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/dgcc/trunk/d/ and you can 
>> readily build a compiler with it. Not sure however if David is going 
>> to support two branches, or stick with one of them.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Bastiaan.
> 
> Your link points to GDC sources, but I wrote about DMD sources.

I know.

> GDC is 
> different compiler, with additional modifications necessary to work with 
> gcc. What's more svn repository of DMD sources should be rather 
> accessible from DMD page not from other places...

Unless I missed a significant change in Walter's position on what to 
give away, only the front-end to the dmd compiler is published, besides 
Phobos. Although these sources are extremely valuable, I wonder what you 
would do when they were more easily accessible; hence my question.

> Source should be available because it's easier to track changes,

OK,

> check 
> out one specific revision of compiler

No, a front-end alone does not make a compiler. GDC on the other hand is.

> and prepare patches.

Unlikely, patches to a front-end that you cannot test yourself. I'd like 
to know if I am mistaken! OTOH, patches to GDC you can test. Then I 
suppose they could be ported to upstream DMD front-end. Still not sure 
whether a repository would help a lot here.

> I think also that it makes much better impression about openess of 
> compiler development and rises quality of code. It gives also some sort 
> of security, as open projects with many contributors are more likely to 
> survive in longer term...
> 
> Of course I am not expecting that Walter will put there sources for 
> programs which are currently closed...

But the DMD compiler is still partly closed. I doubt that a repository 
for the front-end has much to say for the number of contributors. Phobos 
is an other issue however.

I agree that it may be positive for a first impression to have a link to 
a repository on the DMD website, but it would only be for looking at it. 
  Personally I like working with Subversion, even for projects where I 
am the only contributor. But it requires a new way of working if you are 
not used to it, and I can understand it if Walter does not want to 
change his procedures for this small benefit.

Every now and then there is a post that is somehow about the lack of DMD 
as compared to a completely open source project. Be it number of 
contributors, eternity, quality of code (never heard that one before 
though) freedom, etc. *But we have GDC that provides all that*. And GDC 
exists by the grace of Walter, he is giving away the parts that are 
required for it. Of course we would all love to see DMD completely open 
source, but it sounds like a bit much to ask! And now we have two 
compilers instead of just one :-)

Bastiaan.