DMD 1.030 and 2.014 releases

[Chris Wright]

Robert Fraser wrote:
> Lutger wrote:
>> Implementing 'changes' like the currently discussed one that don't 
>> have much
>> impact or are actually clarifications from the spec is one thing. But
>> adding new features, even if backward compatible, may introduce again the
>> situation that libraries grow out-of-sync.
> 
> I'd hope the features selected would be such that most D libraries would 
> still be able to compile. For example, Java is _mostly_ backwards 
> compatible to 1.0 (if you take out the "enum" and "assert" keywords, 
> it;s likely that 1.0 code would compile fine under 1.6). I'd hope the 
> same is true of D if it gets a 1.1 branch (that is, if any new features 
> are added, they are done in a way that DOES not keep libraries 
> out-of-sync).

So you'd accept added keywords such as __traits, I take it? Though 
invariant would be a pretty controversial one to add.

> If it was designed in a way to keep a large, mostly-spanning subset of 
> (multiple versions of) D1 libraries/apps (i.e. Tango, Phobos, DFL, DWT, 
> Derelict, MiniD, a few other big ones) compiling at every release, it 
> would be reasonable to assume that most D1 code would compile rather 
> easily with it. I'd also hope that any DStress tests that pass with D 
> 1.030 (or whenever the branch is made) would remain a strict subset of 
> the DStress tests that pass as the branch evolves.
> 
> If these conditions were met, it would be possible to add in *some* 
> backwards-compatible changes that would benefit the community and still 
> allow libraries designed for the 1.0 branch to keep compiling. But 
> that's just my personal pipe dream: I'm sure some people wouldn't mind 
> having 3 completely distinct branches, while others would prefer that 
> only bugfixies make it into 1.1.

I think a fair number of people would be perfectly happy with a D2 
branch minus const. I mean, what else was added that's not to love? 
Besides instability, that is. But the only thing preventing people from 
using most of these libraries with dmd2.014 is probably const.