Compilation strategy

[Rob T]

On Tuesday, 18 December 2012 at 02:48:05 UTC, Walter Bright wrote:
>>> Using standard zip tools is a big plus.
>>
>> Yes, but why limit yourself in this way?
>
> The easy answer is look at the problems stemming from dmd using 
> an object file format on Win32 that nobody else uses.

I definitely didn't say dmd should use a format that no one else 
uses. In fact I actually said the opposite.

Dmd should not be limiting the choices people want to make for 
themselves. In other words, it should allow people to use 
whatever formats they wish to use, and not a format imposed on 
them, such as was pointed out by yourself with the Win32 object 
file format.

When I look at what dmd is, it's monolithic and is very 
unfriendly to extensibility and re-use, so I was suggesting that 
you look at ways to free dmd from the current set of restraints 
that are holding back its use and adoption.

My suggestion was that the compiler should be restructured into a 
re-usable modularized system with built-in user extensibility 
features. Doing that would be a massive improvement and a very 
big step forward.

--rt