LLVM IR influence on compiler debugging

[Jonathan M Davis]

On Saturday, July 07, 2012 02:10:49 bearophile wrote:
> > My guess is that, unless something changes significantly, DMD
> > will remain a niche tool; useful as a reference/research
> > compiler, but for actual work people will use LDC or GDC.
> 
> The D reference compiler can't be DMD forever.

Why not? Having multiple compilers is great, but I seriously doubt that Walter 
is going to work on any other compiler (I don't believe that he _can_ legally 
work on any other - except maybe if he writes a new one himself - because he'd 
get into licensing issues with dmc), and unless you're talking about years 
(decades?) from now, I very much doubt that the reference compiler is going to 
be a compiler that Walter Bright can't work on.

I see no problem with dmd being the reference compiler and continuing to be 
so. And if other compilers get used more because their backends are faster, 
that's fine too.

- Jonathan M Davis