What are we going to do about mobile?

[rikki cattermole via Digitalmars-d]

On 07/04/2017 10:34 AM, Joakim wrote:
> On Thursday, 6 April 2017 at 05:32:41 UTC, rikki cattermole wrote:
>> IMO there is two things that need to be done to get D for mobile:
>>
>> 1: ldc needs to natively target and distribute binaries for Android
>> (MIPS, ARM, at least).
>
> I'm not sure what you mean by "natively target."  Do you mean that the
> shipping ldc compiler should come with Android/ARM target support built
> in?  That can be done, but it's useless without a stdlib cross-compiled
> for the target and ldc doesn't provide the cross-compiler
> scripts/toolchain with its releases that would allow you to easily start
> cross-compiling, even though the compiler itself is capable.  Instead, I
> provide a cross-compiler for linux/x64 that comes with a cross-compiled
> stdlib for Android/ARM, and link to instructions on how to use it with
> the Android NDK toolchain.

So basically druntime, Phobos all good to go basically be able to do 
ldc2 test.d and get a valid (yet to be apk'd) executable. But the point 
was to have it all officially supported and ready to go with clear 
instructions on how to use it.

> If you mean a native ldc compiler, that's already been done and provided
> in the link above, ie a native ldc that you can run _on_ your Android
> device.  That's what I use, since my development hardware is an
> Android/ARM tablet (I have not used an x86 or x64 device in more than a
> year, instead renting out an x64 vps recently to build the cross-compiler).
>
> As for Android/MIPS, nobody uses it, just like Android/x86 now that
> Intel has pulled out of the mobile market.  No point.

Ok, my knowledge is more out of date then ;)

>> 2: extern(JNI) seriously, its a pain to work with Java over JNI
>> otherwise. It would be worse then not having extern(Obj-C).
>
> I don't think it's that bad, but sure, we could always make it easier.

After working on djvm, there is no way I'd want to not have it. It's 
just too hard to do it library only.