was compiler bashing

[karl@grebyn.com (Karl A. Nyberg)]

If we're going to have to play compiler/vendor bashing here...

In article <1990Aug9.191734.11633@sctc.com> endrizzi@sctc.com (Michael Endrizzi ) writes:
>I have been using VADS Version 5 Unix self-hosting for 7 months now and
>I cannot take it anymore. 

Any self-hosted compiler in particular?  Brand of computer, version of
operating system, more accurate revision level of compiler?  I'll give you a
dollar for it if you want to sell... :-)

>I am up to my eyeballs in "internal errors"
>,"database inconsistency","segmentation error,core dump","out of memory".

I presume you followed the documentation (and Walt Penny's recent e-mail)
and have submitted these as reports.  Of course, if you have enjoyed
masochism for the past seven months, why start complaining now...

>4 of us used DEC VMS Ada version 1!!! for 1 and half years and I can
>only remember about 4 or 5 errors.  Myself in 7 months has found more
>errors then that in a Version 5 compiler!!! 

Have you tried taking the code you're writing now, probably much more
complicated, with more extensive generics, representation specs, etc. and
run it against that version 1 compiler?  There's no telling how old the
compiler you're using is, or whether it is current for the operating system
you're running on.

>I am at the point of
>bypassing the recompile facilities and building my own Unix scripts
>for recompiling and linking.

I did that years ago.  It helps me out when I port to the PC, although I did
see that Meridian's latest summer release has a recompilation facility.  As
I start to gain confidence in the accurate execution of these things, I'll
use them.  Until then, I send in bug reports.

>So tell me, am I the only one??? 

No.  But it's not the only compiler.  I have found this true with numerous
compilers.

>Tell me I'm not going insane, I'm
>almost regretting moving from C to Ada (now that's desperate). 

... or language.  Surprise, surprise - I even have to work around bugs in
the GNU cc.

This is from mail years (literally ago) when I was actually semi-moderating
info-ada and the same sort of thing started up with TeleSoft.

	We here at TeleSoft whole-heartedly agree with your posting that
	asked people NOT to submit compiler questions/results/complaints
	over info-ada [/comp.lang.ada].  Hopefully, people will follow this
	wonderful advice and save both your time and theirs.

	The correct route to take IS directly to the vendor.  Like most
	folks out there, we can be reached by email.  If you've got ARPAnet 
	connections, then mailing to [address deleted for fear it is too old
	- can somebody at TeleSoft fill in?]

	Of course, the telephone has worked for many satisfied customers. 
	Anyone with a product should have the vendor's phone number
	somewhere in the documentation.  Ours is (619)457-2700.

	Once again, thanks for encouraging the readers of info-ada to make 
	proper use of the channels that vendors have built to care for their
	user's in the most effective way possible. 

-- Karl --

Karl A. Nyberg				karl@grebyn.com
Post Office Box 497			Grebyn Corporation
Vienna, VA 22183-0497 USA		+1-703-281-2194

Disclaimer: Meridian, TeleSoft and Verdix (among others) buy a lot of my
products and services at market rates.  Have you gotten YOUR own copy of the
Annotated Ada Reference Manual from YOUR compiler vendor yet? :-)