Re: DragonEgg has been revived

[Shark8 <onewingedshark@gmail.com>]

On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 6:29:10 AM UTC-6, Simon Clubley wrote:
> 
> What I would like to see is an Ada compiler that can generate code
> for a wide range of targets without any GPL restrictions on the
> generated code.

I'm getting ready to restart work on Byron. I figure that perhaps an Implementation Manual/Design Document would help explain the design underneath it and welcome new contributors. 

> 
> I'm not really bothered how that happens but LLVM seems like an
> interesting option.

I have mixed feelings on LLVM -- it would be nice to grab all the targets for it, but I also think it's a stupid idea to build the compiler specifically for it.

> 
> The real question however is will this Ada compiler still work with
> the versions of the toolchains available 2-5 years from now or will
> it fall into disuse just like DragonEgg did ?
> 
> There's a confidence problem here. I can write C and C++ code in 2018
> for some random embedded target knowing there's a very very good chance
> I will still be able to compile that code on the freely available
> toolchains which will exist 5 years from now.
> 
> I don't currently have that confidence with the Ada compilers which are
> available in 2018.

Yeah; that's one of the big problems Byron [Ada 2012 in Ada 2012] is intended to address; the other big one is to escape the stupid morass of licensing issues.

> 
> As I have said before, the language is _really_ good, but the compiler
> situation is lousy.

Very much agreed.
I really wish I had the capital to realize my vision of a complete Integrated Development Environment (in the APSE sense) fully formally verified for both Ada and VHDL -- I think that has a LOT of potential for whole-systems.