Was PCC ever considered?

[Polytropon]

On Fri, 29 Mar 2019 07:55:17 +0530, Mayuresh Kathe wrote:
> On 2019-03-29 07:51 AM, Polytropon wrote:
> > On Fri, 29 Mar 2019 02:07:05 +0530, Mayuresh Kathe wrote:
> >> Since FreeBSD uses Clang/LLVM (which is kind-a huge) I wondered if PCC
> >> was ever considered during the GCC days or even while contemplating 
> >> the
> >> switch to Clang/LLVM.
> > 
> > When FreeBSD evolved, it was primarily GCC that has been used
> > as the system compiler, so it became the standard. With Clang/LLVM
> > offering both evolution in compiler design and implementation, as
> > well as a licensing difference to GPL-based GCC, it was chosen
> > to be the current default.
> > 
> > I think PCC wasn't on the map yet at that time... ;-)
> 
> PCC wasn't on the FreeBSD map! Right?

At least in "newer" FreeBSD versions (I'm using it since 4.0,
so that's where my "horizon of experience" ends) GCC was used
due to the features that needed to exist for the FreeBSD OS
to be properly built. It's possible that PCC didn't fulfill
all the requirements.



> PCC has existed for a long time.

It has even been the first compiler used in the BSD world, if
I remember correctly, due to its ability to be configured
easily for new hardware platforms.



> The project is very much alive, albeit moving quite slowly as all of the 
> developers work only in their spare time.

So if it arrives in OpenBSD which is known for their work to
get the system as bug-free and correct as possible, it might
be considered by FreeBSD to replace Clang/LLVM, but only time
will tell...



-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...