Was PCC ever considered?

[Mayuresh Kathe]

On 2019-03-29 08:37 AM, Polytropon wrote:
> 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.

True, before "ragge" took it up, PCC had gone stale.

>> 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.

It was/is considered the most portable compiler-set.

>> 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...

It won't arrive in OpenBSD, mainly due to political reasons.
Also, OpenBSD has already moved to Clang/LLVM for x86_64.

~Mayuresh