Apple Originally Tried To Give GPL'ed LLVM To GCC

[zanny]

Offtopic but I would like to see GCC 5 using C
a dream that will never come true...

You do realize C++ is mostly a superset of C (the only missing feature I like in classic C is struct initialization, but in C++ you can get away with default constructors doing the same thing) so if you want to contribute to GCC, you can still just write C style code if you want.

I hope, at least. Most projects shouldn't try to stuff an ideology down your throat when they depend on community contributions to develop it. Clean readable code absolutely, but you can write imperative code that is well documented just fine.

I personally have an awful time trying to contribute to any lower level projects I would love to help out (device drivers, mesa, gstreamer, sdl, etc) because of the lack of namespaces, classes, access modifiers, templates, etc all make tracing a huge projects namespace a huge mind wrenching chore. Sometimes I just want to make objects and invoke methods on them, even if it costs me a pointer indirection through a virtual function table.

[Sonadow]

8 years later and GCC is still generally the superior compiler collection.

All that weight behind LLVM (not just apple, but the BSD's too) has gotten it to almost catch up, but while that may be concernworthy, in relation to freedoms, it also is a testament to the GCC that it still hasnt been dethroned.

All that weight behind desktop Linux, and OS X / Windows have not been dethroned.

[mark45]

Justin Bieber was released from jail and wrote an article about LLVM.

[mrugiero]

Wouldn't have expected this. Still, they did right in not accepting without the copyright assignment, otherwise they'd have had a contributor not willing to relicense to GPLv3+ later.

[Spittie]

8 years later and GCC is still generally the superior compiler collection.

Not at all.
Let's be honest, GCC has only the speed on his part. And compatibilty with the various GCC extensions to C/C++.

Beside that, LLVM is way, way better. It's modular architetture allow anyone to quickly create a new language on top of it, or adapt the various part (like the JIT) for different projects. It also allow for great tools like LLDB, and stuff like SafeCode (compile-time check for buffer overflows and similar errors).
It's faster, way faster at compiling.
It's generally friendlier at developers. The output is nicer.

I like GCC, but let's not be delusional.
In my regard, the rule of thumb is: compile/program with LLVM, release with GCC.

[kokoko3k]

I didn't get the point.
Since gcc rejected it, they choose to not use the gpl?

What am i missing?

If Is right that clang doesn't use the gpl right now, why is important to note what happened in the past?

Somebody cares to explain? thanks...

[MaxToTheMax]

This ongoing vendetta against the FSF is getting ridiculous.

Personally, I support permissive licenses, and I think the FSF's hardline pro-copyleft stance is doing serious harm to the cause of software freedom. I also think Clang has the potential to become a superior compiler to GCC, with a better design, and under a better license too.

But the FSF still does fantastic work creating software that all of us use every day. GCC has been in service for a quarter century. In the world of software, nothing lasts that long. That feat alone earns them a huge amount of respect in my opinion.

[Annabel]

It's modular architetture allow anyone to quickly create a new language on top of it

I would like to know why this is easier with llvm, someone can do the same for GCC. What's so much easier in LLVM?

[jwilliams]

Somebody cares to explain? thanks...

Michael chooses quantity over quality. More sloppy articles is better than fewer quality articles. More clicks and controversy is better than fewer clicks and accuracy.

[mrugiero]

I would like to know why this is easier with llvm, someone can do the same for GCC. What's so much easier in LLVM?

The modularity makes it easier, AFAIK. You only need to care about the lexer and the parser, everything else is already done and can be plugged.