[LLVMdev] GSoC 2009: proposals!

[Chris Lattner]

On Mar 27, 2009, at 10:59 AM, Bruno Cardoso Lopes wrote:
> I have interest in some ideas, some I've seen in the Open project
> pages (copied straight from there) and some
> are by my own, they are:

Hi Bruno,

> 1) Implement MachOWriter and ELFWriter to allow LLVM-based compilers
> to bypass an external assembler.
> This may include the idea of an assembler for inline assembly
>
> 2) Write a disassembler for machine code that would use TableGen to
> output MachineInstrs for transformations, optimizations, etc.
> I read two interesting papers on this so far:
> * Automated Synthesis Of Efficient Binary Decoders for Retargetable
> Software Toolkits, DAC 2003
> * Generating decision trees for decoding binaries
>
> 3) Improve ARM be adding necessary ARMv7 instructions and support for
> VFPv3 and Thumb-2, all this for the ARMv7 Cortex A8 (I can get a
> i.MX515 board to play if this project is selected)
>
> 4) Improve MIPS be to support the Malta board (I'm working on this
> already, but I rather not work only with MIPS to change things a
> little bit, but I'd not bother working on this too)
>
> I'll improve the proposals in the GSoC app, but for now I'd just like
> to hear what the community
> has to say about the ideas (and what they need the most). Any
> suggestions are welcome :)
> btw, I don't mind writing more than one proposal and let the mentors
> get a decision if they like one :)

Just MHO, but of the three, I think the first one is the most directly  
useful in the short term.

For either #3/4, it would be very useful to pick a specific device  
that is widely available, or target a community.  I believe that last  
year, you were targeting PSP development, for example, which aims  
directly at supporting a specific and concrete community of potential  
users.

Submitting multiple proposals is also perfectly acceptable, and I do  
hope you apply,

-Chris