[LLVMdev] gcc in c++

[Eli Friedman]

On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 11:13 AM, Hendrik Boom <hendrik at topoi.pooq.com> wrote:
> The sad thing is that they seem to be replacing one unsafe language with
> another, presumably with enormous effort.
>
> The only hopeful sign in that thread is the proposal for using Cyclone
> instead, starting here:http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2008-06/msg00502.html
>
> But it is summarily tossed out, without examination:
>  http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2008-06/msg00644.html
>
> If all we can ever use are languages that everyone knows, there will be
> no progress.

Another perspective on this sort of issue, if you haven't seen it:
http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/roc/archives/2007/10/tablua_fracta.html.

Part of what makes LLVM interesting is that there's the potential to
put together a new language on top of LLVM relatively easily, and get
powerful optimizers and cross-platform compatibility without having to
write any middle-end and back-end code.  I think this really has the
potential to allow writing new languages and higher-quality
implementations for existing languages that can compete with C/C++ in
places where C/C++ traditionally dominate.

-Eli