Re: [Gdbheads] A small patch case study, -file-list-exec-source-files

Ian Lance Taylor
2004-03-25T14:34:32Z

Robert Dewar <dewar@gnat.com> writes:

> Ian Lance Taylor wrote:
>
> > Robert, it's interesting to read your comments in light of the history
> > of the gcc/egcs split. After all, Richard Kenner worked for GNAT at
> > the time, and I believe that you did too. In my opinion, Kenner
> > expressed the attitude which you express--in his case, stability for
> > Ada was the preeminent goal. I think that attitude was a significant
> > root cause of the gcc/egcs split. I think that tends to prove my
> > earlier point in an extreme case: if you don't make an effort to
> > encourage your volunteers, you lose them.
>
> If you want to prove your point by history, make sure you know the
> history. First GNAT is a product, no one works for it. Second, the
> company is AdaCore Technologies, I am CEO, Richard is Treasurer :-)
> so the past tense is bizarre :-)

I apologize for the confusion of names. I see e-mail addresses
@gnat.com, so I called the company GNAT. I used the past tense to
make clear that I was talking about the situation at the time of the
split--I think that is clear from what I wrote.

> Third, at the time of the gcc/egcs split, Ada was simply not a factor
> and had nothing whatever to do with the events.

I was there. I disagree. It absolutely was a factor. It was the
elephant in the middle of the room. We at Cygnus were pointing it out
loudly. Richard Kenner and Richard Stallman were ignoring it.

Ian