The purpose of GNU Pascal_(re)

23 Jul 96 16:01:00 EDT

> Furthermore, I could not write my real-world programs 
> just with Extended Pascal; I need, for example, bit shift operators, GetMem, 
> FreeMem, and Objects.

You don't need GetMem and FreeMem as I did show you :-) But you need the other
two.


> and integrate them in one powerful compiler which will set up the next
standard. 

I certainly don't agree with this if the compiler does not have switches to
accept only Extended Pascal or only ISO Pascal or only ...

Programs conforming to the Extended Pascal will probably not only work in many
different environments but also with many different compilers. I don't want to
loose that feature/possibility. 

Extending a compiler with more features is not a problem, but IMO, one should
complete the standard parts first.


> It is okay to support Extended Pascal (why not?), but in my opinion,
> Extended Pascal is not clear and powerful enough to serve as "the new 
> Pascal standard", so programmers are not motivated to switch from
> Borland Pascal to Extended Pascal.  I think, this is the reason why 
> computer vendors do not provide Extended Pascal compilers.

Hmm, I don't think that Extended Pascal is not powerful enough. It's true that
it does not contain everything one needs, but that's mainly due to the goal of
creating a portable language. And the new object standard also rectififies some
omissions.

I can create everything I want in Extended Pascal programs with only a few
routines accessing non-standard parts, mainly concerning bit-operators (you can
do this with Extended Pascal, but it's a bit more tedious), and system call
access (assembly).


A compiler which accepts every Pascal standard and does everything would be nice
of course. But there is quite some work to do. So I would like to add that we
first focus on the ISO Pascal and Extended Pascal part. Even the ISO Pascal
standard, according to Scott Moore (have email address if anyone wants it),
needs much looking after.

Don't overlook the Pascal standards boys (no girls here I assume). They do much
more than you think, but different than Borland Pascal which has quite a C
feeling and lost too much of it's real Pascal spirits.

Groetjes,

Berend.

Berend de Boer (100120.3121@CompuServe.COM)