ANNOUNCE: GNU Pascal 2.0 (2.7.2.1)_(re)

Wed, 18 Dec 1996 10:00:47 +0100

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>Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 22:30:13 -0800 (PST)
>To: J.J.vanderHeijden@student.utwente.nl
>Newsgroups:
comp.lang.pascal.misc,comp.lang.pascal.borland,comp.lang.pascal.ansi-iso,gnu
.gcc.announce
>Subject: Re: ANNOUNCE: GNU Pascal 2.0 (2.7.2.1)
>From: samiam@pacbell.net (Scott A. Moore)
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>Distribution: world
>Keywords: GNU,Pascal,Free Software,FreeWare
>References: 
>
>In article ,
J.J.vanderHeijden@student.utwente.nl says...
>>
>>  This is the announcement of version 2.0 of
>>
>>      GNU Pascal 
>>
>>  corresponding to GCC version 2.7.2.1.
>>
>>
>>  What is GNU Pascal?
>>  ===================
>>
>>  GNU Pascal is, as the name says, the Pascal compiler from the
>>  GNU compiler family.  This means:
>>
>>   - 32 bit compiler, no limits, highly optimizing,
>>   - runs on all operating systems supported by GCC (including DOS,
>>     Win95/NT, OS/2, Linux, FreeBSD, many other Unix dialects),
>>   - Free Software according to the GNU General Public License,
>>   - compatible to other GNU languages and tools such as
>>     GNU C and the GNU debugger.
>>
>>  The compiler integrates the following language standards:
>>
>>   - ISO 7185 Standard Pascal,
>>   - ISO 10206 Extended Pascal    (90% implemented),
>>   - Borland Pascal               (80% compatible).
>
>I know this is going to start something of a fight, but when I last checked,
>this compiler did not in fact comply with ISO 7185 (the original Pascal
>standard). I know that you folks put a lot of free time into this compiler,
>and that is appreciated, but I also believe that it hurts everyone and
>undermines the standard to falsely claim compliance with it.
>
>To me, the difficulty lies in the fact that there are no real compliance
>tests for standard Pascal. The BSO had a PAID one, but the problem with that
>is that to validate a compiler maker's claim to obey that standard required
>a >$1000 investment, hardly within the means of the average user. The only
>other way such a test can work is if the originators would have taken 
>issue with false claims of compliance. The BSO didn't do that, and to this
>day at least one "standard" pascal is shipped and advertised falsely
>claiming to have passed it (Microway).
>
>For the obvious question, yes, I have pointed out the standards compliance
>difficulties to the originators of GCC Pascal, and offered to spend my
>time free of charge to help find compliance problems with the compiler
>(and I still do).
>
>What say we get this compiler the final few steps to meet the minimum
>standard, or stop claiming that it is standard. Obviously I prefer the
>former. Otherwise, when the above statement (IMHO false) is published,
>I feel it is my duty to provide equally public opposition.
>
>                                                    [sam]
>
>
--
"Nothing shocks me, I'm a scientist", Indiana Jones

JanJaap van der Heijden (J.J.vanderHeijden@student.utwente.nl)