Re: clang/emacs/ecb/semantic

[Richard Stallman]

    Something that should have been merged into gcc a long time ago.

    It generates the parse tree as xml.   http://www.gccxml.org/

Do you mean, the entire parse tree in full detail?
Would it be conceivable to feed this into a nonfree back-end?
Would this mean that nonfree backends could take advantage
of our free front-ends?

If so, it is very dangerous -- it would open the door to a terrible
setback for our defense of users' freedom.  Namely, the use of free
software as part of compilers that are partly nonfree.  I don't
remember, but I would guess that is why we have refused to merge it
into GCC.

    Llvm and clang provide natively a way to get the parse tree (and other
    phases information), and therefore they can be used easily in IDE.

LLVM and Clang open the door to the same terrible setback.  Since they
are not copylefted, their front-ends can be used with nonfree
back-ends and vice versa.

They are being developed by people who don't care about users'
freedom, funded by the worst enemy of users' freedom (Apple).

-- 
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation
51 Franklin St
Boston MA 02110
USA
www.fsf.org  www.gnu.org
Skype: No way! That's nonfree (freedom-denying) software.
  Use Ekiga or an ordinary phone call