Re: Contributing LLVM.org patches to gud.el

[Richard Stallman]

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  > Perhaps I am mistaken, but it *appears* you have characterized LLVM as
  > a deliberate attempt to destroy particular works (such as GCC) of the
  > Free Software Foundation.

That's what it is for Apple -- though rather than "destroy", I would
say "cause to cease to be important and influential".  Apple would not
care if some people continue to use GCC for something.

What directly affects us is the effects of LLVM, not the intentions.
If the effects are bad, good intentions can't override them.  If the
effects are not bad, there is no problem, regardless of any bad
intentions.

However, it is no coincidence that these bad effects result from
Apple's intentions.  These effects are what Apple is working for.

I ought to distinguish between Apple and the people who started LLVM.
In some of my previous messages, I failed to do this.  I was
influenced by an emotional reaction to the harsh attacks I received in
this list.

I don't think the people who started LLVM had any bad intentions.
I apologize for using words that suggested they did.

I just wish they had made sure Nvidia wouldn't be able to use their
work to make a nonfree compiler.

                              I was presenting evidence that no such
  > deliberation existed in the design.

Why would the program's _design_ have anything to do with any of this?

  > Similarly, you characterized LLDB
  > as a deliberate attempt to undermine GDB,

I said it might be that (for Apple).  I don't know whether it is that.

  > But I believe you have asked in the interim that GCC not be made more
  > modular out of fear of proprietary reuse of the front or back
  > end.

If you are talking about outputting ASTs, that has nothing to do with
how modular GCC is.  This is a different issue.

I want to make the right decision about the ASTs -- which means, think
carefully and calmly about the issue.  Is that a bad thing to do?

-- 
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation
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Boston MA 02110
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