Removing the TARGET_* layer or not ?

[Michael Koch]

Hi list, hi Ingo,



I just started porting/testing GNU classpath to solaris (2.6). Its not 
really different to other unices (we currently support linux and 
*BSD) but some things are. When I wanted to do the needed changes I 
stumbled over the TARGET_* layer which adds (in my eyes) some 
unneeded complexity. It makes it more hard to read the code and all 
the stuff seem to be implemented either in target/generic or 
target/Linux with no real rule what have to go where. It's just 
difficult to understand. In fact I try to understand it since a long 
time and always fail because of its "indirectness". Personally I 
think some AUTOCONF checks would be more appropriate and would make 
the code much more readable and bugfixable. There are some known bugs 
in it but noone attacked them because none understands the code it 
seems.

Ingo: Now my question are you really using the TARGET_* system or is 
it only rotting around in GNU classpath ? I really wonder if some 
AUTOCONF macros would be more helpful for you ?

If it is consensus that noone understands the cod and its good to 
rewrite it I can start it. Then I will do it slowly part for part and 
try to introduce as less as possible bugs. Unfortunately there will 
be bugs introduced. We are all humans. So this will need some testing 
on some archs, Linux, *.BSD, AIX, Solaris ... etc.

What is your opinion on the TARGET_* system ?

It would be nice to get a statement from the AICAS people too as they 
introduced it.


Michael