Path: utzoo!telly!ddsw1!lll-winken!killer!mit-eddie!bloom-beacon!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!BOURBAKI.MIT.EDU!ghoti
From: ghoti@BOURBAKI.MIT.EDU
Newsgroups: gnu.gcc
Subject: RTL Code and Debugging Tools
Message-ID: <8901110040.AA09549@hermite.mit.edu>
Date: 11 Jan 89 00:40:49 GMT
Sender: daemon@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Distribution: gnu
Organization: GNUs Not Usenet
Lines: 32

Regarding the following passage from my earlier message on the subject listed
above:
	  "Some people already know how to do this. Patrick is one of them. 
	  "Also, I received a message from Michael Tiemann some time ago saying
	  "that he had also written such a thing and saying that he planned to 
	  "release it in the near future. I for one would be very interested in
	  "trying it out,"

I have received the following reply from Michael Tiemann: 
	"I helped Patrick write his version when I was in Paris	
	"this summer. RMS asked me not to distribute it, for the 
	"reasons stated in Patrick's letter.
	"	Michael."

I have earlier pointed out the utility of being able to test the components
of GCC separately when debugging GCC. Apparently FSF feels that cooperating 
with efforts to develop such a capability would be, in effect, giving aid
and comfort to the enemy. I question whether this attitude is consistent
with FSF's stated belief that it is healthy to be able to study the source
code for the entire GNU system.

In any case, I still think that the development of debugging tools is
of value. Since FSF doesn't feel it is in its interests to cooperate
with this suggestion for developing them, I wonder whether it has any
plans of its own to develop and distribute debugging tools for GCC.
(And please do not remind me for the one thousandth time that FSF has done
more than enough by doing precisely what it has already done, as though there 
was also not room for constructive suggestions.)

Sincerely,
Allan Adler
ghoti@hypatia.mit.edu