Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!deimos!eecea!hardin
From: hardin@eecea.eece.ksu.edu (David Hardin)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: POSIX and the future of MINIX C
Keywords: MINIX C, POSIX, EM
Message-ID: <552@eecea.eece.ksu.edu>
Date: 8 Feb 89 06:42:23 GMT
Reply-To: hardin@eecea.eece.ksu.edu (David Hardin)
Organization: Kansas State University, Manhattan
Lines: 35

Before I dive in, I would first like to thank AST for the EM interpreter 
source.  It allowed me to get my AAMP code generator (almost) done.  
For any of you writing backends for the MINIX C compiler, the EM interpreter 
is a *must*.  The compiler documentation is just not complete enough.

Anyway, I have been reading the POSIX discussion with some interest.  I got 
the POSIX text a while back, and have recently been scanning the portions 
having to do with C.  Section 2.2.3 is especially interesting (as legalese 
goes, that is):

"Although IEEE Std 1003.1-1988 references parts of the C Standard ... 
conformance to the C Standard is unnecessary for conformance to [POSIX] ....
Any C Language implementation providing the facilities stipulated in 
Chapter 8 may claim conformance -- however, it shall clearly state that its 
C does not conform to the C Standard."

So, in other words, an ANSI Standard C is strongly recommended.  Is an ANSI 
C planned for MINIX 2.0?  If so, will the compiler still use EM as its 
intermediate form, or will another approach be taken?  Those of us who have 
a substantial time investment in EM are curious.  BTW, I now have access to 
ACK, which strengthens my interest in EM.

While we're on the subject of the C compiler, would it be possible to get 
UniPress to agree to sell an "ugrade kit" for future compiler upgrades at 
a reduced cost, as Prentice-Hall will be doing for MINIX Real Soon Now? 

Thanks in advance for any comments,

David

-- 
David Hardin				Rockwell International 
                                       	M/S 124-211, 400 Collins Rd. NE
INTERNET: hardin@eecea.eece.ksu.edu     Cedar Rapids, IA  52498
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