Re: open source rpg compiler

[Douglas Handy <dhandy1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Henk,

>When the rpg-ile compiler becomes opensource, we can
>crossplatform this language. 

No you can't.  The RPG-ILE compiler does not produce object code; it produces
"W-code" which is a proprietary intermediate language.  In fact, I believe all
of the iSeries ILE compilers (RPG, C, etc) output W-code, then share the same
back-end to process the W-code.

Last I heard, if you were interested in the W-code specs you were facing a
seven-digit licensing fee with strict NDA clauses.   I doubt IBM would want to
make that open-source.

>I think that supporting the rpg-ile to opensource is the way to go. It will 
>keep the
>language alive.

The language is already very much alive, and I think it is abundantly clear IBM
continues to invest in the language.  Hans & Company are continually enhancing
the language, and soliciting customer involvement in helping set priorities of
what features should be added first.

For the most part, RPG III was rather stagnant and saw very little new feature
additions from its inception in 1979 until RPG IV was introduced around 1994.
But look how much RPG IV has evolved since V3R1!   It is hardly the hallmark of
a language which is gasping for its final breaths.

Will RPG become the pancea for all programming tasks?  Of course not.  No single
tool ever is. 

Instead of making the compiler open source, if the community really wanted to
help improve the situation what they'd do is contribute open source *service
programs*.   Consider for example the work of advocates like Scott Klement and
others.

Doug