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SubjectRe: pre egcs-1.1 testing and Linux 2.1.x
   Date: 	Sat, 22 Aug 1998 11:18:47 -0700 (PDT)
From: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@transmeta.com>

I wanted to just clarify the issue of egcs and Linux-2.1.x.

I agree with your quibbles on the most part, _however_:

In this specific instance the regparm problems are a symptom of a much
larger issue, SMALL_REGISTER_CLASSES. Linus, I know when you want to
add regparm to some function you check it out to see if gcc
miscompiles it before actually using it for real right? Well the
reasons for these failure cases are actually known by the egcs
developers, and they realize how insurmountable it is to fix "right
this moment".

Richard Kenner made a huge mistake by letting regparm on the intel
into the gcc code in the first place, because of this crucial
fundamental flaw which prevents them from working reliably.

So don't blame the egcs people for trying to deal with the mess Kenner
created. Give them time, they will fix it eventually, believe me I am
working a lot on the egcs project so I know what kind of time frames
we are talking about here.

And if they can't fix egcs right now, or in the next release, in this
regard, cut them slack for once for crying out loud. They've chosen
to disable a feature instead of allowing it to generate incorrect
code. I think thats a good engineering decision.

Regparm was always broken, and you even know it, the egcs people are
acknowledging it's brokenness, and will (eventually) fix it. But for
now, until it is fixed and stops allowing miscompilation, it is off.

I think that with how much you knew yourself about it's brokenness,
relying on it for the few cases where your version of gcc happens to
get it right is playing with fire.

I'm just getting a little sick of the "I am Linus, hear me roar,
nobody use that fucked up EGCS compiler if it's developers don't
listen to everything I say and leave on all the features I want for
the kernel, even if they are broken." The people who sweat night and
day on egcs take offense to this, and now in this instance myself
included.

Later,
David S. Miller
davem@dm.cobaltmicro.com

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