Re: gnubol: STODGY and GNUVEAU compile

[RKRayhawk@aol.com]

In a message dated 11/10/99 1:26:31 PM EST, 
Christopher Clark, compudata@cadvision.com wrote
some useful recommendations about including POINTER and ADDRESS OF features 
into GNU COBOL. It is easy to agree with the need for those recommendations.

Permit me to add that some of the advanced compilers also have a distinct 
PROCEDURE-POINTER type. That is relevant to any grammar work to be done.

Generally, let me suggest that we need a fairly well thought out strategy to 
control any new COBOL features. Christopher uses the phrase "gnubol 
extension" in his good post.

But out there in the real world are a number of very valuable potential users 
of this thing who will want to hear that we can completely suppress anything 
and everything new, and indeed error out any statement with new features. 
(Although I don't think ADDRESS OF is new to COBOL 85, which I understand to 
be our target.)

The nice post about ADDRESS OF and various SET statements brings this to 
mind. As a programmer I would love Christopher's suggested
   MOVE pointer-identifier TO pointer-identifier
but the real world wants a compiler that will stomp directly on that.

As a potential contributor to this interesting project I would love to be 
able to participate in development of new features.  As a person with project 
management experience I know that it is of the utmost significance to provide 
avenues for expression of creative intent in technical 
projects.

So really this is a techincal note. We need a means to coral new features.  I 
have some ideas about that and am trying to make some coherent notes on it.  
I would like to hear from others about how we can promote creative work on 
the COBOL language within this project, and technically how can we put 
barriers around it so those who don't want it will not be disuaded from using 
the tools we generate?

So I will give the idea a name and stay out of the way for a while as I 
solicit your response. To establish it as a subject I will ask how can we 
provide a GNU COBOL compiler capable of delivering a STODGY compile of 
tightly conservative, highly transportable code, and at the same time provide 
a compiler capable of delivering  a GNUVEAU compile that permits any of a 
varying number of new features in a controlled manner?

The objective of this question, and the goal I hope your responses will agree 
to, is to create a project control mechanism that is clearly visible to 
contributors, provides some constraints, but is acceptable to those who want 
to invent.

Best Wishes
Bob Rayhawk
RKRayhawk@aol.com











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