[Info-vax] VMS port to x86

[David Froble]

John Reagan wrote:
> 
> 
>> "Fritz Wuehler"  wrote in message 
>> news:688da0947b8b8deb5e49baab8907fe43 at msgid.frell.theremailer.net...
> 
>>> "John Reagan" <johnrreagan at earthlink.net> wrote:
> 
>>> However, for some reason, the VMS customer base uses other languages 
>>> like
>>> COBOL, Fortran, BASIC, Pascal, and even Ada.  Don't forget them.
> 
>> Yes but those other languages are all available for x86. gcc already
>> supports many platforms, can it be that difficult to generate VAX ABI 
>> calls
>> given the x86 code generation itself is already there?
> 
> Most of the VMS compilers have lots of extensions beyond the 
> industry-substandard.  For instance, OpenVMS Pascal is way beyond what 
> you'd get from the gcc-based Pascal (I have that installed on my Linux 
> box).  The ability in BASIC, COBOL, etc. to build OpenVMS descriptors 
> wouldn't be found in any other variant for x86.  It isn't gcc that I'd 
> be worried about, it is the random combination of frontends you'd have 
> to enhance.
> 
> 

Yeah, what he said ....

Vax Basic / DEC Basic is sort of unique.  I don't think it could be ported to anything 
else out there.  It's different enough to need a re-write.

I don't understand compilers, but I'd ask, if the front end of each is "sort of" portable, 
and all of them possibly (I don't know) work with the GEM back end, then once you have the 
GEM back end, aren't most / all of the compilers about the same amount of work ??

If you're going to get VMS on x86, then if you're not going to "do it right", you're not 
going to encompass your total target audience.  If it's not complete, then perhaps it 
won't be worth doing.

On the other hand, get VMS on x86, and one of the biggest reasons people have for going 
elsewhere will no longer be an issue.  For the forseeable future, x86 will be with us.  If 
it does get replaced, at least VMS will be in no worse trouble than everybody else.