[Info-vax] Open Source on OpenVMS - need some feedback

[Dirk Munk]

Craig A. Berry wrote:
> On 1/1/15 12:43 PM, BillPedersen wrote:
>> Happy New Year to everyone, first.
>
>> VMS Software Inc. is looking for some feedback as to C99 features
>> missing/broken in current C compiler.  Also looking for feedback on
>> missing/broken CRTL functions.  Please feel free to submit
>> information to me and I will forward to VSI.
>
> While collecting feedback is good, there is really no substitute for
> passing a conformance test suite. The following turned up in a quick
> search; it looks like the good ones cost money. I know nothing about
> these, but I'll note that a prior version of the first one (from
> Perennial) was used to certify C89 compliance for DEC C on Digital UNIX.
>
> <http://www.peren.com/index.htm>
>
> <http://www.plumhall.com/stec1.html>
>
> <http://www.ace.nl/compiler/supertest.html>
>
> The following appear quite incomplete but are free:
>
> <http://posixtest.sourceforge.net>
>
> <http://p99.gforge.inria.fr/p99-html/test-p99-conformance_8c-example.html>

I agree, a conformance test suite is what you need. The last thing we 
need is a C compiler with bugs.

I looked at the first three test suites, and I noticed that Perennial is 
the only one that also supports the new C11 (2011) and C++ 2014 standards.

I'm not a C expert, but I assume it would be good for the reputation of 
VMS if an updated compiler would also support these standards.