Re: [Cobolforgcc-users] Status of the COBOL For GCC project

[David A. C. <sup...@co...>]

tim wrote:
> Work on the project stopped for a number of years, for good but
> uninteresting reasons, but I have recently started work again. 
>   
Hooray!
> I have started again with a different
> approach using LISP as the main language for the compiler front end
> instead of C. 
That's nearly as exciting as discovering the project is awake again.  It 
will be very good to see how LISP applies here.
> LISP is not just for processing lists; it is a very
> powerful programming language and good open source implementations exist
> (eg SBCL, GCL, CMU Lisp). 
>   
Of any, GCL looks best at first glance because it allows to compile 
rather than producing code that is still very close to being interpreted.
> The opportunities I see for people to help will be
>
> COBOL Skills:
> * Test your COBOL programs and submit bug reports.
> * Work on the some of the runtime routines.
>   
OK. I've got years & years of COBOL experience -- but the code isn't 
available to me.
> Lisp skills
> * Work on the compiler front end (parser etc).
>   
And here, too, I may be able to help.
> C Skills
> * Work on the runtime routines.
>
> C Skills and GCC Internals skills
> * Work on the GCC back end interface.
>   
I'll watch.