🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <4gnbbp$bhu@solutions.solon.com>
           jmccarty@spdmail.spd.dsccc.com "Mike McCarty" writes:

[snip]

> Where in the standard does it say that a compiler must be accompanied by
> -any- documentation?

The standard does not specify "compiler" but does define
"implementation" as:

> 3.9 implementation: A particular set of software, running in a
> particular translation environment under particular control options,
> that performs translation of programs for, and supports execution of
> functions in, a particular execution environment.

and immediately specifies that

> 3.10 implementation-defined behavior: Behavior, for a correct program
> construct and correct data, that depends on the characteristics of the
> implementation and that each implementation shall document.

> 3.12 locale-specific behavior: Behavior that depends on local
> conventions of nationality, culture, and language that each
> implementation shall document.

The point is made again in:

> 4.  Compliance

[snip]

> An implementation shall be accompanied by a document that defines all
> implementation-defined characteristics and all extensions.

Note that it does not say that that document shall contain nothing else.
The information may be hard to find.  However, IMHO, it does allow any
customer to ask a supplier to point to that document and to factor the
answer into the buying decision.

> 5.2.4.2 Numerical limits

> A conforming implementation shall document all the limits specified in
> this subclause, which shall be specified in the headers <limits.h> and
> <float.h>.


> G.3 Implementation-defined behavior

> Each implementation shall document its behavior in each of the areas
> listed in this subclause.  The following are implementation-defined:

[snip]

This is followed by about 300 lines of detail.  From which, I think you
will gather that the standard writers had a proper regard to
documentation.  However, I think some suppliers must put a meaning
different to mine on the quotation from Clause 4.
--
walter briscoe