🚀 go-pugleaf

As it presently exists (that is, version 1.40 rather than 1.95), gcc
can outdo the native Encore compiler, and it also outdoes (or outdid
last time I tested it) Sun's compiler, although just barely.  GCC 1.40
does not, at present, outdo the MIPS compiler on our SGI machines,
although considering the amount of effort that people are putting into
it, it wouldn't surprise me if it eventually did---even without IPA.

But let's think about the question "why should a vendor use GCC rather
than a proprietary compiler?"

The first reason is clearly cost.  If you don't have to pay any
license fees for your compiler, then it makes your product cheaper and
more competitive.

The second reason is a bit less obvious.  If you use GCC as your
compiler base, then whenever *other* people---even your
competitors---improve the compiler, you get to pick up those
improvements for free as well.

The third reason is that GCC is approaching the status of de facto
standard; more any more you see people who write code that is "known
to work under GCC, and doesn't compile under pcc."  Thus, people want
GCC.

Of course, this is not always possible.  If your processor doesn't
have the notion of stack and frame pointers, then you're out of luck.
(Don't expect to see GCC running on the Cray any time soon.)  But it
is, often enough for GCC to make sense in many environments.

A round of applause for Mike Meissner of OSF, and for all the people
at Cygnus, for the work they have put into GCC and G++.

-GAWollman
-- 
Garrett A. Wollman - wollman@emily.uvm.edu - uvm-gen!wollman

Disclaimer:  I'm not even sure this represents *my* opinion, never
mind UVM's, EMBA's, EMBA-CF's, or indeed anyone else's.