Aldo Calpini wrote:
1) does anybody have objections to patching the current build system for
cross-compilation (even "yes, but not now because..." objections)?
Not at all. Cross-compilation is definitely a core goal for Parrot.
2) does anybody already have a .plan or something in mind about it (so
that I may either learn from what others have thought, or avoiding
reinventing some wheel)?
We do. Unfortunately we can't rely on Perl 5 for the configure system.
It may seem like an easy way to gain cross-compilation in the short
term, but in the long term it will hurt us.
Miniparrot is the right way to go. It certainly needs work, though. As
you're thinking of solutions think of what miniparrot would need to
become cross-compiler aware.
> woot! I am _not_ going to become a pir programmer, sorry :-)
You'll be surprised at how easy it is to pick up, especially if you have
experience with dynamic languages. There are, of course, plenty of
Parrot tasks that don't require PIR skills, but don't give up before you
try it. You might like it.
> I have no problems with this approach. modulo the fact that I'm an
> absolute beginner in the fine art of version control (some CVS, a little
> bit of SVN, but just basic checkout-checkin), so I have no idea how to
> go about branching and merging and all that stuff. but I'll find the
> time to RTFM on my own :-)
That being the case, let's start you out submitting patches. It's where
everyone starts, and having a mentor to review patches at first is a
great way to pass along the knowledge of the experienced Parrot hackers.
For a change this size, we generally start with a proposal, review it as
a group, and then dive into implementation. In this case, given the
nature of the problem and your experience with the codebase, go ahead
and start experimenting with code, but write up your plans as you go.
We'll do an architecture review before too long to see how well the idea
fits with the overall plans for Parrot.
Patching the existing build system is a good way to start. It'll get you
more familiar with the codebase, and give us all a better sense of the
scope of the problem and the obstacles we're likely to encounter.
Thanks for volunteering,
Allison
