Re: [9fans] Stack initialisation

["rob pike" <rob@plan9.bell-labs.com>]

We didn't include Alef with the 3rd edition because it introduces
a portability issue: it requires maintenance of a second compiler
and set of libraries.  We only had an Alef compiler for the 386,
Mips, and Sparc, only two of which are current kernel architectures.
We don't have an Alef compiler for the Alpha, Power PC, or ARM,
which are.  Rather than port the compiler and libraries, we decided
to port the few Alef applications back to C.  Otherwise, getting a
new architecture running is just too much work.

So I congratulate you on getting Alef running on the 386 again, but
remind you that it wasn't included in the second edition for a reason.
We're not going to be enthusiastic about redistributing Alef again
unless someone is willing to do the other ports, and even that's
probably not reason enough.  Of course, you're free to redistribute
it yourself to 2nd edition licensees, who are the only people likely
to have old Alef programs lying around anyway.

Sorry, guys, but it's not quite a pure PC world, at least not yet.

-rob