Re: [Caml-list] Future of Camlp4

[Xavier Leroy <xavier.leroy@inria.fr>]

As release manager of the OCaml distribution, the time has come to
make a clear statement on this Camlp4 issue.

In 2001, both Daniel de Rauglaudre (the designer and implementor of
Camlp4) and the rest of the OCaml development team agreed to integrate
the distribution of Camlp4 within the OCaml distribution.  The primary
goal was to enhance the users' experience by making it much easier to
install Camlp4.  Other goals included giving greater visibility to
Daniel's excellent, high-quality work on Camlp4.  I believe these
goals were met beyond original expectations, and the merge was
beneficial to all parties involved.

Later, Daniel proposed that Camlp4 should be removed from the OCaml
distribution, and again be distributed separately.  The other OCaml
developers, as well as those users that voiced their opinions on this
mailing list, were not favorable to this split, as it appeared (to
them) to be a step backwards.  

Merging Camlp4 and OCaml was a collective decision.  Undoing this
merge would have to be a collective decision also, and no such
decision has been taken.  Daniel disagrees with this, and threatens
to stop working on Camlp4 as a consequence.  That is his right, but
this threat isn't going to change the decision.  

Camlp4 remains part of the OCaml distribution, and will be maintained
like everything else.  Yes, it will probably not evolve as quickly as
if Daniel was still working on it.  and Daniel's programming talents
will be missed.  However, all the features of the current Camlp4 (that
from release 3.06 of OCaml) will still be available and properly
maintained in the future releases of OCaml.

Hope this clears up the uncertainty and doubts.

- Xavier Leroy
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