Re: [Caml-list] What's "advantage of gcc-specific features"?

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

>>>The OCaml maintainers do not have a 64 bit SPARC system to test
>>>on and can not take over my port.
>
> I'm quite surprised. INRIA had tons of SPARC systems in the past (this
> is at least true at INRIA Rennes). Was it impossible for the OCaml team
> to get some of these systems when they were changed for PCs?

My research group and other groups in the vicinity stopped buying Sun
workstations circa 1994, as much better alternatives have been
available since then.  SPARCstations remained popular for a while with
our network administrators, as small servers, but I don't think I
could dumpster-dive and get any SPARCstation built in the 21st century.

Besides, resurrecting old hardware is time-consuming and generally
disappointing.  ("Oh my God, look at the dust cloud it coughed!  Hmmm,
that runs really slow...  The OS is five major versions behind!  Where
is my favorite open source software?  Ah, there's no CDROM in this
beast.  Where did I put my vintage external SCSI 1x CDROM?  (One
hour later.)  Damn, the internal disk is too small."  etc.)

>>People who own 64 bit SPARC systems and want to see the SPARC
>>port continued should contact SUN and suggest that SUN supply
>>a machine for the Ocaml developers.

Good idea.  It would look good in the machine room :-)

- Xavier Leroy