[wwwdocs] Update description of GM2 and document branch

Hello Gerald,

Here are two proposed patches to wwwdocs:

htdocs/frontends.html: Update the description of GNU Modula-2.
htdocs/git.html: Document the new devel/modula-2 branch.

regards,
Gaius

=============

Hi Gaius,

On Thu, 8 Jul 2021, Gaius Mulley wrote:
> Here are two proposed patches to wwwdocs:

thank you for thinking of updating the web pages, too!

> diff --git a/htdocs/frontends.html b/htdocs/frontends.html
:
>  <li><a href="http://www.nongnu.org/gm2/">GNU Modula-2</a> implements
>  the PIM2, PIM3, PIM4 and ISO dialects of the language.  The compiler
> +is fully operational with the GCC 10 and GCC 11 back ends (on
> +GNU/Linux x86 systems).

I realize this predates your patch (which merely changes version numbers),
but a reference to back ends could be misunderstood. I assume GNU Modula-2
doesn't just use the back ends (x86, aarch64,...), but also the middle-end
and tree optimizers etc.?

What do you think about just saying "with GCC 10 and GCC 11".

>  Work is in progress to move the front end to
> +the GCC trunk.  The front end is mostly written in Modula-2, but
> +includes a bootstrap procedure using mc.</li>

On my system mc refers to Midnight Commander :-), whereas I guess mc
here is about "Modula Compiler"?  Can you rephrase this for the sake
of those not so closely involved?


> --- a/htdocs/git.html
> +++ b/htdocs/git.html
> +  <dd>This branch is for the
> +    <a href="http://nongnu.org/gm2/homepage.html">GNU Modula-2</a>
> +    front end to gcc prior to its integration with the mainline.  The

GCC (all uppercase)

> +    branch will be regularly rebased against the mainline.  It is
> +    maintained by
> +    <a href="mailto:gaius.mulley@southwales.ac.uk">Gaius Mulley</a>.
> +    Patches should be
> +    prefixed with <code>[modula-2]</code> in the subject line.</dd>

Usually I'd just say "subject", which is a header in our mail systems;
the term "subject line" isn't widely used.


Thanks (and okay considering the above),
Gerald

Gerald Pfeifer <gerald@pfeifer.com> writes:

> I realize this predates your patch (which merely changes version numbers),
> but a reference to back ends could be misunderstood. I assume GNU Modula-2
> doesn't just use the back ends (x86, aarch64,...), but also the middle-end
> and tree optimizers etc.?
>
> What do you think about just saying "with GCC 10 and GCC 11".

Hi Gerald,

yes indeed this sounds more accurate.

>>  Work is in progress to move the front end to
>> +the GCC trunk.  The front end is mostly written in Modula-2, but
>> +includes a bootstrap procedure using mc.</li>
>
> On my system mc refers to Midnight Commander :-), whereas I guess mc
> here is about "Modula Compiler"?  Can you rephrase this for the sake
> of those not so closely involved?

ah yes will do!

> Usually I'd just say "subject", which is a header in our mail systems;
> the term "subject line" isn't widely used.

feel free to overrule and use "subject".  I copied the text from other
branch descriptions :-) (there are 38 uses).  I guess there should be
consistency on the web page - perhaps they could all be changed though -
what do you think?

> Thanks (and okay considering the above),
> Gerald

thanks for the suggestions and maintaining the pages.  Below are the
proposed updated patches

regards,
Gaius



possible ChangeLog/commit entry:

htdocs/frontends.html: Update the description of GNU Modula-2.
htdocs/git.html: Document the new devel/modula-2 branch.

updated patches:

diff --git a/htdocs/frontends.html b/htdocs/frontends.html
index bec33b7b..7c8d84bc 100644
--- a/htdocs/frontends.html
+++ b/htdocs/frontends.html
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@ has a back end that generates assembler directly, using the GCC back end.</li>

 <li><a href="http://www.nongnu.org/gm2/">GNU Modula-2</a> implements
 the PIM2, PIM3, PIM4 and ISO dialects of the language.  The compiler
-is fully operational with the GCC 4.1.2 back end (on GNU/Linux x86
-systems).  Work is in progress to move the front end to the GCC trunk.
-The front end is mostly written in Modula-2, but includes a bootstrap
-procedure via a heavily modified version of p2c.</li>
+is fully operational with the GCC 10 and GCC 11 (on
+GNU/Linux x86 systems).  Work is in progress to move the front end to
+the GCC trunk.  The front end is mostly written in Modula-2 and it
+includes a bootstrap tool which translates Modula-2 into C/C++.</li>

 <li>Modula-3 (for links see <a
 href="http://www.modula3.org/">www.modula3.org</a>); SRC M3 is based on an old
diff --git a/htdocs/git.html b/htdocs/git.html
index 2bbfc334..c112980b 100644
--- a/htdocs/git.html
+++ b/htdocs/git.html
@@ -471,6 +471,17 @@ in Git.</p>
   Further information can be found on the
   <a href="https://github.com/Intrepid/GUPC">GNU UPC</a> page.</dd>

+  <dt>modula-2</dt>
+  <dd>This branch is for the
+    <a href="http://nongnu.org/gm2/homepage.html">GNU Modula-2</a>
+    front end to GCC prior to its integration with the mainline.  The
+    branch will be regularly rebased against the mainline.  It is
+    maintained by
+    <a href="mailto:gaius.mulley@southwales.ac.uk">Gaius Mulley</a>.
+    Patches should be
+    prefixed with <code>[modula-2]</code> in the subject line.</dd>
+  </dd>
+
   <dt>pph</dt>
   <dd>This branch implements <a href="https://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/pph"> Pre-Parsed
   Headers for C++</a>.  It is maintained by <a

On Mon, 12 Jul 2021, Gaius Mulley wrote:
>> Usually I'd just say "subject", which is a header in our mail systems;
>> the term "subject line" isn't widely used.
> feel free to overrule and use "subject".  I copied the text from other
> branch descriptions :-) (there are 38 uses).  I guess there should be
> consistency on the web page - perhaps they could all be changed though -
> what do you think?

Ah, in that case suggestion withdrawn, and I'll separately see whether
we can simplify/unify anything there.

> thanks for the suggestions and maintaining the pages.  Below are the
> proposed updated patches

As maintainer, you don't need to seek approval for doc or web patches 
related to your area of maintainership, though of course I'm always 
happy to have a look.

> +is fully operational with the GCC 10 and GCC 11 (on

Here I'd omit "the", though I cannot (linguistically) explain why
and have to refer to established practice.

Cheers,
Gerald

Gerald Pfeifer <gerald@pfeifer.com> writes:

>> +is fully operational with the GCC 10 and GCC 11 (on
>
> Here I'd omit "the", though I cannot (linguistically) explain why
> and have to refer to established practice.

thanks for catching the unnecessary "the" - all committed and pushed
now,

regards,
Gaius