[Openmcl-devel] [info-mcl] Pathname and Unicode in MCL 5.1

[Raffael Cavallaro]

On Oct 2, 2007, at 7:13 PM, Ron Garret wrote:

> The limiting factor in getting this done is not capital,
> it's getting someone to come up with a coherent plan on how to make
> it happen that makes business sense.
>
> However, my current understanding of the situation is:
>
> 1.  The 32-bit Intel architecture is too register-poor to admit a
> reasonably efficient port of MCL without an extraordinary effort.
> Since 32-bit is probably legacy technology anyway, it's probably not
> worth putting forth this effort.
>
> 2.  A 64-bit compiler is in hand, but there are no 64-bit interfaces
> to the Cocoa library and won't be until Leopard is released.
>
> Therefore
>
> 3.  We are all holding or collective breath for Leopard to be
> released, whereupon the logjam should break and a new version of MCL
> should appear.
>
> The best strategy therefore seems to be simply to wait.
>
> If I've gotten any of this wrong please set me straight.

this seems mostly correct except for one point - the 64-bit compiler  
you're talking about is openmcl, but no one is paying Gary Byers and  
Clozure sufficiently to make this a top priority effort. It seems to  
me that a paid contract with Gary Byers and Clozure to bring a  
polished GUI, 64-bit openmcl to Leopard might make this happen faster  
than simply waiting. Of course the only way to know would be to ask  
Gary directly. Gary - any thoughts on this?

Raffael Cavallaro, Ph.D.
raffaelcavallaro at mac.com