[fpc-other] What makes a Compiler project (like FPC) special?

[noreply at z505.com]

On 2017-05-25 09:18, Graeme Geldenhuys wrote:
> This is directed at Florian primarily, but any other FPC core member
> is welcome to chip in.
> 
> Since Florian mentioned that a compiler project is "rocket science"
> [not his direct words, but he hinted at that] and totally different to
> any other software project... It has really bugged me... Why is it
> different, and What is different?

Sorry I don't speak as a core, but it is in fact rocket science..

If you look at the compiler sources and try to understand what is going 
on, it's either:
  - a mess
  - rocket science
  - both
Because there are so many things to take care of, probably more than a 
space ship... after all, space ships that have their computers on them, 
require a compiler to compile the code that runs on rockets/space ships. 
So imo compilers are more important than space ships and rockets 
themselves, but this, is speaking from an Alien perspective as I never 
was from this Earth planet.