[fpc-pascal] Remote FreePascal compile service, feedback requested

[Tom Verhoeff]

On Mon, Dec 05, 2005 at 10:03:58AM -0500, Tony Pelton wrote:
> On 12/5/05, Tom Verhoeff <T.Verhoeff at tue.nl> wrote:
> > Why do this?  Because that way people can use/try FreePascal without
> > installing anything.
> 
> installing really isn't too complicated currently.
> 
> download a tarball, expand it, and run the compiler ?
> 
> i can't imagine having to fiddle around with some webapp is going to
> be any simpler than that.

However, I wouldn't want to install the latest version from svn when
I encounter a bug in the stable release.

> > Furthermore, we plan to support several versions of FreePascal in
> > parallel.  That way, it may also be useful to the FreePascal community.
> > E.g. when diagnosing a problem.
> 
> i suspect anyone who is "diagnosing" anything to this detail is going
> to want to have their versions/tools locally so that can see what is
> going on.

I was more thinking of being in need of getting some code running (by
using a newer fpc version through the web), or confirming that your
does/did compile properly with version x (on platform y).

Of course, you don't need to use the remote service if you have your own
solution.  I would certainly encourage people to install their own local
version of fpc (e.g. by having a download link on the web interface and
a link to the install FAQ).

The idea is that (a) it might lower the threshold for people new to fpc
to give it a try; (b) to make some older/newer version of fpc easily
accessible; (c) to make it easier to get started on cross compiling
(though I suspect we will encounter some issues here, but I trust that
these are solvable with help from the mailing lists).

	Tom
-- 
E-MAIL: T.Verhoeff @ TUE.NL     | Fac. of Math. & Computing Science
PHONE:  +31 40 247 41 25        | Eindhoven University of Technology
FAX:    +31 40 247 54 04        | PO Box 513, NL-5600 MB Eindhoven
http://www.win.tue.nl/~wstomv/  | The Netherlands