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Re: intel's Linux compiler w/ Debian



On Sun, Aug 04, 2002 at 12:54:10AM -0700, Sean 'Shaleh' Perry wrote:
> why should we care?  What is to gain by allowing users to compile items locally
> with the Intel compiler?  The ONLY use I see for this is compatibility testing
> to see that you do not depend on gcc features unknowingly.

Well, or universities running numerical software on i386. They *might*
profit somehow.

> Debian exists to promote free software.  We exist to promote the right to
> freedom of software.  Supporting non-free is something we do reluctantly.  As a
> group we are pragmatic and realize that sometimes getting your job done is
> worth more than pride.  For a long time it was impossible to function without
> Netscape and items like it.  Those days are rapidly dwindling.  Supplying hooks
> to proprietary apps (especially ones with a monetary cost) is counter
> productive and goes against what we stand for.
 
> To support a compiler for one architecture just because it might produce faster
> binaries seems fairly pointless.  We do not ship pentium optimized programs
> because it has been demonstrated to be a fairly worthless procedure with more
> costs than benefit.  Sure some programs do benefit and if the user desires
> pentium-builder is there to help.

Sure enough. I wouldn't want to maintain icc in non-free, but I thought
about contacting intel in order to make them offer .deb-packages besides
the (braindead IMHO) .rpm-packages they offer now. Not with much luck
though, the first time I got an answer to stop advertising my business
on their developer forums...

After all, this new SPEC record on an Itanium2-Debian system was
accomplished with the Intel compiler IIRC, so somebody seems to have use
for it.

Michael

-- 
<marcus> Jeroen: Is that your first big flamewar?



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