<?xml version="1.0"?> 

<!--
	description:

		"Gobo Eiffel Compiler"

	tool: "Gobo Eiffel Compiler"
	copyright: "Copyright (c) 2006, Eric Bezault and others"
	license: "MIT License"
	date: "$Date: 2007-01-26 10:55:25 -0800 (Fri, 26 Jan 2007) $"
	revision: "$Revision: 5877 $"
-->

<chapter xmlns="http://www.gobosoft.com/eiffel/gobo/documentation" id="gec/index">
<chapterinfo>
	<copyright>
		<year>2006</year>
		<holder>Eric Bezault</holder>
	</copyright>
	<author>
		<firstname>Eric</firstname><surname>Bezault</surname>
	</author>
	<email>ericb@gobosoft.com</email>
	<date>4 March 2006</date>
</chapterinfo>

<title>Gobo Eiffel Compiler</title>

<para>
The <projectname>Gobo Eiffel Compiler</projectname>, or <projectname>gec</projectname>
for short, is an open source command-line Eiffel compiler. The Eiffel community is
already equipped with several Eiffel compilers, all supporting their own dialect
despite the efforts of standardization of the Eiffel language and kernel library.
So why yet another Eiffel compiler? The goal of <projectname>gec</projectname> is
not to augment the number of incompatible Eiffel compilers but to provide both the
open source community and the industry with a compiler fully compatible with ISE
Eiffel and compliant with the ECMA Eiffel standard. OK, so what is the benefit of
having a clone of ISE Eiffel? First <projectname>gec</projectname> is not a clone
of ISE Eiffel. It uses different compilation techniques which make the compiler
and the compiled applications perform better in some contexts or in some parts of
the development cycle. Then, <projectname>gec</projectname> also provides an alternative
to ISE Eiffel for those who invest a lot in the Eiffel technology and don't want
to be tied to a single vendor.
</para>
<para>
<projectname>gec</projectname> is the only open source Eiffel compiler
that is released under a <link linkend="../license">less constraining
license</link> than GNU GPL. To my knowledge it is also the first and only one whose
source code can be compiled by all its major Eiffel compiler competitors, as is the
case of all other classes provided in the <link linkend="../index"><projectname>Gobo
Eiffel Project</projectname></link>. However, note that although it is already
able to compile all Eiffel classes included in the <projectname>Gobo Eiffel
Project</projectname>, <projectname>gec</projectname> is still under development.
You can have a look at the list of <link linkend="limitations">functionalities
not yet implemented</link> as well as at the list of <link linkend="future">possible
future developments</link>, should you want to contribute to the project.
</para>

<para>
This documentation of <projectname>gec</projectname> is structured as follows:

<blockquote>
<variablelist>
	<varlistentry>
		<term>
			<link linkend="usage">Using <projectname>gec</projectname></link>
		</term>
		<listitem><para>
			Configuration, compiler options, Ace files.
		</para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
		<term>
			<link linkend="technology">Compiler Technology</link>
		</term>
		<listitem><para>
			Compilation techniques used in <projectname>gec</projectname>.
		</para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
		<term>
			<link linkend="limitations">Limitations</link>
		</term>
		<listitem><para>
			Limitations, bugs, incompatibilities with ISE Eiffel or the
			ECMA Eiffel standard, and other deficiencies.
		</para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
		<term>
			<link linkend="future">Future Work</link>
		</term>
		<listitem><para>
			List of possible enhancements and future developments.
		</para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
		<term>
			<link linkend="platforms">Supported Platforms</link>
		</term>
		<listitem><para>
			List of C compilers, operating systems, hardware on which
			<projectname>gec</projectname> has been tested.
		</para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
		<term>
			<link linkend="see_also">See Also</link>
		</term>
		<listitem><para>
			Bibliographical references, related resources and
			acknowledgments.
		</para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
	<varlistentry>
		<term>
			<ulink url="http://www.gobosoft.com/eiffel/gobo/download.html">Downloading
			Instructions</ulink>
		</term>
		<listitem><para>
			License agreement and downloading instructions.
		</para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</blockquote>

</para>

</chapter>
