[m-dev.] for review: minutes from today's meeting
David Glen JEFFERY
dgj at cs.mu.OZ.AU
Fri Nov 17 17:49:25 AEDT 2000
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Minutes for today's meeting.
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Minutes of the Mercury meeting Fri Nov 17th, 3:15pm to 4:10pm.
Attendees:
Fergus Henderson <fjh>
Zoltan Somogyi <zs>
David Jeffery <dgj>
Mark Brown <dougl>
David Overton <dmo>
Simon Taylor <stayl>
Kevin Glynn <keving>
Apologies:
Tyson Dowd <trd> (overseas)
1. Sourceforge:
The discussion on what we should do with respect to putting Mercury
on Sourceforge was left until the next meeting, when Tyson Dowd should
be back from overseas.
1. Release plans:
We discussed a series of issues that have come up on mercury-developers
concerning the upcoming release.
- streams interface
It was generally agreed that the streams interface that Peter
Ross has been developing should go in the extras directory
for this release. This will give users some chance to
experiment with it before we think about what should go in
the standard library.
- `enum' type class
Simon Taylor has proposed an `enum' type class (which he has
used as part of the sparse_bitset implementation). Some
discussion ensued about whether the name and structure of this
class is appropriate (given that it will be visible in the
standard library). The issues raised were:
- Given that the proposed class only has methods for conversion
to and from integers (with `from' being a semidet operation),
there is really no requirement that the integers mapped onto
be contiguous. In that case `enum' is perhaps not a good name.
- Perhaps we should have a class for `dense' enumerations, that
has for example methods to indicate the upper and lower bounds
that the enumeration maps onto.
- Perhaps we should use the same classes as Haskell as some
people may be used to that hierarchy. It was pointed out that
the Haskell class hierarchy is likely to undergo quite some
change on the way to Haskell 2.
It was decided to just go with Simon's original proposal ---
there is no real problem with using the `enum' name, and
no-one could think of a better one.
- sparse_bitset
Has been implemented and will be included for the relase.
- type specialisation for the library
Has been implemented and will be included for the relase.
- Tag switches for the MLDS back ends
Has been implemented for the hlc grades but not for the IL
backend. It will be included as is for the release.
- Foreign code mechanism
Tyson has posted a diff, and this should be included for the
release.
- .NET `tech preview'
This relies on the foreign code mechanism to implement some
parts of the library for the IL backend.
This can probably go in the release, but Tyson wasn't there
to comment.
- extended record syntax (allowing arguments to field names)
Simon will implement this before the release.
There was some discussion of whether we should allow field
names to be overloaded within a module. It was decided that
this is too much work to get done before the release.
- @ syntax
Will not be done for the release (still needs thought, and
possibly isn't a good idea at all).
- Mmake rules for the IL backend
These will be done for the release.
If possible, these rules will only be generated when the
IL back end is actually being used. There was some discussion
about whether it would be worth it, given that `mmake depend'
would then need to examine grade options or other flags. Fergus
pointed out that the hlc back end has special dependencies
generated for it, so it shouldn't be too difficult.
- Tabled I/O for debugging
There has been quite a lot done on this, but it won't get
worked on for at least another week (as Zoltan will be busy
marking exams until then). This should make it into the
release.
Practical experience is needed with the feature before we can
decide whether or not it is advisable to turn it on by
default.
- `program representation' in the declarative debugger
Mark Brown reported that his change to use the program
representation data structure in the declarative debugger
would be at least partly complete in time for the release.
3. Release process:
In about two weeks (ie. in early December), a CVS branch will be
created for the release version. The intention is that after this
time, only bug fixes will be checked onto the branch.
The release (codename: Rudolph) is to be made before Christmas.
- testing
Fergus pointed at that with the release on a separate branch,
we will need to change our nightly testing scripts to do at
least some of the testing on the release branch.
It was decided that some of the linux machines should run the
release branch and some the main branch. The alpha and
sparc can just run the release branch (until a little while
after the release).
- outstanding bugs that need to be fixed before the release
- hlc doesn't work properly on the alpha. Fergus will
investigate.
- there is a bug that has been discussed on mercury-developers
to do with cse and existential types. Zoltan and David
Jeffery will investigate
- there is a bug to do with existential typing recently
reported to Peter Ross. David Jeffery has a partial solution,
and will investigate further with Fergus.
- there is a long outstanding bug to do with type classes
whereby do_call_class_method inserts the type infos and
type class infos in the wrong order. David Jeffery to
investigate.
4. Testing on extras and samples:
Zoltan suggested that we need a standard way of testing the
extras and samples. Fergus suggested that we enforce a rule that
each Mmakefile contain a `check' target. It was pointed out that
it can be quite difficult to test some of the things in extras
such as the Tcl/Tk interface. Zoltan suggested that we just test them
by compiling to C code.
5. Summer students:
The summer students are starting on November 27th, and we intend to
give them a couple of days of talks about Mercury and the compiler
(and our SE processes). Zoltan will not be available on Monday the 27th
or Tuesday the 28th, so someone else will need to give the talks.
Fergus should be around, as will Tyson (we expect). This needs to be
sorted out in the next week.
David Overton mentioned that there may not be enough keys to the
Mercury office (and that the door that there are keys to doesn't
seem to work properly). David and Zoltan will sort this out with the
office.
After giving the summer students the introductory talks for a couple
of days, Zoltan suggested that we set them a programming exercise for
the rest of their first week. The battleships task that was a 433-257
project (and was posted on mercury-users a while back) was suggested.
Zoltan needs to organise the theatre in which we will give the
presentations on the Monday and Tuesday, and needs to get the slides
to those who will present.
5. Progress reports:
We went around the table, with each person in turn discussing what
they had been working on recently and/or what they were planning
to work on (other than the matters already discussed with respect
to features to be put into the release).
David Jeffery <dgj>:
- Has been fixing various type class bugs, but mainly working
on HAL.
Zoltan Somogyi <zs>:
- Has been marking exam papers, and will be doing so for the
next week or so.
Fergus Henderson <fjh>:
- Various little things, tag switches for MLDS
Kevin Glynn <keving>:
- By his own admission doesn't do anything
Simon Taylor <stayl>
- Working on getting aditi to call Mercury
- Has been working on speeding up the compiler in various
ways (these have been posted to mercury-developers). He
reported that the overall speedup when compiling make_hlds.m
is around 25%! Everyone agreed to buy him a beer.
Zoltan suggested that this may be worth mentioning in the
NEWS file (depending on how it shapes up compared to version
0.9.1).
David Overton <dmo>:
- Has been marking SE projects.
Mark Brown <dougl>:
- Has been working on using the program representation in
the declarative debugger.
Minutes taken by David Jeffery <dgj at cs.mu.oz.au>.
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--
David Jeffery (dgj at cs.mu.oz.au) | If your thesis is utterly vacuous
PhD student, | Use first-order predicate calculus.
Dept. of Comp. Sci. & Soft. Eng.| With sufficient formality
The University of Melbourne | The sheerist banality
Australia | Will be hailed by the critics: "Miraculous!"
| -- Anon.
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