frysk vs ? vs gdb++ vs gdb

frysk vs ? vs gdb++ vs gdb

[Andrew Cagney]

In reading over the various discussion's its not been clear to me what 
exactly the proposals are, and how each fits in.  In addition, while all 
efforts have similar long term goals, I think it is useful to compare 
based on more immediate expected deliverables - say over a 1-2 year time 
frame.

With this in mind, I've tried to construct a table that gives a 
relatively sharp distinction between choices.  Of course reality is more 
fluid.

Frysk: the existing frysk project
?: Red Hat's new debugger as first proposed on the Frysk list
GDB++: An implementation of GDB in C++
GDB: Existing GDB.

A "?" indicates positions that seem to be evolving.


               Frysk        ?         GDB++      GDB

focus:       thread/proc  C++        C++         ?
               linux       linux       ?          ?
user         DESKTOP      GDB        GDB        GDB

language      Java        C++        C++         C

Eclipse       DSF Plug   Plug?        MI         MI

Licence        V2+       V3+          V3         V3
               EXCEPT     EXCEPT

Owner       RH/OR/IBM/+   RH?         FSF        FSF

Design         Frysk     Frysk?       GDB        GDB
                                       Frysk?

Code           Frysk     frysk?       GDB        GDB

developers      new       RH          GDB        GDB
                           GDB?        RH?

Tech Edge:    strong O-O
              thread/proc?                  unwind
              type/location                testsuite
                    ?                         mi
                                            gdb/cli
                                            remote
                                            isa's
                                          other languages
                                               ?

focus/user: This is the groups intended user base and initial most 
critical feature; and the likely source of users.

language: the project's principal language; all projects have plans to 
hadd an interpreter for something like Python.

Eclipse: How the tool will integrate into eclipse; a plugin requires an 
eclipse compatible licence (such as GPL+EXCEPT).

Licence: For instance, if GDB code is used, then the licence is pure V3. 
  If it is to be an ecplise plugin then pure V3 cannot be used.

Owner: Who will own the code base.

Design: Where the architecture comes from; its been suggested that 
aspects of frysks architecture be transferred to gdb.

Code: Where the bulk of the initial code base comes from.  For this new 
debugger, while the design can be drawn from Frysk, the bulk of the 
implementation would be new.

developers: from where developers will likely be attracted or drawn

tech edge: where the existing code base has what I think is a clear 
existing technology advantage