C-Compiler Validation Suites

[Stephan W. Wendl]

> Xref: kontron comp.lang.c:16 comp.sys.ibm.pc:25
> 
> In article <1182 at kontron.UUCP> stephan at kontron.UUCP (Stephan W. Wendl) writes:
>>Yes, I also know that on UNIX systems one considers a successful
>>compilation of the unix kernel (of course the kernel should run, too)
>>as sufficent validation of the compiler.
> 
> Yes, and we have found bugs in several systems' handling of floating
> point numbers because of exactly this attitude.  Compilation of the
> kernel is NOT sufficient valication of the compiler!
> 
> 
> -- 
> =Spencer   ({ihnp4,decvax}!utah-cs!thomas, thomas at utah-cs.ARPA)

As far as I can recall at the moment, the UNIX kernel doesn't use floating
point data (of course I might be wrong). So if leave out this "specific
application of math" (=FFP) then the kernel might right. It is clear that
such a test will NOT sufficently, if at all, test a FFP features of the 
compiler. Historically, I believe, one used the kernel. People who are
familiar with UNIX longer than I may correct me.