doc: document experimental features better.

* doc/bison.texinfo (Introduction): Say that IELR(1) and canonical
LR(1) are experimental.  Mention Java.  Normally experimental
features probably shouldn't be mentioned in the introduction.
However, if Bison's limitations to LALR(1), C, and C++ are so
important that they should be mentioned here, then it's important
to point out that Bison is beginning to escape those limitations.
Moreover, these particular experimental features have very little
chance of being removed.
* src/getargs.c (usage): Say that IELR(1) and canonical LR(1) are
experimental.
(cherry picked from commit d89e48b3c9e857aa6d34f0bc66c9d9ac305f1b0c)

diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 32496351f75aef7b951f3258075978342f4bd052..ad3fcec52a0c13cdb4e9b5d19e4beb76fe1bda4d 100644 (file)
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+2011-02-06  Joel E. Denny  <joeldenny@joeldenny.org>
+
+       doc: document experimental features better.
+       * doc/bison.texinfo (Introduction): Say that IELR(1) and canonical
+       LR(1) are experimental.  Mention Java.  Normally experimental
+       features probably shouldn't be mentioned in the introduction.
+       However, if Bison's limitations to LALR(1), C, and C++ are so
+       important that they should be mentioned here, then it's important
+       to point out that Bison is beginning to escape those limitations.
+       Moreover, these particular experimental features have very little
+       chance of being removed.
+       * src/getargs.c (usage): Say that IELR(1) and canonical LR(1) are
+       experimental.
+
 2011-01-29  Joel E. Denny  <joeldenny@joeldenny.org>
 
        Do not allow identifiers that start with a dash.

diff --git a/doc/bison.texinfo b/doc/bison.texinfo
index 8b96ad937733649179dc9ed98b91fa7e9456dc08..5c75a12504c198ce50f109a84399b5a9af3f2ec0 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/bison.texinfo
+++ b/doc/bison.texinfo
@@ -353,23 +353,25 @@ Copying This Manual
 @cindex introduction
 
 @dfn{Bison} is a general-purpose parser generator that converts an
-annotated context-free grammar into a deterministic LR or
-generalized LR (GLR) parser employing
-LALR(1), IELR(1), or canonical LR(1)
-parser tables.
-Once you are proficient with Bison, you can use it to develop a wide
-range of language parsers, from those used in simple desk calculators to
-complex programming languages.
-
-Bison is upward compatible with Yacc: all properly-written Yacc grammars
-ought to work with Bison with no change.  Anyone familiar with Yacc
-should be able to use Bison with little trouble.  You need to be fluent in
-C or C++ programming in order to use Bison or to understand this manual.
-
-We begin with tutorial chapters that explain the basic concepts of using
-Bison and show three explained examples, each building on the last.  If you
-don't know Bison or Yacc, start by reading these chapters.  Reference
-chapters follow which describe specific aspects of Bison in detail.
+annotated context-free grammar into a deterministic LR or generalized
+LR (GLR) parser employing LALR(1) parser tables.  As an experimental
+feature, Bison can also generate IELR(1) or canonical LR(1) parser
+tables.  Once you are proficient with Bison, you can use it to develop
+a wide range of language parsers, from those used in simple desk
+calculators to complex programming languages.
+
+Bison is upward compatible with Yacc: all properly-written Yacc
+grammars ought to work with Bison with no change.  Anyone familiar
+with Yacc should be able to use Bison with little trouble.  You need
+to be fluent in C or C++ programming in order to use Bison or to
+understand this manual.  Java is also supported as an experimental
+feature.
+
+We begin with tutorial chapters that explain the basic concepts of
+using Bison and show three explained examples, each building on the
+last.  If you don't know Bison or Yacc, start by reading these
+chapters.  Reference chapters follow, which describe specific aspects
+of Bison in detail.
 
 Bison was written primarily by Robert Corbett; Richard Stallman made it
 Yacc-compatible.  Wilfred Hansen of Carnegie Mellon University added

diff --git a/src/getargs.c b/src/getargs.c
index ab9a2b5f369b62755c7104f0bb66c9501c3102cf..35b6a2a6132d4abc18b11569c26c7ee8834fb51f 100644 (file)
--- a/src/getargs.c
+++ b/src/getargs.c
@@ -263,7 +263,8 @@ usage (int status)
       printf (_("Usage: %s [OPTION]... FILE\n"), program_name);
       fputs (_("\
 Generate a deterministic LR or generalized LR (GLR) parser employing\n\
-LALR(1), IELR(1), or canonical LR(1) parser tables.\n\
+LALR(1), IELR(1), or canonical LR(1) parser tables.  IELR(1) and\n\
+canonical LR(1) support is experimental.\n\
 \n\
 "), stdout);