The example you set up was about f() calling into g() calling into h(). Why do you mention h() calling into g() now?
replyThe whole thread is about how the traditional calling convention makes it difficult to implement TCO in C. Functions with different arity having different stack layout is indeed one of the roadblocks, so I think we agree here, no?
That was in response to a specific point that TCO needed callee-cleanup. But nobody cares about TCO in non-recursive call stacks, and nobody does cross-module recursion. Hence my question: if the only situation where anyone would care whether TCO is being performed is one in which the compiler can see both sides of the call, what does it matter what the calling convention is? The compiler is not bound to use any calling convention to generate the code for the call, it can just generate the caller and callee to be compatible with other and with no one else.
replyAh, now I see that indeed we agree without understanding each other. The source is a misinterpretation of your sentence far up the thread:
reply> I can't see why the calling convention could matter.
The "could matter" was understood as "would influence TCO" and so the rest of the thread was devoted to explain how the two are connected, while you meant "should be fixed and not be changed at the compiler's whims".
And you are right, of course: if a function is static and its address is never taken, the compiler can choose whatever calling strategy it wants, possibly one that facilitates TCO.