CLJ%MIT-MC@sri-unix.UUCP (12/08/83)
From: Charles L. Jackson <CLJ @ MIT-MC> In addition to the two pascals mentioned in a recent question to the info-ibmpc list, there is another pascal for the PC, named Turbo Pascal -- which I have seen advertized in Byte and PC (maybe other magazines also). The ads are the usual outrageous stuff -- they claim that the product is equivalent to MT+ with SPP, but that it is smaller and compiles 10 times faster. Their price is only $50. Well hell, for $50 I thought I'd give it a try. I needed a pascal to run a program I had developed and run on Pascal/M and Pascal MT+ in the Z80/CPM world. So I bought a copy. Based upon a few hours examination, all their claims appear to be true. They have a wordstar like editor. When you are doing a compile, the compiler dispand you are in the editor with the cursor at the point where the syntax error occured. (The editor uses wordstar like commands and I use wordstar every day so what could be easier. ) In execution mode, the Turbo environment notes the program counter when a fatal error occurs (e.g. open a non existent file or take the ln(0.0) ), reinvokes the compiler -- scans forward to find the source code corresponding to the pc at error time, and pops you into the editor with the cursor at the problem spot when you hit escape. [this feature can be bypassed] The compiler is incredibly fast. They distribute a 1200 line pascal program with Turbo which implements a small electronic spreadsheet. It compiles in about 28 seconds. My 600 line pascal program appears to compile in less time than it would take basica to read in a non-tokenized program of the same size. I haven't used the system enough to tell if there are any subtle, but severly damaging bugs. But it's pascal which is as convenient to use as basic. This is the best higher level programming writing/debugging environment I've ever used -- let alone on a pc! There some bugs and nits I've found. Features have been added which are incompatible with other pascals (but which you really want to use). It does not recognize a <:> when used where it expects <..> -- an obscure provision in pascal which only us ex-algol programmers use. It does not recognize that a <file of char> is the same as a <text > variable. I don't know how (or it doesn't allow) to have a com program take parameters from the command line. (maybe I have to use system calls ?) All in all, I'm very happy with it! Turbo pascal is available from Borland International 4807 Scotts Valley Drive Scotts Valley, California they have a phone and take credit cards