WEC100@PSUVM.BITNET (12/08/89)
Hi. I need some information on assemblers or compilers for the Apple IIe. I expect to be doing some programming in which i need the speed (I may be writing a terminal emulator). I've heard about Merlin and Orca, but can find very little about them or any other compiler (except basic and pascal, which i would think would be too slow). Could anyone help? (please excuse me if this is rehash of old stuff. i don't read netnews much). Thanks. Wayne Carson
huang@husc4.HARVARD.EDU (Howard Huang) (12/09/89)
>Hi. I need some information on assemblers or compilers for the Apple IIe. >... I've heard about Merlin and Orca, but can find very >little about them > >Wayne Carson The Merlin system I used with my //e was very nice. I first bought the program when Roger Wagner was still Southwestern Data Systems (I think that was the name), and later got Merlin Pro. Merlin Pro used a nice full-screen editor, had a bunch of macros (like printing a row of ****s for commenting), was fast, didn't take up too much memory, plus it came with a disassembler. I'm not sure if Merlin Pro did, but the original Merlin also generated a commented listing of Applesoft BASIC ROM. I haven't done much with assembly language recently, so I don't know how the newer versions of Merlin stack up against ORCA. MicroSPARC (Nibble Magazine) may still sell their assembler package, and Call -APPLE had a Big Mac assembler which later became Merlin. Incidentally, Merlin is written by Glen Bredon, who also wrote ProSEL which you hear about frequently on USENET. Howard C. Huang huang@husc4.harvard.edu
ericmcg@pro-generic.cts.com (Eric Mcgillicuddy) (12/10/89)
In-Reply-To: message from WEC100@PSUVM.BITNET I went for ORCA/M because of its extensive libraries and excellent macros. It's thin on communication libraries though, so it may not fit your specific needs. The separate DEBUG utility needs a bit of work particularly the fact that it scrolls the screen. (very annoying when debugging interactive input) This is an unsolicited endorsement for Byte Works products. If you would like an unsolicited endorsement for your product from me.... make it the best possible product of its kind. or bribe me, I need the cash.
mmunz@pro-beagle.cts.COM (Mark Munz) (12/11/89)
In-Reply-To: message from huang@husc4.HARVARD.EDU >Merlin Pro used a nice full-screen editor, had a bunch of macros (like >printing a row of ****s for commenting), was fast, didn't take up too >much memory, plus it came with a disassembler. I'm not sure if Merlin >Pro did, but the original Merlin also generated a commented listing of >Applesoft BASIC ROM. o|I still use Merlin 16 to do all my 8-bit assembly programming, but I HATE the full-screen editor... the editor is awkward and is still confusing. Merlin 16+'s editor hasn't improved much either. Now the assembler itself is great. It's fast!! I just wish it had a decent editor. For 8-bit programming, I wouldn't even consider ORCA/M. Too much hassle getting code out. --Mark Munz