amit@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu (Neta Amit) (01/22/88)
Dion Hollenbeck ({sdcsvax,hplabs}!hp-sdd!megatek!hollen) comments on
the Mix-C compiler and the C-trace debugger:
> Pro
> ===
> 1 - inexpensive
> 2 - excellent willingness on part of support staff
> 3 - outstanding documentation
> 4 - a source level debugger even better than Codeview (Microsoft)
> 5 - selective optimization for speed/size and ways to access assembly
> modules
> 4 - outstanding number of library functions for accessing PC and DOS
> specific functions
> Con
> ===
> 1 - Unless changed since a year ago, this compiler does not produce
> .obj files and requires its own linker. What it produces is a
> .com file with an interpreter at the beginning and P-code
> following.
> 2 - only produces small model code.
> 3 - debugger will NOT debug into assembly.
Mix Software has recently come out with Power-C. It
- supports small/med/large memory models (Mix-C: small model).
- compiles to native code. (Mix-C: p-code + interpreter)
- compiles to .exe file (Mix-C: .com file)
- comes with Make and a Linker. You need the Linker (non-standard (?)
obj format).
- has >400 library functions, including graphics.
- comes with a Power-C book
Judging from the numbers that the company provides (code size and
execution times), Power-C is quite comparable to MS-C(4.0) and
Turbo-C(1.0). I have no real experience with it. Take it with a
grain of salt.
The whole package is priced at $19.95 (add $10 for library sources) --
a bargain for most students, and maybe for serious C-programmers as well.
A debugger "just like C-trace" is due in mid-March, and will also be
priced at $19.95. Hopefully by then Power-C will be stable enough.
I'm gonna go'fer it.
(standard disclaimer)
--
Neta Amit
U of Minnesota CSci
Arpanet: amit@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu