sean@ukecc.uky.csnet (Sean Casey) (12/16/86)
I am going to buy a C compiler for my PC at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, I don't have the $$$ to blow on something like Microsoft or Lattice, but I still want a decent compiler. My budget for the purchase is $100 (yes, I know it isn't a lot) and from looking through Byte, Computer Language, and Dr. Dobbs, I have found these compilers for $100 or less: 1) Datalight C 2) MIX C 3) C'Prime by Manx 4) Let's C by Mark Williams 5) ECO-C88 by Ecosoft I have written these companies for more info about their products. But I am wondering if I have left out any compilers that are in this price range. If anyone knows of any I have, please let me know. If anyone has comments about any of those listed above or any I have forgot, please let me know. I plan to do a big summary after its all over, which I think would be good for those of us who can't afford the more expensive products. Thanks a bunch, Keith
rde@ukc.ac.uk (R.D.Eager) (12/19/86)
In article <976@ukecc.uky.csnet> sean@ukecc.uky.csnet (Sean Casey) writes: > >I am going to buy a C compiler for my PC at the beginning of the year. >Unfortunately, I don't have the $$$ to blow on something like Microsoft >or Lattice, but I still want a decent compiler. My budget for the >purchase is $100 (yes, I know it isn't a lot) and from looking through >Byte, Computer Language, and Dr. Dobbs, I have found these compilers >....... There is a compiler available in the UK which I think is excellent value. Don't know if you can get it in the USA, but it would be about as cheap to fly over here and buy it..-) It is called Zorland C (yes, that's a Z), and it does small model, Lattice compatible code for starters. It compiles 2 to 3 times the speed of Lattice, generates tighter (and generally faster) code, and links faster due to a tighter library. It comes with ZC (like CC, drives the whole compilation including LINK and EXE2BIN if required), a good MAKE, TOUCH, and source to 7 small utilities (PR, WC, MORE, etc.) Also included is a tutorial with programs on disk. Language is K&R plus const/volatile types, enumerated types, structure assignment, voids, function prototyping and implicit casts. All this is (sterling) 29.95. If you want the other memory models, you must buy the Developers Upgrade which also includes full library source (yes, all of it including the assembler bits). This is an extra 19.95. Object files are normal .OBJ. I have one, I've hammered it and I like it. -- Bob Eager rde@ukc.UUCP rde@ukc ...!mcvax!ukc!rde Phone: +44 227 66822 ext 7589
dlong@sdsu.UUCP (AI Humanoid Unit) (01/01/87)
I've got MIX C. I wouldn't recommend it. I bought the very first version (1.0). There were many bugs. The code is slow. I compared code from MIX on my Leading Edge to the same code on a Z-80 machine running Aztec C. Aztec on the Z-80 was twice as fast. And that was after "speeding up" the MIX version with a separate program, which BTW almost doubles the size of the code. Also interesting was that Turbo Pascal blew them both away. Libraries in MIX are uncompatitble with any others. Code and Data can only reach 64K. Ver. 1.0 said the linker had overlays, but it wasn't supported. Some of the problems have been fixed in the new release. I haven't played with my update much, though. Some good points: - Has many BIOS/DOS call functions - direct I/O - cursor movement - text attributes - Has library of string function. The kind of strings where the length is stored stored at the beginning, like Turbo Pascal. I haven't used them, but looked like more than you'd need. - Has source for most of the libaries (Except for the stuff they obviously had to write in assembler, like BIOS stuff). The only problem is, if the functions with no source are wrong, you are out of luck. One of them was indeed wrong in V1.0 But there is a way that you can compile and include your own programs in the standard library. More bad points: - The libaries are stored in some kind of encrypted/pseudo/whatever. Anyway, you can't look at it with DEBUG and tell it is 8088 assembler. - Requires a runtime library. Make the minimum size of a file pretty big. ( I think about 10K ). - I don't recall an easy way to address memory outside of current Data Segment. Overall, a slow compiler. But at least it was only about $50. I honestly wish I had Aztec C or something better. -- Dean Long San Diego State Univ. sdcsvax!sdsu!dlong