fgd3@jc3b21.UUCP (Fabbian G. Dufoe) (12/19/86)
For those of you who need information about the Lattice C compiler
update for the Amiga, here is the official word from Lattice.
If you bought your C compiler from Commodore instead of directly from
Lattice you are probably not registered with Lattice and therefore have not
received any information about updates. That is my situation, so I wrote
Lattice about it.
I received a letter from Lattice which explained I could become
registered by sending in my original disk. I would have to do that to get
the new version at the upgrade price. Enclosed with the letter was the
following description of the new version:
Product: Lattice AmigaDOS C Compiler Version 3.10
Release Date: November 17, 1986
Version 3.10 of the Lattice AmigaDOS C Compiler is a professional C language
development tool for the Commodore Amiga.
-- NEW FEATURES --
Version 3.10 includes the following features:
o A more integrated environment to greatly facilitate compiles including:
o a two disk package that includes a bootable system disk to
simplify installation.
o an object module disassembler.
o an object module librarian.
o a full macro assembler.
o a new, faster, more efficient linker.
o single cmmand line execution of compiler, librarian, and
linker (with AmigaDOS wildcard characters).
o direct compiler usage of environment variables.
o A greatly enhanced library with over 255 functions (over 100 functions
more than the standard AmigaDOS C Compiler):
o increased library modularity to reduce load module sizes.
o a large number of library functions written in assembler to
improve execution speed.
o faster pointer and integer math.
o faster IEEE floating point routines (at least 5x).
o direct support of the Amiga's FFP format floating point
library.
o multi-tasking support via fork() and wait().
o improved handling of task interruption via ctrl-c.
o Direct compiler support of memory type specification.
o Custom segment names to allow tighter control of fragmentation.
o New addressing modes that can help reduce load module sizes by more
than 20%.
o Completely new, expanded documentation.
While remaining compatible with previous software, we have extended the
object file format to include base-relative addressing, and out linker will
support base-relative addressing modes and pc-relative branches to target
locations that might otherwise be out of range. Addressing modes may be
freely mixed in a program.
The Lattice AmigaDOS C Compiler also includes Text Management Utilities, a
collection of useful text utilities valued at $75 if purchased separately.
A Professional AmigaDOS C Compiler developer's package is also available.
This package bundles over $600 worth of the most popular and useful
development software and includes:
o Lattice AmigaDOS C Compiler V3.10
o Lattice Make Utility (LMK), similat to UNIX 'make'
o Lattice Screen Editor (LSE)
o Metadigm's Metascope Debugger (a symbolic debugger)
-- ALSO AVAILABLE --
As a lower cost alternative Lattice also offers the AmigaDOS C Compiler,
version 1.2, an updated version of the popular C language product also sold
by Commodore/Amiga.
Available at a much lower cost, this product features:
o Support of memory type specification
o Custom segment names
o 100% compatibility with th Amiga Object File Format
o The Amiga overlay linker - alink
o An object module disassembler
AmigaDOS C Comipler provides an affordable alternative for the computer
hobbyist.
-- PRICE INFORMATION --
List Upgrade
---- -------
Lattice AmigaDOS C Compiler, V3.10 $225 $75
Professional AmigaDOS C Compiler $375 $225
List Upgrade
---- -------
AmigaDOS C Compiler, V1.2 $149 $25 (disk-only)
--Fabbian Dufoe
350 Ling-A-Mor Terrace South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33705
813-823-2350
UUCP: ...akgua!usfvax2!jc3b21!fgd3 hull@hao.UUCP (Howard Hull) (12/21/86)
In article <787@jc3b21.UUCP>, fgd3@jc3b21.UUCP (Fabbian G. Dufoe) writes: > > For those of you who need information about the Lattice C compiler > update for the Amiga, here is the official word from Lattice. > > If you bought your C compiler from Commodore instead of directly from > Lattice you are probably not registered with Lattice and therefore have not > received any information about updates. That is my situation, so I wrote > Lattice about it. > > I received a letter from Lattice which explained I could become > registered by sending in my original disk. I would have to do that to get > the new version at the upgrade price. Thank you very much for providing this information for the net. Some of us have wondered about this for some time. Of course, I am tempted to ask what CA intended to do with the registration forms we all sent in, and why, once they evidently decided that they didn't want to do anything with them they didn't just pass them on to Lattice. I suspect, however, that addressing the summary question will make such flames moot. The following is not first hand inside information. It is only what I have been able to figure out by tracking net discussion. It became evident to me early on that there were in fact three classes (never mind version numbers!) of Amiga LC in circulation. Class 1 is the original Lattice C. It was prepared under contract with CA for initial verification of the CA graft of C-on-top-of-BCPL which is found in the AmigaDOS/Intuition interface. It was needed because the CA programmers were cross-developing Amiga code on Sun workstations using the Green Hills C compiler, and needed a local compiler for the poor souls in the company who had to debug the code on actual Amiga hardware. Lattice had done a nice job of providing on-line documentation files that supplemented the manuals, this being necessary because the manuals were cut and paste renditions of manuals written for the IBM PC (wrack! sploot!). Class 2 is the dealer's C package which was available from CA as the computer was prepared for market in September of 1985. This is a Class 1 package with a Metacomco Assembler disk and a Lattice C development disk. Lattice's documentation files were removed from the C disk to make room for the modified (and expanded) Commodore Amiga libraries; it included two startup linking modules, LStartup.obj and AStartup.obj. The documentation included the cut- and-paste Lattice C manual and the AmigaDOS Developer's manual. Recipients of this fine package got no Registration, no Tech Ref, no RKM, and the update policy was to leave 'em to turn slowly in the wind. Price tag was a handsome engraved $299.00 + $1495 for the Amiga and 1080 monitor. Quoth J.P. Morgan, "There's a fool born every minute, and another to chase after him." Those who puchased this package died on the vine as far as help from CA was concerned, it being CA's intention that these people would be assisted by their dealers (dealer competence is reportedly rather stunning). Anyone in this class who was able to do anything did so by accessing a net and listening to the screams of agony from the registered developers. The registered developers couldn't figure out what to do even with the RKM right in front of their eyes. They, in turn, (and the rest of us as well) were rescued by dedicated CA staff programmers (who probably had to trade blood for permission) that began as early as the fall of 1985 to submit examples to the net. Unlike the RKM examples (which were earlier work that suffered from CA financial limitations and publisher lag) the net stuff worked. The remaining part of the rescue was carried out by Fred Fish, who spent a zillion hours collecting together the odds and ends developers and the users groups posted to the nets. Except for the obviously middle-management generated condescention of allowing the CA staff to write directly to the net, CA administration deserves only the Bronx Cheer from the East end of a West-bound elephant. Class3 is the developer's C package. It was produced concurrently with the affore mentioned Class 2 product, and has the same disks. Documentation was much more substantial (see below). It was made available as soon as CA was ready to mass-manufacture the Amiga. CA used it to attract *established* software developers. Once CA had determined that they had been approached by all of the large established developers, they began to open the deal to the lesser known established developers. They made the package available, complete with a set of five manuals - RKM, Intuition, Hardware, AmigaDOS Developers, and AmigaDOS Technical Reference - available with the purchase of a developer's Amiga (distinguished by a speakerless but finer dot pitch and medium-long persistance monitor, model 1070). This package was first announced on the net by Lavitsky @ Rutgers. I don't have the actual net article on line at the moment, but I believe the price of the package was $800 to those who sent in a letter claiming that they had successfully developed a software product for any other computer in the commercial market. Developers who either wrote the truth or lied were accepted as registered developers. This same package, less the Amiga and monitor, was subsequently offered for $450 to any programmer who sent payment in advance. Those who included a letter stating that they were an established commercial developer with software currently for sale, as above, were entered as registered by CA; those who carelessly omitted this detail were (quietly) not registered. Unregistered developers who sent in bug reports were then sometimes added to the registered list, (or not) depending on who at CA handled the report and the subsequent correspondence (if any). Registered developers received free RKM updates, and new disks including a disk-based Wack. The unregistered developers either got nothing, or they got the RKM update - again according to individual circumstance (such as calling CA and bitching "everyone else has a new RKM, what happened to mine?). So the question of concern is this: what are Lattice and CA going to do to bring about agreement in the content of Lattice 3.10 and whatever CA is doing with their copy? What legitimately can be classed as belonging to Lattice C 3.10 and thus will be proclaimed as maintained by Lattice, and what can be identified as "development tools" and is publicly proclaimed as maintained by Commodore Amiga? Please get your act together on this, LC & CA. It *is* possible; Manx has already (somehow) solved this problem! (True?) If you can assure me that you will solve it, then I will purchase the Lattice product. If not, then I will respectfully thank you for the early efforts that made the Amiga a reality, and continue to go my merry way with trying to get an update out of Manx. Howard Hull !hao!hull
hull@hao.UUCP (Howard Hull) (12/22/86)
I incorrectly stated that the dealer's C package contained two disks and two manuals. That's wrong. The dealer's C package discussed (Fall 1985 version, $295 or $299 at release) contained only the cut-and-paste Lattice C manual and the "C 1.0" disk. The Metacomco assembler was a separate dealer package costing an additional $195 or $199, and it was the package that came with the other disk and the AmigaDos Developer's manual. If anyone has bought either the assembler or the C package, or both, through an Amiga dealer in recent days, they might update this discussion with a brief description of what documentation came with it, and the retail price. Any information on the similarity of the libraries to those in the same release level from Lattice would be appropriate, to comment on, as well. Also, with respect to the Morgan quote, I am not so sure that it is exact. I checked the reference book I thought I got it from, but could not find it there (yet another vote for floppy disk books and grep!). It is probably ok up to but not including "chase after"; the actual words used convey at least as much meaning, perhaps more, while leaving the conotation of "exploit", but being not quite so explicit. After checking all the quotation books in the library here, I still can't find it. Oh well. It's probably not important. Howard Hull !hao!hull
papa@bacall.UUCP (Marco Papa) (12/23/86)
In article <479@hao.UUCP> Howard Hull writes: > Class3 is the developer's C package. It was produced concurrently with the > affore mentioned Class 2 product, and has the same disks. Documentation was > much more substantial (see below). It was made available as soon as CA was > ready to mass-manufacture the Amiga. CA used it to attract *established* > software developers. Once CA had determined that they had been approached > by all of the large established developers, they began to open the deal to > the lesser known established developers. They made the package available, > complete with a set of five manuals - RKM, Intuition, Hardware, AmigaDOS > Developers, and AmigaDOS Technical Reference - available with the purchase > of a developer's Amiga (distinguished by a speakerless but finer dot pitch > and medium-long persistance monitor, model 1070). This package was first > announced on the net by Lavitsky @ Rutgers. I don't have the actual net > article on line at the moment, but I believe the price of the package was > $800 to those who sent in a letter claiming that they had successfully ^^^^ > developed a software product for any other computer in the commercial market. > Developers who either wrote the truth or lied were accepted as registered > developers. This same package, less the Amiga and monitor, was subsequently > offered for $450 to any programmer who sent payment in advance. Those who ^^^^ Howard is almost completely right, except that the developer machine prices are a thousand dollars less then the real ones: The amiga system 1 (Amiga 256K ram card and external drive + all the abover software) was given to "official" developers at $1500, the amiga system 2 (same as amiga system 1 plus the 1070 monitor) was offered to developers at $1900. I agree that the 1070 monitor that I have looks much better than the 1080. Somebody told me that it is actually sold overseas to use with other Commodore products. -- Marco Papa Felsina Software
cherry@husc4.harvard.edu (michael cherry) (12/25/86)
In article <2237@bacall.UUCP> papa@bacall.UUCP (Marco Papa) writes: >plus the 1070 monitor) was offered to developers at $1900. I agree that the >1070 monitor that I have looks much better than the 1080. Somebody told >me that it is actually sold overseas to use with other Commodore products. > >-- Marco Papa > Felsina Software All the monitors I saw in Germany looked like the 1070. I asked someone about this and was told that it was the standard monitor in Germany. Mike Cherry
wagner@utcs.UUCP (12/26/86)
In article <2237@bacall.UUCP> papa@bacall.UUCP (Marco Papa) writes: >I agree that the >1070 monitor that I have looks much better than the 1080. Somebody told >me that it is actually sold overseas to use with other Commodore products. Does that imply that it can't be bought in north america? Does anyone know more about this monitor? People have claimed that it is a medium-persistance monitor. So now we have short, medium and long. Does anyone know timings for any of these things? How long is short? etc. Michael
grr@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (George Robbins) (12/28/86)
In article <1986Dec26.115308.13472@utcs.uucp> wagner@utcs.UUCP (Michael Wagner) writes: > >In article <2237@bacall.UUCP> papa@bacall.UUCP (Marco Papa) writes: >>I agree that the >>1070 monitor that I have looks much better than the 1080. Somebody told >>me that it is actually sold overseas to use with other Commodore products. > >Does that imply that it can't be bought in north america? Does anyone know >more about this monitor? People have claimed that it is a medium-persistance >monitor. So now we have short, medium and long. Does anyone know timings for >any of these things? How long is short? etc. >Michael It's just a normal persistance monitor. It's a bit better quality though, so I guess when the decision was made on which monitor to sell in the USA, they opted for one that could be sold at a somewhat lower price. If you want to see a real scummy monitor, check the ones Radio Shack is selling with the 1000EX or Sears is selling with the Franklin systems {gag}. -- George Robbins - now working for, uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)