SML108@PSUVM.BITNET (10/11/89)
Does anyone out there know if there is a way to make Laser C 2.0 work with TOS 1.4 or is the only alternative to upgrade to 2.1, which would take several weeks to a month to do..... When you try to execute it, it mentions a PATCH.PRG, but I could not find this ANYWHERE..... Scott
w-darekm@microsoft.UUCP (Darek Mihocka) (10/13/89)
Re: Laser C 2.0 and TOS 1.4 Scott, as far as I know, there is no way to make Laser C 2.0 run on TOS 1.4. I called Megamax about this way back when and what the guy told me is that there never was a PATCH.PRG. They decided to fix up Laser C instead, which eventually became Laser C 2.1. He also told me there was some way to patch up the LASER.CFG file file but I tried many times and couldn't figure out his instructions. (The byte pattern he told me to look for simply was not in the .CFG file). About 6 weeks later they finally shipped version 2.1. They fixed a bunch of bugs but sadly enough, Laser C 2.1 still has serious code generation bugs that date back to the days of Megamax C. I have reported these bugs to them several times and each time they tell me they fixed them. They also refuse to put in an option to turn off that stupid stupid STUPID disk cache in the shell. In more cases than not, the desk cache actually SLOWS DOWN hard disk access, by a factor of 10 in some cases. I'd prefer if they got out of the disk cache business and stuck to fixing up the compiler. I don't appreciate having a compiler generate incorrect code on me, which is what Laser C will do the odd time. I just stick to assembler for now while somebody writes a decent C compiler for the ST. - Darek ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Darek Mihocka ST Xformer II CIS: (out of order) Box 2624, Station B Quick Utilities GEnie: DAREKM Kitchener, Ontario MegaBlit SSG SPX DELPHI: DAREKM N2H 6N2 Shareware, not Vaporware BIX: darekm Canada Blitter chip sucks! CheapNet: ...!uw-beaver!microsoft!w-darekm (519)-747-0386 A mind is a terrible thing to waste, so JUST SAY NO TO TOS. Opinions expressed are my own and not those of anyone not named Darek Mihocka. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7103_300@uwovax.uwo.ca (10/14/89)
In article <8028@microsoft.UUCP>, w-darekm@microsoft.UUCP (Darek Mihocka) writes: > [ some very accurate comments on Laser ] > ... I just > stick to assembler for now while somebody writes a decent C compiler for > the ST. I agree with you on Laser; it had promise, but the buggy code generation, incomplete library, and weird disk cache eventually caused me to give up on it. Fortunately, there is an alternative; the GNU C Compiler. It's a huge memory pig (you really need 2 megabytes to run it) but it produces very good code, is ANSI compatible, and now comes with an (almost) ANSI and Unix compatible library. And the price is right... it's free! (Source is available too, and it's being actively supported by the Free Software Foundation). The current version is 1.36, available from dsrgsun.ces.cwru.edu and (I think) terminator. -- Eric Smith ersmith@uwovax.uwo.ca ersmith@uwovax.bitnet
covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) (10/16/89)
In article <8028@microsoft.UUCP>, w-darekm@microsoft.UUCP (Darek Mihocka) writes: > Re: Laser C 2.0 and TOS 1.4 > > 10 in some cases. I'd prefer if they got out of the disk cache business and > stuck to fixing up the compiler. I don't appreciate having a compiler generate > incorrect code on me, which is what Laser C will do the odd time. I just > stick to assembler for now while somebody writes a decent C compiler for > the ST. > > - Darek > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Darek Mihocka ST Xformer II CIS: (out of order) Darek, if you could send me the C code that breaks LASER C 2.1 I would like to compile it with Mark Williams C 3.09. I could send you the results, and you could determine if MWC is a better choice for you. Also, a local frined has the Prospero C compiler, and I could get your sample compiled on it as well. So, please don't give up on C until you have tried MWC or Prospero. Rich Covert