[comp.unix.sysv386] Saber-C for 386 unix

dvb@emisle.emisle (David Van Beveren) (04/07/91)

I have recently had the opportunity to use a product called Saber-C, on a MIPS
workstation (DEC 3100). This is a tremendous product. It combines dbx-style
debugging with a better debugging engine and quick re-making, re-linking 
and testing. The debugger provides a tremendous level of checking, warnings
about subtle bugs, and is the best c-development system for unix I have ever
seen. Does anyone know if this product is available on 386-unix, or if there
is some similar product for that platform. ISC or SCO preferred.

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fangchin@elaine54.Stanford.EDU (Chin Fang) (04/08/91)

In article <1991Apr7.002207.11554@emisle.uucp> emisle!dvb writes:
>
>I have recently had the opportunity to use a product called Saber-C, on a MIPS
>workstation (DEC 3100). This is a tremendous product. It combines dbx-style
>debugging with a better debugging engine and quick re-making, re-linking 
>and testing. The debugger provides a tremendous level of checking, warnings
>about subtle bugs, and is the best c-development system for unix I have ever
>seen. Does anyone know if this product is available on 386-unix, or if there
>is some similar product for that platform. ISC or SCO preferred.
>
I have been using Saber C to write my thesis code for almost a year by now.
And I do have a 386 ESIX box with all sorts of GNU goodies on it.  But like
David said, in comparision to Saber, anything else, even MS C or Turbo C,
or for that matter, Mac Lightspeed C, pale. (of course, pardon my bias if you
would).

Of course, as you may guess, I like it very much and I have asked Saber Softwarea few times about the availability on 386 UNIX plateforms.  The standard answer
from Saber Software is "we will do a marketing feasibility study" or answers  
along that line.

That's TOOO SAD!  Because it's fabulous!  However, as it is now, it's a memory
hog too.  So 8 megs memory are just sufficient to get by -> swapping swapping.

And owing to the fact that it's a interpretor, it's slow so running large 
module is not desirable in the Saber environment.  However, it provides enough
ways to enable you NOT to do such.

Support is also good, very responsive and knowledgeable in both e-mail and
800 toll free forms.  For small problems, immediate turn arounds are common 
in my experience.  It's a souce of inspiration to the xgdb attachment to
FSF's gdb (note: xgdb itself is not part of FSF's effort)

It also has ability to handle C++ fully too.  An indeed tremendous product.
NOT cheap however even with eucational discount.

Chin Fang
Mechanical Engineering Department
Stanford University
fangchin@leland.stanford.edu

cpcahil@virtech.uucp (Conor P. Cahill) (04/08/91)

dvb@emisle.emisle (David Van Beveren) writes:

>I have recently had the opportunity to use a product called Saber-C, on a MIPS
>workstation (DEC 3100). This is a tremendous product. It combines dbx-style

I talked with Saber at Uniforum and they said that they would like to do
a 386 product, but it wasn't even on the drawing board yet.  They probably
won't do it until some high power company (like ISC or SCO) asks them 
to (and probably pays for part of the work).

-- 
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ckp@grebyn.com (Checkpoint Technologies) (04/08/91)

In article <1991Apr7.002207.11554@emisle.uucp> emisle!dvb writes:
>I have recently had the opportunity to use a product called Saber-C, on a MIPS
>workstation (DEC 3100). This is a tremendous product. It combines dbx-style
>debugging with a better debugging engine and quick re-making, re-linking 
>and testing. The debugger provides a tremendous level of checking, warnings
>about subtle bugs, and is the best c-development system for unix I have ever
>seen. Does anyone know if this product is available on 386-unix, or if there
>is some similar product for that platform. ISC or SCO preferred.

Some years ago I asked Saber about doing a 386 Unix version.  They stated
that the 386 was too slow; they said they had a VAXstation version,
using the MicroVAX II chip, and it was far too slow, so they vowed never
to do it on another slow platform again.

Since I spoke to them, the 486 has been released.  I wonder if they'd
reconsider now.

If not, I'd really be interested in an alternative.
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dhiman@motcid.UUCP (Ravinder Dhiman) (04/11/91)

ckp@grebyn.com (Checkpoint Technologies) writes:

>In article <1991Apr7.002207.11554@emisle.uucp> emisle!dvb writes:
[...Questions concerning Saber C availability on 386 Unix...]

>Some years ago I asked Saber about doing a 386 Unix version.  They stated
>that the 386 was too slow; they said they had a VAXstation version,
>using the MicroVAX II chip, and it was far too slow, so they vowed never
>to do it on another slow platform again.
[...]

Apparently they changed their mind about the 386 being too slow 
(sort of).  I used Saber C on a Sun 386i workstation last year 
at my previous place of employment.  Of course, the 386i runs SunOS, 
so it could be that they have not ported it to the particular HW/SW 
combination of 386/SysV.

BTW: This particular 386i was a 20MHz, no coproc, 
12MB RAM configuration.

Interesting package, but kind of expensive from what I recall.

---
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