[comp.sys.amiga.programmer] Eiffel for the Amiga?

etxtomp@eos.ericsson.se (Tommy Petersson) (01/15/91)

In article <1991Jan11.170123.7900@nntp-server.caltech.edu> tll@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Tal Lewis Lancaster) writes:
>bojsen@moria.UUCP (Per Bojsen) writes:
>
>>Does anybody know if the object-oriented langauge Eiffel has been ported
>>to the Amiga?
>
>The Amiga version of Eiffel is still under development.
>
>Tal.

The estimated release of Eiffel for AmigaDOS is third quarter 91.
This is after both Atari and MS-DOG, but not bad anyway. The interesting
bit is when someone makes a good graphics class library specially for
the Amiga, it could ease Amiga programming...

Tommy Petersson
etxtomp@eos.ericsson.se

rosenber@ra.abo.fi (Robin Rosenberg INF) (01/20/91)

Who is doing the port? Company, address, phone, fax.

	Thanks

stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) (01/24/91)

In article <ROSENBER.91Jan19212914@ra.abo.fi> rosenber@ra.abo.fi (Robin Rosenberg INF) writes:
>
>Who is doing the port? Company, address, phone, fax.

    As far as I know, ISE is still the only company making an eiffel
compiler (unfortunately), so that would have to be the one that could
be ported.  The ISE compiler generates C code, so you would need a 
compatible C compiler as well.



-- 
Stewart Winter               Cognos Incorporated   S-mail: P.O. Box 9707
VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830  FAX: (613) 738-0002           3755 Riverside Drive
UUCP: stewartw%cognos.uucp@ccs.carleton.ca                 Ottawa, Ontario
The bird of the day is .... Meyer's Parrot                 CANADA  K1G 3Z4

tll@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Tal Lewis Lancaster) (01/25/91)

stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) writes:

>>
Robin Rosenberg >>Who is doing the port? Company, address, phone, fax.

Stewart Winter> As far as I know, ISE is still the only company making an eiffel
Stewart> compiler (unfortunately), so that would have to be the one that could
Stewart> be ported.  The ISE compiler generates C code, so you would need a 
Stewart> compatible C compiler as well.

Not true.  I am aware of 2 companies working on MS-Dos versions, 1 working
on a Mac version, 1 working on an Amiga version, and one working on a NeXT
version.



>-- 
>Stewart Winter               Cognos Incorporated   S-mail: P.O. Box 9707
>VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830  FAX: (613) 738-0002           3755 Riverside Drive
>UUCP: stewartw%cognos.uucp@ccs.carleton.ca                 Ottawa, Ontario
>The bird of the day is .... Meyer's Parrot                 CANADA  K1G 3Z4

Tal Lancaster
tll@tybalt.caltech.edu

etxtomp@eos.ericsson.se (Tommy Petersson) (01/26/91)

In article <9241@cognos.UUCP> stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) writes:
>In article <ROSENBER.91Jan19212914@ra.abo.fi> rosenber@ra.abo.fi (Robin Rosenberg INF) writes:
>>
>>Who is doing the port? Company, address, phone, fax.
>
>    As far as I know, ISE is still the only company making an eiffel
>compiler (unfortunately), so that would have to be the one that could
>be ported.  The ISE compiler generates C code, so you would need a 
>compatible C compiler as well.
>
>

I have gotten mail from the guy who is doing the port. He says that he
has never given any release date, since he doesn't want to add to the
amount of vaporware. If he is the only one doing an Eiffel port to Amiga
Dos, there will not be Eiffel on Amiga Dos in the third quarter of '91.

Yes, Eiffel compilers generate C code. This is nothing bad att all, as
it makes porting to new platforms easier (especially Unix platforms).
It also helps to give an interface between existing C code and Eiffel
code that is usable (it has to compete with C++).

>
>-- 
>Stewart Winter               Cognos Incorporated   S-mail: P.O. Box 9707
>VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830  FAX: (613) 738-0002           3755 Riverside Drive
>UUCP: stewartw%cognos.uucp@ccs.carleton.ca                 Ottawa, Ontario
>The bird of the day is .... Meyer's Parrot                 CANADA  K1G 3Z4


Tommy Petersson
etxtomp@eos.ericsson.se

stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) (01/30/91)

In article <1991Jan25.164526.10764@ericsson.se> etxtomp@eos.ericsson.se writes:
>I have gotten mail from the guy who is doing the port. He says that he
>has never given any release date, since he doesn't want to add to the
>amount of vaporware. If he is the only one doing an Eiffel port to Amiga
>Dos, there will not be Eiffel on Amiga Dos in the third quarter of '91.

    Well, it is good to hear that it is being done regardless of the
exact data it will be released.

>Yes, Eiffel compilers generate C code. This is nothing bad att all, as
>it makes porting to new platforms easier (especially Unix platforms).
>It also helps to give an interface between existing C code and Eiffel
>code that is usable (it has to compete with C++).

    It makes life easier for the Eiffel team (ISE), but is not that
beneficial for an amiga user of the the compiler.  Firstly, it
adds a lot of time to the length of the compile (try using the c++
compiler on the amiga).  Secondly, since ISE doesn't make a C compiler
for the amiga, it will force up the cost of the eiffel compiler.
The only major benefit is that you could port the C-code to another 
platform, but this is only going to help a very small number of
amiga users.


-- 
Stewart Winter               Cognos Incorporated   S-mail: P.O. Box 9707
VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830  FAX: (613) 738-0002           3755 Riverside Drive
UUCP: stewartw%cognos.uucp@ccs.carleton.ca                 Ottawa, Ontario
The bird of the day is .... Barraband's Parakeet           CANADA  K1G 3Z4

tll@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Tal Lewis Lancaster) (02/02/91)

stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) writes:

>In article <1991Jan25.164526.10764@ericsson.se> etxtomp@eos.ericsson.se writes:
>>I have gotten mail from the guy who is doing the port. He says that he
>>has never given any release date, since he doesn't want to add to the
>>amount of vaporware. If he is the only one doing an Eiffel port to Amiga
>>Dos, there will not be Eiffel on Amiga Dos in the third quarter of '91.

>    Well, it is good to hear that it is being done regardless of the
>exact data it will be released.

>>Yes, Eiffel compilers generate C code. This is nothing bad att all, as
>>it makes porting to new platforms easier (especially Unix platforms).
>>It also helps to give an interface between existing C code and Eiffel
>>code that is usable (it has to compete with C++).

>    It makes life easier for the Eiffel team (ISE), but is not that
>beneficial for an amiga user of the the compiler.  Firstly, it
>adds a lot of time to the length of the compile (try using the c++
>compiler on the amiga).  Secondly, since ISE doesn't make a C compiler
>for the amiga, it will force up the cost of the eiffel compiler.
>The only major benefit is that you could port the C-code to another 
>platform, but this is only going to help a very small number of
>amiga users.

There are some benifits for the amiga user.  They won't have to junk all
of their C code.  Remember one of the goals of Eiffel was to allow the
programmer be co-exist with prior work so the move to Eiffel could be
as painless as possible.  There are still things that Eiffel can't directly do
like binary file I/O.  But this feature can be easily added with the aid
of C.  

If Eiffel supports any of the PD C compilers it shouldn't add any extra cost.  
Also, don't you think many of us that would use Eiffel already have C?

Agreed, using C as intermediate code will increase the time it takes to compile.
But I have found Eiffel's interdependency check fairly good so the need to
call on the C compiler is kept down to a minium.

>-- 
>Stewart Winter               Cognos Incorporated   S-mail: P.O. Box 9707
>VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830  FAX: (613) 738-0002           3755 Riverside Drive
>UUCP: stewartw%cognos.uucp@ccs.carleton.ca                 Ottawa, Ontario
>The bird of the day is .... Barraband's Parakeet           CANADA  K1G 3Z4

Tal Lancaster
tll@tybalt.caltech.edu