Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!tektronix!nosun!qiclab!m2xenix!puddle!p2.f70.n226.z1.fidonet.org!Jon.Guthrie
From: Jon.Guthrie@p2.f70.n226.z1.fidonet.org (Jon Guthrie)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2
Subject: Intro to Modula-2
Message-ID: <5314.26709F17@puddle.fidonet.org>
Date: 2 Jun 90 17:38:55 GMT
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Organization: FidoNet node 1:226/70.2 - Programmer's Connec, Columbus OH
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 >     1. Is there a freely available M-2 compiler available for Unix,
 >        preferably for BSD4.x?

I don't know.  I'd like to ask the same thing about AT&T Unix System V.

 >     2. Could somebody send me some sample M-2 code?

Well, I could, but let's hold off on that for a moment.

 >     3. How does the language compare to C? In general.

It's MUCH better than C for large (>2000 lines or so) projects.  The   
encapsulation is better integrated into the language and the abstraction is   
what you'd expect from something created by Wirth.

On the downside:  It isn't as portable, (the "standard library" isn't,   
standard, that is,) it isn't as common, and it's case-sensitive with all the   
keywords in UPPERCASE.  (One note on the last bit:  I have a _Journal of   
Pascal, Ada and Modula-2_ that has an article on a C-type preprocessor for   
Modula-2 that would eliminate that last complaint.  Anybody else heard about   
it?)

 >     4. Would someone recommend a good introductory text, generally
 >        available, and perhaps something along those lines available
 >        via FTP or email?

I use a little book called _Programming in Modula-2, Third, Corrected  Edition_  
 by Niklaus Wirth.  It's a little dry and the index is a joke, but it  serves  
it's purpose.  (It's the equivalent of K&R for C programmers.)

 >     Thanks a lot for any aid. Responses to email please, to cut down
 > on repetition here...

No email capability here.  I'm on FidoNet.  (Say, I _CAN_ respond to all the   
usenet stuff that's been imported lately, can't I?  If I can't, then why are   
you bothering to import it?)

...You trust them with your fortunes, let them guard your lives 

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