Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ncar!gatech!udel!princeton!pucc!BVAUGHAN
From: BVAUGHAN@pucc.Princeton.EDU (Barbara Vaughan)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.fortran
Subject: Re: MSDOS Fortran
Message-ID: <12277@pucc.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 18 Jan 91 17:51:27 GMT
References: <1991Jan17.171224.19665@engin.umich.edu> <19886@hydra.gatech.EDU>
Reply-To: BVAUGHAN@pucc.Princeton.EDU
Organization: Princeton University, NJ
Lines: 38
Disclaimer: Author bears full responsibility for contents of this article

In article <19886@hydra.gatech.EDU>, gt4512c@prism.gatech.EDU (BRADBERRY,JOHN L) writes:

>In article <1991Jan17.171224.19665@engin.umich.edu> lowrie@caen.engin.umich.edu (Robert Byron Lowrie) writes:
>>...a good fortran compiler for my IBM PS/2 50Z...
>> Does anyone know any good or bad points
>>about the Lahey Personal Compiler?  Its advertised price is $99.

>Based on what you described as your expectations, it looks like almost
>ANY PC compatible compiler will do. However, if your application(s) include
>graphics or mixed language requirements, you may find Lahey quite limiting!

I'm not sure this is true.  The F77l version of Lahey Fortran has graphic
library, screen manipulation library (includes functions to simplify
making of menus) and functions to allow passing ofsome arguments to C.
The libraries cost extra $$ but can be used with Personal Fortran as well
as the full-sized full-cost Lahey F77L.

>Lahey is one of the least expensive at allowing you to use memory beyond
>the dreaded 640k boundary

You've got to be kidding. The only Lahey version that allows you to break
640K is the F77L-EM/32, which is $895 ($995 as of April). It also
requires the purchase of QEMM or something on top of that.  The $99
Personal Fortran is strictly a 640K compiler.

>By the way, beware that some versions of Lahey DO NOT initialize memory
>to zero's (in case of array operations). Of course you shouldn't depend on
>any compiler to do that anyway, but some people still expect their
>variables to be initialized by angels!

Do you seriously think this is a major consideration in buying a compiler
or do you just have nothing else to add?  Also why did you feel compelled
to offer your help to this guy when you had no specific information to
offer?

>John L. Bradberry        |Georgia Tech Research Inst|001100110011001100110011

Barbara Vaughan