Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mdisea!jackb
From: jackb@MDI.COM (Jack Brindle)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: Cheap C compiler
Message-ID: <1991Jan30.213950.23195@MDI.COM>
Date: 30 Jan 91 21:39:50 GMT
References: <43092@nigel.ee.udel.edu> <1991Jan30.154837.12805@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu>
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In article <1991Jan30.154837.12805@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu> rabbit42@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Bruce Corwin McLaren) writes:

>on that note, a recomendation AGAINST a cheap C compiler.  Aztec C from 
>Manx is cheaper, but has several holes. sqrt() and ran() don't work as 
>documented (don't ask), pow() doesn't work at all, it isn't possible to
>make a selection from a menu, set the random number seed, or use any penpat
>except all black.  There are a few others, but i've given up trying to use
>it to access the toolbox routines at all.  i got what i paid for, not much.
>bruce

Interesting - I bought Aztec in 1984, when it was virtually the only game
in town. I kept it up to date until about two years ago when Manx seemed
to drop support. It has been an excellent system with features not found in
other C compilers. These include support for A4 instead of A5 making it
easier to write stand-alone code. The code is compact and quite predictable.
I have written many Mac stand-alone applications with the system. The big
problem is the fact that Manx has not updated the Toolbox interface files
and libraries in a couple of years. Specifically, the calls described in
I.M. vol 5 are generally not supported. This makes programming for
MultiFinder a bit difficult, not to mention System 7...

I have now switched to MPW for my work. At least its developer keeps the
libraries up to date :-).

But, for a beginner, it's a good system. And, if you are comfortable with
the UNIX interface, it feels like home. For a Mac person, choose either
Think or MPW. There ARE good reasons these two packages sell so well...

Jack Brindle.