Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!psuvax1!andunie!mckulka From: mckulka@andunie.endor.cs.psu.edu (Christopher Mc Kulka) Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms.programmer Subject: Re: Borland C++ vs Microsoft C 5.10 Keywords: windows borland microsoft Message-ID: Date: 20 Mar 91 03:17:21 GMT References: <350@intertel.UUCP> <7320@idunno.Princeton.EDU> Sender: news@cs.psu.edu (Usenet) Organization: Penn State Computer Science Lines: 46 Nntp-Posting-Host: andunie.endor.cs.psu.edu In article <7320@idunno.Princeton.EDU> mg@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Michael Golan) writes: >boyd_m@intertel.UUCP (Mark Boyd) writes: > >>The company I work at has a large Windows program. We just got Borland C++ >>and made the necessary conversions and compiled it. The size differences are >>quite surprising. >> Microsoft C 5.1 .EXE: 720672 bytes >> Borland C++ .EXE: 842848 bytes >>The optimization for Microsoft is -Os for space. The optimization for Borland >>is all but -Z (aliasing). I'm interested in knowing what everyone else is >>seeing. > >Ok guys, anyone care to comment? I always felt that MSC produced shorter code >for any *REAL* program. The above test is not even fair to MS, as MSC6 >produces a little shorter code (3-6% in my large programs). Also, -Os is >not optimal for code size (Despite what the manual say, you can reduce the >code a little more by playing with the options). > >Brand new borland.com, are you listening? Prove us wrong or >give us a (slow version) compiler that produces shorter code! Hey, ease up on Borland. Their compiler has to translate a much more complicated language. The difference is not even that large to begin with. When you consider that programming with C++ will probably allow you to finish a better program sooner I think the the small size sacrifice is quite acceptable. Not to mention the fact that this is still very early in the developement of C++ compilers. Borland managed to produce an excellent C++ compiler before MicroSloth could even get one out the door (or even close). MS has years of experience with C -- Borland just started (relatively) with C++. While we are on the subject of Borland vs. MS let's talk about technical support. Borland's is free and truly excellent. I have called three times and found intelligent, helpful people on the other end. When they could not answer one of my questions they promised to call me back. An hour later I received a call from Borland tech support with an answer. I will not even mention price or the fact that Borland's package includes the world's best debugger (sorry, but Codeview is not even in the same league) and a profiler and an assembler and innovative overlay support and ... Enough said. -- Just say *NO* to software patents & look-and-feel lawsuits. Try comptetion instead. Sex isn't the answer . . . it's the question. "Yes" is the answer.