Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!mips!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!mintaka!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!mcsun!ukc!strath-cs!rmacgreg From: rmacgreg@cs.strath.ac.uk (Sorcerer) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: The language named C Message-ID: <6326@baird.cs.strath.ac.uk> Date: 15 Apr 91 13:32:19 GMT References: <1991Apr12.054754.7583@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu> Organization: Comp. Sci. Dept., Strathclyde Univ., Scotland. Lines: 85 In article <1991Apr12.054754.7583@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu> kllove@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Kenneth L Love) writes: > >This summer I'm going to be teaching myself how to program in C. My >biggest (and brightest?) question is: "Which version of C is the best?". There are only 2 'versions' of C ANSI and K&R. The 2 are fairly similar and it is easy to get a compiler for either version. At the end of the day the differences are cosmetic so it doesn't matter. >I realize that many factors could influence my (or someone else's) opinion. >So, I'm going to list a few. > >The code must be somewhat portable between systems (i.e. Is there a standard >and how far do the ST versions diverge from it?) There is a standard, and the ST versions I've used don't diverge from it (why else bother with standards?). >The company support must be existant. {I think that is self-explanatory.} Dunno about this, I use Sozobon which is PD. >Are there good books available for the learning of this version of C? >(Or would any book on C be sufficient?) Depends on what you know. If you have a good knowledge of Pascal then I would recommend 'C for Pascal Programmers'. Mail me if you want more info on it. >Would it be better if I knew something about the internals of the ST? >(Is C like Pascal in that knowing the system hardware is uneccesary?) > >If I am fluent in Pascal, how difficult is C to learn? >(Are they different conceptually? i.e. pointers = what in C? Does C have > some things that Pascal doesn't? etc.) Knowledge of the internals is only necessary if you want to do some low level programming. C is fairly easy to learn from Pascal, the 2 being very similar (names vary and the symbols change, but there isn't that much difference). The above book is what I used to learn C, and I have to know it for University. C does have a few things Pascal doesn't (like bit level manipulation, and some intelligence) but thats about it. >Is Turbo C going to be released in English? (I have NO desire to learn >German, especially if all I was going to do with it was work with Turbo.) > >What kind of editor do the various versions use? (I like 'vi' over 'ed' >anyday! :) (Is the mouse supported?) Most come without any editor, and those that do can usually be used with any editor you want. I use First Word Plus because I'm used to it and like it. >Does C use anything like a CLI or is it GEM only? (I use 'csh' on the Unix >system here at Okla. U. Does C use a shell like 'csh'?) This will depend upon what you buy. Many don't come with a shell, though some do. My own choice is either Mupfel (from Gemini) or Gulam if you've got the disk space to spare (the one I'm using is only about 70 Kb, which is all I've got to put it in!). Basically any shell you want will do. >Can I use any of the versions of C without a hard drive? (I don't have >one and it may be next fall before I do get one.) Some versions are recommended for use with hard drives, though you can use most of them from floppy. Having said that you will probably require at least 1 Mb of memory for some versions, possibly more. >How much does the language(s) and book(s) cost? Again, this will depend on where you go. My compiler cost me nothing as its PD (and yes, I do recommend Sozobon). Books can cost anything, it depends upon who they are aimed at. >That's all I can think of. (I think I hear cries of, "Isn't that enough?"... >Nahhh... Couldn't be! :) The Sorcerer is 'Only visiting this planet' but can be found at: JANET: cadx862@uk.ac.strathclyde.computer-centre-sun cadp15 @uk.ac.strathclyde.vaxb INTERNET: via nsfnet-relay.ac.uk BITNET: via ukacrl UUCP: via ukc.uucp or second star to the right and straight on 'till morning.