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From: mguyott@primerd.prime.com
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms.programmer
Subject: Re: MS Windows Classes
Message-ID: <149000023@primerd>
Date: 26 Apr 91 23:07:48 GMT
References: <203123@<1991Apr23>
Lines: 60
Nf-ID: #R:<1991Apr23:-20312300:primerd:149000023:000:3098
Nf-From: primerd.prime.com!mguyott    Apr 26 13:39:00 1991


WARNING: Many opinions follow!

I have used both Borland and Zortech C++.  I prefer Zortech C++ for the
following reasons:

1. While Borland provides the same calls to the SDK routines as the SDK,
   they have managed to introduce some bugs in their thin interface.  For
   example the OpenFile() call works perfectly when called from the
   Windows SDK.  It does not work at all when called from Borland C++.

2. While using Borland C++ to build a commercial application we were
   constantly encountering internal compiler limits.  When we called
   Borland they told us to make our application "simpler".  We have
   had no such problems with Zortech C++.

3. Borland uses there own proprietary debugging format.  This means you
   can not take advantage of hardware debuggers such as Periscope and
   hardware/software debuggers such as Magic CVW and SoftIce.  Zortech
   uses, and claims to continue to use, the Codeview debugging format.

4. Zortech will provide you with the source for ANYTHING that is in ANY
   of their libraries.  Some of this source costs a little extra but we
   are talking hundreds not thousands of dollars.

5. The example/paridigm used by Zortech to develop object oriented MS
   Windows applications is, in my humble opinion, far superior to the
   paridigm used by Borland.  Of course you can use the Zortech paradigm
   with the Borland compiler if you so desire.

Problems with Zortech C++:

1. Zortech C++ currently has a bug in their int86() and int86x() routines
   which cause problems when you try to access a device driver.  This is
   particularly troublesome if you are developing a network application.
   Zortech is supposed to have a fix for this and it should be in their next
   release which will hopefully be soon.

2. There is no easy way to rename a code segment so that you can combine
   several compilation modules into one code segment.  This is a nice thing
   to be able to do in Windows because it allows you to optimize the
   performance of your application.  They do provide a utility that can be
   run on the .obj files to make these changes but it is not as easy to use
   as the -z compiler flag in Borland C++ or the /NT flag in MSC.

WARNING: These are my own personal opinions.  Please do not confuse any of
         the above with fact unless you have verified it yourself.

I have no affiliation with either Borland or Zortech.  I like Zortech
because it provides more open environment that allows your application to
work with many other third pary tools.  I also like their approach to MS
Windows and object oriented programming.  I hope this helps.
                                                                        Marc
----
Two of the worst things we teach our children are that a knowledge of science
is nice but not necessary, and a knowledge of sex is necessary but not nice.

Marc Guyott              Constellation Software, Inc.          (508) 620-2800
                         Framingham, Mass. 01701 USA                Ext. 3135
mguyott@primerd.prime.com       ...!{uunet, decwrl}!primerd.prime.com!mguyott