Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!apple!altos!altos86!rcollins From: rcollins@altos86.Altos.COM (Robert Collins) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc Subject: Re: Masm V6 Message-ID: <306@altos86.Altos.COM> Date: 9 May 91 16:39:44 GMT References: <1991May6.164522.8695@digi.lonestar.org> Reply-To: rcollins@altos86.UUCP (Robert Collins) Distribution: comp Organization: Altos Computer Systems, San Jose, CA Lines: 43 In article <1991May6.164522.8695@digi.lonestar.org> jgay@digi.lonestar.org (john gay) writes: >I will probably "upgrade" to tasm anyway - >all the rest of my tools are going that way, mainly because the quality >of micros*ft stuff is going | while the price is going ^. > V | > I will certainly not try and defend MS, because I am probably considered an MS basher. However, I was a beta tester on MASM 6.0, for whatever that is worth. If you are going to use TASM to do 32-bit code, or use 32-bit equates, think again. TASM is (totally) messed up in these areas. I called Borland about it, and they weren't concerned about fixing it. In fact, they didn't even commit to looking at it in future versions (current V2.0). In fact, if you are planning to use TASM for ANY protected mode stuff, where you need to build relocatable code for descriptor table accesses, TASM simply has too many bugs to even work around. MASM 6.0 isn't without its bugs. I still know a few that are going into production. But at least it is useable, and I can work around all (but one) of the bugs that I know about. If you need '386 or '486 stuff, TASM doesn't support it correctly...too many bugs. If you plan to use TASM for generic, 8088 code, then you probably won't have a problem. Borland LINK is a different story. I like it very much, and think they did a marvelous job on it. Unfortunately, I can't use it because it too has some bugs, relative to 32-bit segments, that can't be worked around. So, all the hype about Borland, and their supposedly great TASM is probably by people that don't do assembly language programming for a living...especially in 32-bit protected mode. P.S. One thing that totally turns me off about a product that claims to be 100% compatible, is when the first thing I try, fails, and can't be reconciled. This has happened with both TASM and TLINK. -- "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." Mat. 4:10 Robert Collins UUCP: ...!sun!altos86!rcollins HOME: (408) 225-8002 WORK: (408) 432-6200 x4356