Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!mips!spool.mu.edu!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!tekgen!sail!toma
From: toma@sail.LABS.TEK.COM (Tom Almy)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2
Subject: TopSpeed 3.0 First Impressions
Message-ID: <9739@sail.LABS.TEK.COM>
Date: 18 Jun 91 21:11:21 GMT
Reply-To: toma@sail.LABS.TEK.COM (Tom Almy)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.
Lines: 37

I just received my "free" upgrade, and used the half price coupon for
Top Speed C. Some first impressions:

1. The package is much bigger (even before installing C). More memory
   models has enlarged the libraries, and there are new extended memory
   versions of ts and vid.
2. The environment is somewhat nicer, yet basically compatible with the
   old version.
3. The old .prj files don't work. There is now a .pr file that has 
   new, and even more confusing, syntax. The confusing array of options
   has now expanded into the project file.
4. A couple of my sample programs have balooned in size about 20%.
5. MGDEMO.MOD crashes my machine when run. In fact none of the graphics
   programs work. Their example C graphics program runs fine. I'm going
   to try and track this down, but it is a bad omen.
6. The WNDDEMO program comes in both Modula and C versions, and the C version
   is *much* faster. It is also about 10% smaller. Again the optimization
   bias is leaning even more toward C and away from Modula.
7. Documentation is much better.

I have a number of additional programs to compile, but it looks like this
version is a step backwards in code size and execution speed. And it takes
11 Megs of my disk!

I will try the C compiler on some "gut buster" code I've got here, and will
also see how it works with Microsoft Windows. I only wish they hadn't gone
the multi-langage route. I'm afraid this is going to be another "the jack of
all trades is master of none" package.

Tom Almy
toma@sail.labs.tek.com
Standard Disclaimers Apply

-- 
Tom Almy
toma@sail.labs.tek.com
Standard Disclaimers Apply