Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!VTVM1.BITNET!USDGOG From: USDGOG@VTVM1.BITNET (Greg Granger) Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2 Subject: Re: TopSpeed 3.0 First Impressions Message-ID: Date: 20 Jun 91 12:37:17 GMT References: Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: Modula2 List Distribution: world Organization: The Internet Lines: 60 On Tue, 18 Jun 91 21:11:21 GMT Tom Almy said: >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. Sigh, doesn't surprise me, but I'll probably have to wait till I get a new machine to install it. (I just ordered my M2 upgrade and a 1/2 price C++ (I figured the C++ manuals should be worth that). >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. Gee, I can't wait >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. Could you run a couple of simple tests (like time to do n printf's against time to do n WrStr's)? I'm interested in just how bad this bias is. It is my impression that JPI wrote the low level C calls and is calling them via M2, so a call to WrStr invokes (at some level) a call to printf. This means that JPI M2 programmers have to paid for the overhead of the transition calls plus the overhead of printf. I noticed this first in there heap management stuff. >7. Documentation is much better. Gee, that should be too hard. All Greek text has been changed to French . >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! Is that just the M2 compiler or both the C and M2 compilers? >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. I feel that the multi-language route is fine, but they just have a decidedly poor implementation (mainly involving 'language bleed' where none is needed or wanted). Greg Greg Granger BITNET: USDGOG@VTVM1 Consultant, USD Internet: USDGOG@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU Computing Center, Va Tech