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From: ralphw@ius2.cs.cmu.edu (Ralph Hyre)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: Portability of Mac Source
Message-ID: <267@ius2.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: Tue, 10-Dec-85 13:50:48 EST
Article-I.D.: ius2.267
Posted: Tue Dec 10 13:50:48 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Dec-85 07:44:17 EST
References: <471@graffiti.UUCP> <20800048@smu> <186@srs.UUCP>
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 27

In article <186@srs.UUCP> matt@srs.UUCP (Matt Goheen) writes:
>Writing portable code assumes you have access to multiple computers/compilers.
Not always, especially if you have good documentation on your versions
portability with respect to a standard version, say K&R (assuming you have
a 'C' compiler). 

For example, I can write code that implements, say the Christiansen
MODEM protocol, and distribute source.  All that would need to be
done for a specific machine is re-implement the following routines:
	write_char_to_modem(c : char);
	c : char := read_char_from_modem();
	write_char_to_file(f : file_des, c : char);
	c : char := read_char_from_file(f : file_des);
	f : file_des := open_file;
	close_file(f : file_des);
and perhaps an init_modem();

With the Mac case you will also need information on OS, ToolBox, and
other 'standard software' (appletalk, packages, etc.) calling conventions.
Apple should get the C compiler companies together and have them work on
standard calling conventions so that this area is portable...

The Mac is troublesome because Apple hasn't provided a 'standard'
development environment with the machine, [not even BASIC :-)]
Perhaps Apple should give away a C compilers with the machine,
so that people won't have an excuse to not include source, (at least
on USENET)