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From: boomsma@ark.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari
Subject: Re: 520 ST SOFTWARE
Message-ID: <653@ark.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Feb-86 06:00:57 EST
Article-I.D.: ark.653
Posted: Mon Feb  3 06:00:57 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 5-Feb-86 04:42:17 EST
References: <789@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Reply-To: boomsma@ark.UUCP (Raoul Boomsma)
Followup-To: net.micro.atari
Distribution: net
Organization: VU Informatica, Amsterdam
Lines: 55

In article <789@decwrl.DEC.COM> you write:
>
>1.  Does anyone have experience with the Modula-2 software 
>    developed by a British group?

Yes, it's a very complete system, with 6-pass compiler, linker and
screen-editor. However, it has some disadvantages since Modula-2
uses many files for IMPLEMENTATION and DEFINITION modules, so it
takes much disk space and time to compile and link a simple 
application.

>
>2.  What does one get in the development package offered 
>    by Atari for $300?
>

You get:
i.	The C-compiler and pre-processor (cp68.prg, c068.prg, c168.prg)
ii.	The linker and relocator (link68.prg, relmod.prg)
iii.	A utility disk (dump68.prg. size68.prg, command.prg, etc.)
iv.	The Resource Construction Set (rcs.prg)

>
>3.  I did not receive BASIC with my computer, Atari is 
>    sending it to me.  Is this a powerful implementation 
>    of BASIC or would I be better off with another 
>    language/software that better utilizes the capabilities 
>    of the 520 ST?  I want a development language that allows
>    structured programming and taps the powerful graphics
>    capabilities of the 520 ST.

The Basic implementation is very much Microsoft compatible. However,
I find it somewhat slow, because of the use of the GEM environment.
I don't often use it, but that's maybe 'cause I'm not a Basic fan.


>
>    I've never used 'C' before, does anyone out there recommend 
>    it, and why?
>    

I recommend it to you when you have experience with a Pascal-like
language, and if you have no objections against less structural
and more assembly-like statements. Then C would be a perfect
combination of a structured language and a development tool for
you. Other languages you can use for developing purposes are
TDI Modula-2 (described above), and OSS Pascal and 4xForth, which
I haven't seen but seem to be very powerful.

-- 

	Raoul Boomsma
	Vrije Universiteit
	Amsterdam
	...!mcvax!boomsma@ark.UUCP