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From: gwyn@brl-smoke.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.apple
Subject: Re: Aztec C, Information Request
Message-ID: <2006@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 22-Mar-86 22:56:49 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-smok.2006
Posted: Sat Mar 22 22:56:49 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Mar-86 18:32:25 EST
References: <853@alberta.UUCP>
Reply-To: gwyn@brl.ARPA
Distribution: na
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab (BRL)
Lines: 48

In article <853@alberta.UUCP> gordon@alberta.UUCP (Gordon Atwood) writes:
>I would like to obtain as much data as possible on Aztec C, produced by Manx
>Corporation.  Details of other C compilers would also be appreciated.
>
>I need to know specific information in the following areas:
>
>   1) Compatibility with "Apple Compatible" microcomputers
	Unknown, although if they run unmodified DOS 3.3 and
	ProDOS I would expect them to run Aztec C also.
>   2) Operation on an Apple IIe w/ 128k.  ie, speed, does it use all available
>     memory, size of source code, size of executable, speed of compilation, etc
	There is no special treatment of the extended memory.
	Under ProDOS, one can use this /RAM space to speed up
	loading of executable code, or for temp files, etc.
	Generated code is fairly good; one can select either
	native 6502 (65C02 optional under ProDOS) or interpreted
	code: native code is fast and large, interpreted small and
	slow.  Both types of code can be linked in the same executable.
	For real speed I directly access peripheral registers
	rather than sending I/O through the standard I/O hooks.
	The compiler itself is fairly slow, so if you program
	by trial-and-error you'll probably not like it.
>   3) Interaction with Prodos, and Dos 3.3.
	The ProDOS release is "beta testing" (it actually has a
	ways to go yet); both versions of course use the OS for
	file I/O (what interaction are you talking about?).  Both
	versions provide a "shell" environment much like a UNIX
	subset, plus several utilities including a screen editor.
	The ProDOS version is supposed to eventually have support
	for cross-development of DOS 3.3 target applications.
>   4) Compatibility with "Standard C" [whatever that may be], (I prefer as close
>     to Kernighan as possible).
	Aztec C is very close to K&R, and the ProDOS version
	includes later features a la X3J11.  Floating-point
	support IS provided.  Bit-fields were missing last I
	looked.  The library is closer to 7th Ed. UNIX than
	to X3J11 or the SVID; this can be fixed easily enough.
>   5) What is the company like, responsive, uncaring, useless, ...
	It varies.  Usually they seem rather unresponsive.
	There is a tech support bulletin board for customers.
>   6) Any other information that will help in my making a decision concerning
>     the purchase of this Package.
	The ProDOS version is taking much longer to get to the
	release point than Manx at first indicated.  I get the
	feeling that Jim Goodnow is their main developer and
	he has been busy getting Mac & Amiga releases ready.
	I've found the compiler itself to be pretty reliable,
	but the ProDOS shell is not ready for serious use yet.