Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!umn-d-ub!umn-cs!amit
From: amit@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu (Neta Amit)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Mix C comments? (really: Power-C)
Summary: wait until mid-March
Keywords: C, compilers
Message-ID: <3675@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu>
Date: 22 Jan 88 16:13:37 GMT
References: <3948@ames.arpa> <3790@cbterra.ATT.COM> <3424@ihlpf.ATT.COM> <257@megatek.UUCP>
Reply-To: amit@umn-cs.UUCP (Neta Amit)
Organization: University of Minnesota
Lines: 47
Posted: Fri Jan 22 10:13:37 1988

Dion Hollenbeck ({sdcsvax,hplabs}!hp-sdd!megatek!hollen) comments on
the Mix-C compiler and the C-trace debugger:
> Pro
> ===
> 1 - inexpensive
> 2 - excellent willingness on part of support staff
> 3 - outstanding documentation
> 4 - a source level debugger even better than Codeview (Microsoft)
> 5 - selective optimization for speed/size and ways to access assembly
>     modules 
> 4 - outstanding number of library functions for accessing PC and DOS
>     specific functions
> Con
> ===
> 1 -  Unless changed since a year ago, this compiler does not produce
>      .obj files and requires its own linker.  What it produces is a
>      .com file with an interpreter at the beginning and P-code
>      following.
> 2 - only produces small model code.
> 3 - debugger will NOT debug into assembly.

Mix Software has recently come out with Power-C. It
- supports small/med/large memory models (Mix-C: small model).
- compiles to native code. (Mix-C: p-code + interpreter)
- compiles to .exe file (Mix-C: .com file)
- comes with Make and a Linker. You need the Linker (non-standard (?)
  obj format).
- has >400 library functions, including graphics.
- comes with a Power-C book

Judging from the numbers that the company provides (code size and
execution times), Power-C is quite comparable to MS-C(4.0) and 
Turbo-C(1.0). I have no real experience with it. Take it with a 
grain of salt.

The whole package is priced at $19.95 (add $10 for library sources) -- 
a bargain for most students, and maybe for serious C-programmers as well.

A debugger "just like C-trace" is due in mid-March, and will also be
priced at $19.95. Hopefully by then Power-C will be stable enough.
I'm gonna go'fer it.

(standard disclaimer)
-- 
  Neta Amit 
  U of Minnesota CSci
  Arpanet: amit@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu