Xref: utzoo comp.lang.pascal:613 comp.sys.amiga:14784
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!mcvax!ukc!mupsy!liv-cs!sqrkl
From: sqrkl@csvax.liv.ac.uk
Newsgroups: comp.lang.pascal,comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Anyone seen a good Amiga Pascal lately ?
Message-ID: <405@csvax.liv.ac.uk>
Date: 19 Feb 88 10:33:48 GMT
Lines: 30
Organisation: Computer Science CSVAX (VAX1), Liverpool University


Has anyone seen a GOOD Pascal compiler for the Amiga yet ?

It MUST implement the following :

 1) All the usual boring ISO stuff that no-one in their right mind uses.
 2) longint data type as well as integer.
 3) Ability to return ANY data type as the result of a function (this
    includes strings...)
 4) More than 32K of data can be declared in the VAR section. (This is
    annoying restriction of Mac Turbo Pascal).
 5) The + operator MUST be applicable to strings as well (I refuse to use
    'concat' under ANY circumstances).
 6) It must be fast at compiling (Mac Turbo Pascal has no link stage, so
    it is extremely fast).
 7) Proper dynamic length string handling.
 8) Constant expressions (e.g. 2*fred where fred is a constant) allowed in
    CONST and CASE sections.
 9) It must compile directly to 68000 code - none of this p-code rubbish.
10) Nice WIMP environment for compiling - no cryptic CLI commands, please.
11) Of course, full support for Amiga facilities.

Mac Turbo Pascal fails on points 4) and 8) but is otherwise (sic) superb.
So c'mon you Amiga software companies (and Borland !!!) - get your fingers
out and write a compiler to the above specs...If you do, I will go against
my natural pirating tendencies and actually buy the thing !!!!!

Richard K. Lloyd          SQRKL@UK.AC.LIV.CSVAX
"If the Atari ST, the biggest heap of dross in the universe, can have at
least SIX Pascal compilers written for it, why isn't there even ONE good one
for the Amiga ?"