Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!ll-xn!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!dmg
From: dmg@ssc-vax.UUCP (David Geary)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Novice Question..
Message-ID: <2109@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: 21 Jul 88 21:02:25 GMT
References: <818@cunixc.columbia.edu> <60482@sun.uucp> <2343@antique.UUCP>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Corp., Seattle WA
Lines: 34

In article <2343@antique.UUCP>, cjp@antique.UUCP (Charles Poirier) writes:
> In article <60482@sun.uucp> cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis) writes:
> >Lattice will save your butt more often than not by pointing out problems
> >in function parameters and return values. 
> 
> That's nice as far as it goes.  But you've left out one BIG advantage
> for Manx: the availability (for extra $ of course) of SDB (source-level
> debugger).  SDB is great for saving the butts of novice and pro alike.
> Unless I've been asleep, Lattice doesn't have an SDB yet, and if you
> believe it's coming "real soon now", well, it's your time and money.
> 
      This is an important point.  I think that the Lattice and Manx
  compilers are close enough in performance that the *average* C
  programmer will not really notice much difference in the actual
  compilers.
      Since the compilers are so close in compilation speed, executable
  code size, etc., if I were buying one or the other, I'd look at
  *what else* I could get with the compiler.  That choice is easier,
  because you get to decide between two products that do different
  things - SDB or C++.
      SDB's are great - I use dbxtool a lot at work.  Not only is an
  SDB a great bug killing tool, but stepping through code one line
  at a time, and having the freedom to examine/display/watch/etc.
  variables at any time gives one a much better understanding of how
  the program is actually running.
      Personally, though, I'd go with Lattice, only because I want
      to be the first kid on my block to learn C++.



-- 
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~ David Geary, Boeing Aerospace,               ~ 
~ Seattle - "THE DRIZZLE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD" ~
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