Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!pogo!rickc
From: rickc@pogo.GPID.TEK.COM (Rick Clements)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: C Language for Commodore 64/128
Summary: My opinion
Message-ID: <6080@pogo.GPID.TEK.COM>
Date: 3 Oct 88 18:30:34 GMT
References: <1520@nunki.usc.edu>
Reply-To: rickc@pogo.GPID.TEK.COM (Rick Clements)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Wilsonville,  OR.
Lines: 75

I own both the Super C and Power C compilers.  The following are my opion
and I don't work for either company (disclamer):

I think Power C is a better buy.  But, both compilers have their own
advantages.  The follow list is a summary:

    Power C                             Super C
    ------------------------------      ---------------------------------
    + The disks aren't copy protected   + Documentation is much better
    + Native code (smaller, faster      + Supports more data types (longs &
      binaries)                           doubles)
    + Half the cost                     + Graphics library
    + C64 & C128 compilers together     + RAM disk better supported
    + Source format supported by Kermit + Better availability
    + Both C64 & C128 will optionally   + C64 will optionally run as a BASIC
      run as a BASIC program              program.  C128 will auto boot.

Which compiler has a better programming environment (editor ect.) is a matter
of taste, I like Power-C's better.  Except for the RAM disk, Super-C has a
single RAM disk that will expand as extra memory is added.   Power-C has
48K which is chopped in half.

The Power-C disks aren't copy protected.  You can back them up.  If you have
spent weeks getting a large program running only to have your [spouse |
children | dog | equiptment failure] trash you disk ....

The documentation for Super-C is much better.  There is a C turtorial and a
description of the tools.  Power-C gives you more of a quick reference guide.

Power-C is about half the cost (about $30).  For this cost you get a C64 and
a C128 compiler.  With Super-C you one or the other.  I think Super-C is about
$60, but I had it longer.  Either price is very good for a compiler.  I have
worked for companies that have spent more on compilers that didn't work any
better (or as well in one case).

Super-C supports more data formats.  If you need the extra percision of
long int's for double's, your choice is simple.

Kermit supports the source format for Power-C.  If you want to port things
from the net, this is a big plus.

Super-C supports a fair graphics library.  You select a color pallete of
four colors.  It allows you t place figure is the forground or background.
You can also save and restore boxes.  Nice for menu's.

Power-C generates native code.  Super-C generates "P" code.  It is an inter-
medate language that is interpeted.  This slower and usually longer binaries.

The availablity (localy) is better for Super-C.  Several stores carry it.
No one carries the Power-C localy.  It took several calls by the store before
they could find a distributor that carried it.  (They carry other packages
by Spinnaker.)

Both compilers are fairly good.  Neither are perfect.  Super-C choked on too
many strings and produce an "exception error" (description: this error
shouldn't occur).  Power-C kept giving me syntax errors following the end
of my program (problem: blanks after the ending "}").  Both will run into
small system problems (too many string constants, large source files will
need to be split, ect...).

Both do a good job of supporting K&R C.  Neither support the ANSI extentions.
Both have fairly standard libraries (for current versions of the compilers).

BTW, if you port programs, you will quickly notice a difference in stream
declarations.  On most systems you will declare "FILE *stream_ptr;".  With
both Super-C and Power-C you declare "FILE stream".  This is because the
file system is handled by the disk and not the system CPU.

If you are just learning C, Super-C might be better because of the better
documentation.  If you are going to port code, Power-C is supported by
Kermit.  If I had to choose just one, I would pick Power-C; its not copy
protected and it costs less.

-- 
Rick Clements (RickC@pogo.GPID.TEK.COM)