Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!nth!loyd
From: loyd@nth.UUCP (Loyd Blankenship)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Need recommendation on Modula-2 compiler
Summary: !tdi
Message-ID: <403@nth.UUCP>
Date: 24 Dec 88 23:11:41 GMT
References: <2058@van-bc.UUCP>
Organization: Nth Graphics, Ltd., Austin, TX
Lines: 38


I spent 6 months trying to do something useful with TDI's compiler, and I
will unequivicobly give it my Worst-Product-Of-All-Time award.

1) The editor eats 50K of RAM every time it is invoked.  The only way to
   recover the RAM is rebooting.

2) The editor sometimes finds errors, and sometimes doesn't.  Completely
   random in functionality.

3) The example code given (the BOX code specifically) does not compile.  De-
   bugging is left as an excercise to the purchaser.

4) In the definition files, several variables and types are defined wrong.
   It's been long enough that I don't remember specific examples.

5) The documentation is the worst collection of vauge and misleading statements
   it's ever been my misfortune to wade through.

6) The index is wrong about 25% of the time.

7) Customer support is non-existant.  When you call on the phone (I tried both
   the UK & the US phone #'s), the person who knows anything about it is
   'not available', and not *once* in over 20 attempts did anyone ever 
   return my call.

	I was using the expensive 'Professional' version of the thing, too!
	I finally just bit the bullet, considered it $225 down the tube, and
bought the Lattice C Professional kit.  I am so much happier with it I am 
like a new man!  I don't know anything about Benchmark Modula-2, and wasn't
willing to risk another couple hundred dollars on an unknown product.  Lattice
is a fantastic product, they have good customer support, and if you aren't
dead set to work in Modula-2, I'd recommend you go with Lattice.

Loyd Blankenship    cs.utexas.edu!nth!loyd     (UUCP)
Nth Graphics Ltd.   Austin, TX   78758     w: 512-832-1944
                                           h: 512-441-2916
Disc: It's my opinion, not theirs...