Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!ucbvax!decwrl!csdpie.dec.com!edgerton
From: edgerton@csdpie.dec.com
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: re: Zortech
Message-ID: <8901101436.AA24605@decwrl.dec.com>
Date: 10 Jan 89 14:36:18 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 51

Subject: RE: Zortech C++ Bugs

Joel Parke (and others) write:
 
> [Comments about bugs they have found].
> I attempted to compile a number of the example programs
> from THE C++ book.  Aprox. 10 failed.  Even the complex 
> number code from AT&T failed.

Please include the revision of the compiler.  It is of
no use to me to hear that you have bugs when you may be
running with a version 1.04 compiler!

> They promised me a new bug free version of 
> the compiler, but I am still waiting.

I called Zortech the week ending Dec 30th, 1988 and ordered the update
to version 1.07 for $20.  It arrived the following week.  You
give no details of when you asked for your update, or what version
it was for.  Did they debit your charge card?  Was the update
supposed to be free?  I believe version 1.06 was the last free
version.

> How can a company distribute a compiler that doesn't
> even compile simple C++ constructs?  I consider that
> I wasted by money, and infact that they have provided a
> disservice to the user community in general.  Many people
> that do not know C++ and attempt to learn it from the
> Zortech code, will be discouraged.  

I was running with the version 1.05 compiler.  I know it has
problems, so does the Oasys compiler I use on VMS.  From the
various bug reports and questions, so does Cfront.  The language
is not fully stable yet!  For the $99 price I received a system
that runs on my machine at home and allowed me to experiment
and work with the language.  It's a free market, and as other people
have said better than I can, Walter Bright is working on
improving it.  If you want a "better" compiler,
expect to pay more than $99.

Granted there are many things I would like to see added to the
compiler, full implementation of the protected and private
keywords for one.  Maybe Mr. Bright can give some feel for
when those items will appear.

>     The opinions expressed are my own.
>	Joel Parke.

So are mine,
	David Edgerton
	edgerton%keeper.DEC@decwrl.dec.com