Path: utzoo!dptcdc!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!clyde
From: clyde@ut-emx.UUCP (Head UNIX Hacquer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.encore
Subject: Re: TeX
Message-ID: <12179@ut-emx.UUCP>
Date: 18 Apr 89 21:57:16 GMT
References: <1101@bnlux0.bnl.gov> <2561@buengc.BU.EDU> <1102@bnlux0.bnl.gov>
Organization: Moose & Squirrel Software
Lines: 38

> >	I have a version written is Pascal but unfortunately
> >the Encore compiler is terribly deficient.
> 
> It's not the Encore Pascal that's deficient, it's the Berkeley Pascal that
> is terribly deficient.  Namely it passes file variables as value
>  (...)
> You should be very careful before you run around calling somebody's
> procuct deficient  when you don't know what you're talking about.  You owe
> Encore and Oregon Software and apology.

Sorry, but the Encore Pascal is deficient in comparsion to the Berkley Pascal
(I know that's like comparing a running junk heap to a broken down junk
heap).  >>I<< know because we wasted weeks trying to get it (Encore Pascal)
to build TeX for us.  In fact, we put in our bid specification that the
Pascal HAD to be compatable with UCB Pascal in order to build TeX. One of
the factors that led us to buy our Encore was that we could have TeX.

Encore never delivered a Pascal that could build the old TeX.

One can blame this upon the folks who wedded TeX to UCB Pascal, or those
who munged up UCB Pascal or the Encore people who claimed their Pascal
was compatable with UCBs.  I choose all of the above, but have special
contempt for the latter who outright lied to us (out of ignorance, I hope).

Don't get me started about how limp the Encore Fortran is...

On the other hand, the newest TeX release (which uses C instead of Pascal),
builds and runs just fine on our Mulitmax (though none of the provided
undumps work with COFF).  Not that the Encore C compiler hasn't given
us fit also...

	-Clyde Hoover
-- 
Shouter-To-Dead-Parrots @ Univ. of Texas Computation Center; Austin, Texas  
	clyde@emx.utexas.edu; ...!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!clyde

Tip #268: Don't feel insecure or inferior! Remember, you're ORGANIC!!
	  You could win an argument with almost any rock!