Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!AppleLink.Apple.Com!BOBC From: BOBC@AppleLink.Apple.Com (Bob Campbell) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer Subject: Re: the future of TML Modula-2 Message-ID: <1994@internal.Apple.COM> Date: 22 May 89 17:33:05 GMT References: <128@spam.ua.oz> Sender: usenet@Apple.COM Organization: Apple Computer, Inc. Lines: 69 It is not clear at this time what if any future TML Modula-2 was. It is clear that it is not "TML" Modula-2. This project has gotten out of hand in the last 12 months. The reason is that I tend to do programming and not marketing. The project started originally from my desires 1st to work on a compiler, and 2nd to experment with Modula-2. It was marketed via TML Systems because I felt that it was a good system and provided a needed alterative to C or Pascal, and I had people who at that time where handling the marketing side of things. The agreement with TML Systems failed for a number of reasons. The essence of which was that the product as Marketed by them was not viable as it was not selling in the volumes required to justify it's low price. About the other Modula-2 compilers available for the Macintosh (I am biased of course), and perhaps someone like Dennis Cohen could better speak to the issues. There are three compilers that I know about. Semper Software: This is a good MPW based compiler, for the most part SemperSoft(TM) has been the compiler that I try to be better them. He does have several features with I have not released like 68881 support and direct support for pascal strings. I don't use this system mostly because of the way that his macintosh interfaces are organized (three modules called InsideMac, VolIV, and VolumeV or something like that). SemperSoft does have the nice feature of having a Import list generator. Semper Software is working on making their compiler support SADE, for more details call or write (it might be wise to check this address look in MacTutor): Semper Software (312) 790-1253 P.O. Box 225 Glen Ellyn, IL 60138 Metcom Modula-2: This is a standalone compiler, it supports conditional compilation. These people have done a reasonable good job of making the MacMETH compiler a really product. It seems that this would be a good educational compiler. I only have a few complants about the way it's interfaces are orginized. (All of the record types are defined in three modules I forget the names but they go something like Structures, MoreStructures, and EvenMoreStructures, with no relation to what managers the structures are used in). This system support a source level debugger (it is very slow at stepping, but has a nice graphic interface for browsing variables). I had the address for this people but it is not close at hand. P1 Modula-2: I don't know what the status of this compiler is currently, I know that they were looking for an America Dist. They are based in Germany (I think). They have a reasonable good compiler MPW based compiler with the most notable feature being support for MacApp(tm). They did have some debugger support (variable browsing etc). I have heard that they support MacApp 2.0 but I have no direct contact with them. Lastly I will speak to my product: I have been working on it, and it does support such things like SADE (if I get the one currenly outstanding bug fixed) and conditional compilation. (Those are the only two big things that come to mind, there are a bunch of smaller changes that need to be made). What is currently lacking for my product is a pricing scheme and a distrubution method. To people that have used my product in the past, I am sorry for the delays and I would like to have them resolved in the near future, (once my new job settles down). Bob Campbell 555 E. El Camino Real #703 Sunnyvale CA, 94087 USA Applelink: BOBC CONNECT (aka MacNet): BOBC BOBC@AppleLink.Apple.Com The comments in this message do not reflect the opinions of Apple Computer Inc. and only reflect what I know about these products. I do not endorse any of these products and they each have features that make them useful.