Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!ists!yunexus!geac!maccs!cs4g6aw From: cs4g6aw@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Amos Yung) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: TASM vs MASM (Summary) Message-ID: <25E362E8.4236@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca> Date: 22 Feb 90 03:56:24 GMT Reply-To: cs4g6aw@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Amos Yung) Organization: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Lines: 109 About a week ago, I posted a request for information concerning which PC assembler, TASM vs MASM, is a better buy. Many people had responded to my quest for help with valuable information. I have also received e-mails that ask me to post the info that I've got. So there you go: >TASM. You don't want to deal with MASM's bugs or lack of speed. >Both support simplified segement directives. You can write code for either >that won't assemble with the other. TASM is faster & cheaper. MASM is >"the standard". TASM supports TurboDebugger - a jewel of a program. Take >your pick. >Well, TASM is MASM compatible, and comes with what is, perhaps, the best >source-level debugger on a PC. Does that make your choice any easier? >I would go with TASM. You already mentioned that it supports simplified >segment directives, and this is true. Also, it is fully compatible with >MASM. It even supports MASM 'quirks', if you want it to. Also, TASM >is _much_ faster at assembling! It also comes with Turbo Debugger, which >is a great debugger. The only thing I can see about MASM is that it >supports OS/2 now, I think. TASM does not. >TASM is compatible with the latest MASM-versions, and in addition >it has it's own TASM-mode (wich I think is better, because of it's >strong checking). TASM is also faster than MASM. > >But... MASM comes with the best books, so the choice is yours! >IMHO TASM is the best buy. TASM is a superset of MASM, in fact it even includes >a "Quirks" mode to emulate the known quirks (read: bugs :-) of MASM 5.1. > >TASM is by far faster than MASM. >TASM is much nicer to work with than MASM, but it does have a bug. >It will very occasionally insert a segment overide which is not >needed. >I would choose TASM. The reason: Quality. I have been very happy >with the product. I have assembled quite a bit of code and had >virtually no problems. >I have TASM, but have not used it a lot. It does have a MASM mode that is >supposed to be 100% compatible. I like what I have seen so far. >If you choose TASM, I have written a batch file "integrated envionment" >that makes it easy to go through the 'edit-compile-edit' cycle. >E-mail me if you'd like a copy. >TASM will compile MASM code without modification. Personally, I much >prefer TASM and you get the Turbo Debugger which I have used successfully >to debug an interrupt service routine that I wrote in assembler. > >(Don't forget about the academic price for TASM.) > If you're using Microsoft languages, MASM comes with macros for mixed- >language programming. Codeview will work under OS/2, Turbo Debugger won't. >Turbo Debugger is, in other ways, vastly superior. TD also supports remote >debugging (two PC's) and virtual debugging (386's). >What makes you say MASM is safer than TASM? I'd go with TASM. I have >used it and have found no problem assembling all my MASM code unchanged. >The only thing I had to do was use the /mx (?) switch when linking to >Turbo C modules because of the case handling. >TASM probably supports simplified segment directives in order to be compatible >with MASM, which has had simplified segment directives ever since 5.0. >TASM allows you to conform to any MASM "standard" up to 5.1, go with TASM >and you get the best of both worlds. > >besides, TASM was made to work with the other Borland languages making >mixed language programming much easier. *********************************************************************** From the above responds, I think you will agree that the majority agreed that TASM is a much better buy in terms of compatiability, speed, debugging utilities and price. For the record, Borland 1, Microsoft zero. On a final note, I would wish to thank all fellow netters that responded (you know who you are) to my quest for help. Your input is deeply appreciated. On the other hand, for those who knew enough about the topic but was just not concern enough to help, I have only one thing to say: I know who you are and I know where you live. NO! NO! NO! Just Kidding!!!! :^) :^) :^) See! Smileys. -- Amos Yung | "Go sit on a PHASER!" McMaster University| cs4g6aw@130.113.1.1| - The guy who dressed like Geordi in "Night Court" |