Date   : Mon, 09 Apr 1984 14:47:00-EST
From   : Russ Smith <smith@Nrl-Aic.ARPA>
Subject: C for small machines

In partial reply to Jack Bicer's comment that "all other C's are toys"
or some such...

I use Software Toolworks C/80 2.0 (3.0 now available). It is at least
comparable to BDS/C and, at one third the cost, a better (here we go!) deal.
The BDS/C library stuff available at Simtel20 is easily modified for the
differences in the two C's. Benchmark programs published in back issues
of magazines such as BYTE (and perhaps Dr. Dobb's) have shown that C/80
is faster in execution than BDS/C. Compilation time is slower though. If
one wants to repeatedly edit-compile-run-debug-edit-... then BDS/C
is "better". If one wants something that runs faster after all the
debugging is done then C/80 is "better" (of the two, other compilers
ignored...).

C/80 2.0 lacks a number of things I'd like but it ain't no toy. I've
written MANY powerful programs with it without having to jump through
hoops to get the functionality that the C language provides.

No real flame intended, just a comment on what I consider to be a good
useful inexpensive C compiler...

Russ <Smith@nrl-aic>