Date   : Wed, 06 Aug 1986 13:58:14 GMT
From   : Bdale Garbee <bdale%winfree.uucp@BRL.ARPA>
Subject: Re: Looking for a good C compiler

In article <2776@brl-smoke.ARPA> GA.OLS%ISUMVS.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA (Rob
Olson) writes:
>I am looking into learning C and I wondered if anyone would have
>any suggestions on what compilers are worthwhile.
> ...
>I have been looking into a compiler from MIX corp. and Dr Dobb's
>small Compiler.  If anyone has any comments about these, I'd love to
>hear them!

We used the MIX compiler for the PC in a consulting job a while back, and were
not very happy with it.  I wasn't using it myself, so comments are all at 
least second hand, but I think the docs were poor, and the compatibility with
other C compilers seemed to be lacking.  Again, this was about a year ago, and
I wasn't the one hacking with it.

SmallC is fun, and a neat way to learn the language, but I feel it is 
insufficient for doing any "real", large applications.  Sources have been
posted a couple times, and I'm sure you can get an executable by asking 
around.

I used the C/80 compiler for CP/M for quite a while, and was pretty happy with
it.  It can be purchased with the floating point stuff and a good tutorial for
about $100 from several places.  I got mine from Sprite Software, I think.

Currently, the compiler I use the most is the Aztec family from Manx.  The
fact that versions are available for a wide variety of targets is a big plus.
I've got the CP/M and MS-Dos versions, both seem to work pretty well.  Good
correlation with the 4.2bsd compiler, and a fair set of runtimes.  
Unfortunately, Aztec compilers are NOT cheap. 

In any case, get a copy of Kernighan and Ritchie's "The C Programming 
Language"... there may be better tutorials around, and there may be more
complete references for modern compilers, but my graphic-designer girlfriend
learned C with it... and gave it high marks for understandability.

-- 


Bdale Garbee, N3EUA
uucp: {bellcore, crash, hp-lsd, hpcsma, pitt, symmetric, vixie}!winfree!bdale
arpa: bdale@g.cs.cmu.edu       phone: 303/593-9828 h, 303/590-2868 w
fido: sysop of 128/18          packet: n3eua @ wb0blv, Colorado Springs