Date   : Fri, 03 May 1991 18:45:33 EDT
From   : Mike Freeman <freeman@watsun.cc.columbia.edu>
Subject: Hi-tech C Compiler

In article <mds.673090403@iddth2>, Michael Dantzer-Sorensen writes:
>Every once in a while people ask for C-compilers. 
>
>I got the Hi-Tech C in England and I like it :-). The Hi-Tech C was
>used for the excellent program zmp; one of the reasons why I chose that
>compiler among others. One of the main features of Hi-Tech is that it
>is ANSI compatible, so most of the programs written today should
>compile with little or no modification. All hackers will appreciate
>that all library modules are supplied in source code. Well, nobody
>is perfect and the Hi-Tech C has some rough edges but I have been able
>to work my way around them with no problems at all. I can post what I
>have found out if people are interested. As for the price; it is not
>cheap, 120 britsh pounds or 200++ $ (?), but I think it is worth the
>money.
One of those "rough edges" is that the object code generated by the
compiler does not protect the Z80 X and Y registers over calls to the
BDOS/BIOS. Thus, code generated by this compiler cannot be run on machines
whose CP/M BIOS implimentation destroys the X and Y registers unless the
BIOS is modified. For instance, Zmp (fine program though it may be) will
not run on a Telcon Zorba without rewriting the BIOS (something I am loath
to do since my BIOS has been modified to accommodate speech-access).
For **so** much money, it seems to me, one ought to expect better!
-- Mike Freeman K7UIJ --