🚀 go-pugleaf

Sorry I'm so late responding, lots going on ...

On Mon, 8 Apr 91 20:50:15 GMT Larry M. Jordan said:
>I must disagree with Mr. Pournelle's condemnation of JPI M2 V2 whose
>...
>4000 vs. 2000 (arb. example) LPM compilation rates.
I never said (nor did Dr. Pournelle) that is didn't work (well I they
did have a heap problem, but they fixed it).  What was said is that
the implementation was not true to the design philosophy of M2 or even
in line with there version 1 compiler.  I have no problem with a
multi-lang platform, I like the idea, but it should be implemented
is such a way that does _force _the _user _to _deal _with _the
_details _of _the _other _languages, _like _the '_' _that _are
_generated _by _C _compilers (see JPI's graphics lib).

>
>True (and unfortunately so) the system is poorly documented when
>...
>Let's hope V3 docs show the lesson learned.
I think they have learned there lesson on docs.  Better docs would
have saved JPI and it's customers lots of trouble.

>
>I would not go back to V1.
Hmmm, well I'm using V2, but am often temped to nuke it and put V1 back
on the system.

>
>The OOP extension IMPO appears well integrated (I've implemented an OOP
>extension to M2 myself and was pleased with what JPI had done).  This
>is still Modula-2.
Well integrated, perhaps, but not well considered.  Further, when using
those extension, you leave M2, but I don't see any problem with that
if portablity is not an issue.  I still say is was a no-thought, "let's
copy MS and Borland" move.

>
>As to the C'ness complaints I've seen leveled at the product--hogwash.
>I'm not particularly enamored with C, but have not been tainted by
>using JPI M2!  Regarding libraries...If the intent is to build a
>multi-lang. platform, then one will probably want to capitalize on
>REUSE.  The same debugger, the same code generator, the same or a
>shared subset of core libraries.  At the lowest levels
>who cares if the same resources are shared by C and Modula-2?!
Reuse is good, IF the libraries have been designed from the start
to support multi-languages and not just stolen from the most recent
language offering.  Same debugger and code generator are fine (and
generally they did a fair job on both), but the libraries are C the
main ones they took the time to wrap (increasing call overhead if you
don't use C), other they just tell you to use '_' when calling.
Generally, V2.0 gives me the feeling of a product rushed out the door
(at $100.00 US a pop) about 2 months too early.

Which is another gripe, at a time they decreased the quality they
increased (tripled) the price.  I understand (hope) they have
reconsidered that.

Greg