🚀 go-pugleaf

Well, lovers of Modula-2 for PC's, FST seems to be alive and well:

Roger Carvalho, author of the excellent FST system, has just
written to me as follows, and asked that I disseminate the
information:

------------- start

I just got back from my sabbatical (6 weeks during which I
created m-2 v3.0).

I will release the new compiler Sep 8 (still doing documentation).

Besides telling you the location of runtime errors as
module/line, the new compiler supports objects -- virtual methods
and single inheritance. That is all!

I decided to release this compiler to find out if there is still
any interest in Modula-2 out there. If the response is
reasonable, I will do a debugger (everyone wants one!). If not...
goodbye FST!

On the business side: the compiler costs $50. Upgrades are $10.
Educational site licenses are $250 (this does not apply to
current licensees, of course).

--------------- end of Roger's letter

People who already know FST will probably be as pleased to hear
this as I am.

People who don't know FST?  Well, Fitted Systems Tools is a
shareware product that conformed very well to Wirth's edition 3,
with a few extensions like inline assembly (needed a SYSTEM
import of course), a good set of libraries, and, for registered
users, the source of the libraries as well as a comms package.
the compiler is two-pass; typical mediums size programs make and
link at about the same speed as TopSpeed (JPI) Modula.  There's
an integrated environment rather like TurboWhatsit level 3, and
command line versions of the compiler and linker for those who
prefer them.  The object code could either be proprietary (.M2O)
or .OBJ format.

From an educational point of view FST has been very good; we have
used it here for about 4 years, the only complaint being that
debugging facilities are a bit weak, so it is good to see that he
is addressing that point.

Like many shareware authors, Roger seemed to get discouraged, and
it looked for a while as though FST would die.  Perhaps some of
you can send him a note of encouragement, preferably even a note or two
from a bank as well!

Roger's address seems to be    carvalho_roger@Tandem.COM

I assume that in due course the new version will be available for
FTP from various sites, like ftp.psg.com.  I'll try to keep the
group posted (I don't know that Roger reads comp.lang.modula-2
himself).

Pat Terry
(cspt@giraffe.ru.ac.za  or  pdterry@psg.com)