🚀 go-pugleaf

Christopher Matthews Keane (keane@eng.umd.edu) wrote:
: In article <2fva6j$h1f@harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au> int877w@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au (William Fang) writes:
: >
: >I've been kicking around the idea of learning to program in C
: >and purchase a compiler (with an Educational discount).  I'd
: >like to be able to write a few Windows 3.1 utilities, but if
: >I have spend $$$ on Windows programming documentation, I'll 
: >stick to DOS only ;-)
: >
: >Anyway, what do you think is "best" for the price?
: >
: >Turbo C++
: >Turbo C++ for Windows
: >Turbo C++ with TurboVision
: >Turbo C++ 3.1 Visual Edition (Windows)		A$79
: >Borland C++
: >Borland C++ 3.1 and Frameworks			A$299
: >MicroSoft Visual C++				A$95
: >
: >
: >My price list is about a year out of date, so I didn't bother
: >posting all version numbers.  If the price is given, it's from
: >a newer catalogue.  Is there some other package I should be
: >looking at?  I had a play around with DJGPP, but didn't like
: >the lack of integrated help and having to print out volumes of
: >texts to get an idea of what's what ;-/

: Investigate Watcom C/C++^32 9.5 -- it is $US 199 for the full package at 
: an educational discount.  The documentation is infinitely better than 
: what Borland and Microsoft produce.... I feel this makes up for the lack 
: of on-line help within the DOS and OS/2 environment -- though I believe 
: there is Windows-based help.

: Also, your learning curve for programming in C will be infinitely easier 
: in a flat memory model -- not to mention more useful on other platforms!

: Cheers
: Chris
: keane@earthsun.umd.edu

I too would have suggested Borland C/C++ 4.0, but would say Borland C/C++ 3.1
or Turbo C/C++ 2 if you are just learning C.  These have a real nice IDE.
I am know tring out MS Visual C/C++ to do Windose programing and I think I
like it (????).  I also bought Watcom C 9.0 to do ADS programming for ACAD,
what a pain in the butt that was.  I never did upgrade to Ver 9.5 but might
in the future. Some reasons that I did not upgrade:
	1: No IDE (makes compiling and linking a snap)
	2: Debugger is cryptic and very difficult to use (user still bitch
		about this on Compu$erve)
	3: Ver 9.0 served its purpose

Some advantages of Watcom's Ver 9.0
	1: Flat memory addressing to 16MB with supplied Dos/Extender
			4GB if you purchase the Dos/Extender from Rational
	2: Multiple platforms:
		Dos, Windows, OS/2, QNX, and Autocad r11
		Dos/Extenders for Pharlap, Rational, and Ergo
I think think that Watcom Ver 9.5 can also right Win NT apps.

Bottom line though, I would not suggest Watcom to learn C with.

If you do want to wright programs with Extended Dos the look GNU compiler in
the archives, the price is right also (free).

Again, this is only my option, take it for what it's worth ($0.02)

Paul Kohut <pkohut@herbon.connected.com>