🚀 go-pugleaf

Brian Wainscott writes:

> I'll be needing compatible FORTRAN and C compilers under OS/2.
> The only company I know of even WORKING on a FORTRAN compiler
> is Watcom, who has one in the beta stage.
> 
> What is the reputation of Watcom?  Good products?  I have never
> bought anything from them, or even heard much about them, so before
> I shell out near $1000 for their products, I'd like to get all
> possible input.  Thanks.

WATCOM's FORTRAN compiler isn't really in the beta stage.  They are
prepared to deliver as soon as they can verify proper operation under
GA.  They expect to be shipping later this month and are taking orders.

Their reputation seems to be good.  Their C compiler won PC Magazine's
Editor's Choice award in 1988, InfoWorld's Best in Class award, and The
Computer Language Jolt Product Excellence Award.  The FORTRAN compiler
shares the same optimizer technology as the C compiler.

Don't shell out $1000 if you can prove association with an educational
institution.  The educational discount is $250 (er, that is, the price
is $250, not $250 less than the full retail price), which makes it very
attractively priced.  The compiler will apparently support cross
development for DOS and Windows platforms, as well as the 32-bit OS/2
platform.  The package includes an interactive debugger, make utility,
graphics library (though for OS/2 PM, I imagine it relies on the GPI),
profiler, bind utility, and librarian (among other things).  Call
800-265-4555 for more information (and let it ring a few times -- they
tend to answer on the fifth to eighth rings, in my limited experience).

They even have a 60-day money back guarantee.

I've ordered it.  Give me a few weeks for me to get my hands on GA and
their compiler, and I can provide a capsule review.