🚀 go-pugleaf

/ hpsmtc1:comp.sys.mac / wheeler@symcom.math.uiuc.EDU /  9:43 am  Nov  6, 1987 /

>I'm a new Mac II owner and I'm looking for advice/information on which
>C compiler to buy. 

Congrats.

My current recommendation has to be the popular LightSpeed C.  It has
access to the new ROM routines in the II, however there is no documentation
(except the include files).  This is due to the fact that Apple hadn't
finalized the specs (have they done it yet?), and the LightSpeed folks
wanted to get us a working compiler.  It doesn't use the 68881 directly,
but with a little (ok, mabey more than a little) work, you could create
a #include library that did.  It has something very akin to 'make', but
easier to use.  The compiler runs like a champ on a hard disc, as a
matter a fact it runs like a champ all the time.  Compile-link times
are incredibly fast, and the resulting code runs as fast as the "other"
compilers I have used.

As far as books to get:  You must get the Inside Macintosh set.  They
aren't exactly bedtime reading, but a necessary reference set.  I also
was somewhat pleased with the "Macintosh Revealed" set, which, if 
nothing else, has a good index for finding functions.

As far as prices, LSC retails for $175 (in the last ad I saw).  Pick
up the latest issue of MacWorld, MacUser, etc, and you can find
places to buy it (*mabey* at less than retail!).  Inside Macintosh, 
and Macintosh Revealed can be gotten at some bookstores, you can
probably find a place to get them mail order from one of the MacRags.

Happy Macing!

Disclamer:  I have no relationship with Think Technologies, MacWorld,
            MacUser, Apple, the publishers of Inside Macintosh,
            or anyone else of consequence, other than being a 
	    slightly fanatical Mac user.


--------------------
Ken Wallich			*My views are mine, and mine alone*
Consultant			"Camelot! Camelot! -- It's only a model"	
DCI 				kwallich@hpsmtc1.HP.COM
@Hewlett Packard		...hplabs!hpsmtc1!kwallich

"Slimey? Mud Hole? my HOME this is!"
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