Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!gatech!bloom-beacon!oberon!poisson.usc.edu!mlinar From: mlinar@poisson.usc.edu (Mitch Mlinar) Newsgroups: comp.lang.c,comp.lang.misc Subject: Re: Small-C Message-ID: <3433@oberon.USC.EDU> Date: Sat, 18-Jul-87 01:26:59 EDT Article-I.D.: oberon.3433 Posted: Sat Jul 18 01:26:59 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Jul-87 19:10:33 EDT References: <3452@ihlpg.ATT.COM> <213@xrxns.UUCP> Sender: nobody@oberon.USC.EDU Reply-To: mlinar@poisson.usc.edu.UUCP (Mitch Mlinar) Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles Lines: 50 Keywords: Byte Works, Inc., Small-C, Xref: mnetor comp.lang.c:3141 comp.lang.misc:551 In article <213@xrxns.UUCP> dupre@spitfire.UUCP (Frank Dupre) writes: >In article <3452@ihlpg.ATT.COM> rre@ihlpg.ATT.COM (Velveteen Rabbit Corps) writes: >> >>But, what is Small-C? Just how much of standard K&R C does it >>implement or leave out? >> >>Roger Espinosa >>ihnp4!ihlpg!rre > > [ some good information ] > >It should be noted that these version were from the Intel 8080/ >Zilog Z80, i.e., CP/M machines. Version appeared for the Intel >8088/8086 - 80x86 as 'commerical' products, notably Datalight's >Small-C. > In fact, nearly EVERY 8-bit compiler on the market (Aztec, Software Toolworks, Manx, etc.) was based upon Small-C. The only three exceptions I know about to date are BDS-C (which was before Small-C), Mix C (which is just awful in 8-bit), and CZ (a Z80 assembly based compiler). > > [ LOTS more good stuff by Frank ] > The current versions of Small-C support 2 dimensional arrays and even limited structures, but - do not support passing anything other than char, int, addresses, or pointers on the stack (no struct) - lousy initialization - no floating point or bit fields - no union - limited complexity (stuff like char *(foo[6])(i,j) will fail) - limited library (as in almost none) BUT in defense of Small-C (which I highly recommend if you want to see the SOURCE to a compiler), it is FREE and a LOT of commercial packages STOLE it (that's what I call it), added and/or fixed a few things, and stamped their own label on it. With the exception of Software Toolworks C/80 (only $49), the rest are overpriced for the amount of ownership. But, Manx at one time also included the source to the compiler for a extra $25 (above its $80), so that might be a better way to go. Nobody includes source in IBM that I know about (for commercial C). Again, if you want to learn a little about compilers, just working with Small-C a few weeks will give you a good feel of the issues, complexity, and headaches of writing a compiler. You might also have some fun. -Mitch