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From: hcmutt@hpcllld.HP.COM (Harry Muttart)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Which Modula-2
Message-ID: <6790012@hpcllld.HP.COM>
Date: 23 Jun 88 01:22:32 GMT
References: <57@tdb.uu.se>
Organization: HP NSG/ISD Computer Language Lab
Lines: 54

Hello,

Having used both to write programs for the Amiga, the following can be said...

compiler performance:  Benchmark wins hands-down...(can be made memory resident)
                TDI uses the four-pass model...Benchmark uses the one-pass.
compiled program code size:  Depends...TDI has a linker that only includes 
                needed procedures from modules...Benchmark chops modules up less
                (Intuition decls in single module!) and these modules are 
                smaller than TDI.  TDI seems to have the edge for small programs
                which rely on few "outside" modules (my opinion...AmigaWorld 
                does not necessarily agree).
compiled program performance: Depends...Comparable according to AmigaWorld...
                Benchmark uses the fast floating point so programs which do a 
                lot of crunching will usually do better on Benchmark.  If the
                1.3 version of DOS has faster IEEE floating point, this 
                advantage may disappear.
dependability:  Benchmark wins hands-down...For TDI, you need the library source
                to identify "odd problems" (my opinion).  Compiler occaisionally
                GURU's.  Benchmark also can be used more dependably on a 512K
                system.
integration:    Benchmark provides a very nicely integrated environment.  If you
                do not care for the editor supplied (micro GNUmacs) you can use
                individual tools.  If you choose TDI, be sure to get a copy of
                the M2error from one of the Fish disks...much better than using
                the flakey TDI editor (it has one feature that I really like
                (tabbing to align to the next non-blank column in the line 
                above)).  Benchmark load file format conforms to Amiga 
                standards (works with MetaScope).
leverage other Amiga languages: Benchmark wins hands down.  An assembler 
                interface is supported.  The optional "C libraries" library
                makes relatively painless conversion of C code a possibility;
                a crude conversion tool (CtoM2) is also included in the set of
                example programs.  TDI supports use of HEX for in-line code and
                for "assembler" procedures.
programming tools: Benchmark seems "ahead."  When the souce level debugger shows
                up (Real Soon Now), it will be the clear winner.
docmentation:   Benchmark wins hands-down.
cost:           Benchmark with the optional modules is more expensive than TDI.
                For me it is worth it.
other sources:  See the most recent AmigaWorld, which compares TDI, M2Amiga, and
                Benchmark.
 
I believe that the marketing problems for Benchmark have been dealt with... I
no longer see Oxxi advertising the product.  The proper company to contact is

      Avant Garde Software 
      2213 Woodburn
      Plano TX 75075
      214/964-0260

Harry Muttart 

PS - Is the $330 for the TDI commercial version?