Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!cornell!rochester!udel!udccvax1!gdtltr
From: gdtltr@vax1.acs.udel.EDU (Gary D Duzan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: Programming Languages
Message-ID: <2450@udccvax1.acs.udel.EDU>
Date: 5 Dec 88 16:00:40 GMT
References: <2449@udccvax1.acs.udel.EDU>
Reply-To: gdtltr@vax1.acs.udel.EDU (Gary D Duzan)
Organization: Galadrim (really a disorganization)
Lines: 31

In article <2449@udccvax1.acs.udel.EDU> robby@vax1.acs.udel.EDU (Robert Spotts) writes:
>
>  Does anyone know were I can obtain any programming languages for the Atari?
>I currently am using Turbo BASIC XL(boo hiss) and I've TRIED a little Assembly.
>I am interest in other programming languages such as C, Fortran, and Pascal.
>My other concern is that I don't what to spend tons of $$$$ for them.  I have
>heard that ANTIC mag others a C compiler for around $25.  Has anyone else heard
>different?
>
   Don't bother with Deep Blue C (the one offered by Antic); it is an antique.
Since it came out there have been two public compilers, Ace C and CC8, that are
much superior. Ace C comes with a complete linker package, but CC8 is a much
better compiler. You best bet is to get CC8 to compile your C programs and
Ace C to link them. There is also Lightspeed C, but I haven't seen it and it
costs money.
   Don't bother with Fortran. I have never seen it for the 8-bits and it is
an awful language anyway.
   A friend of mine gave me his copy of the Atari Pascal Development System,
and I quickly found out why: it is a piece of junk. Compile a 5 line program
and you end up with an 80-some block file which you then have to plug into a
runtime environment. It just isn't worth it. You might look into Kyan.
   If you want to do Atari-specific programs, you might try Action!. I have
never used it, but I have heard lots of good things about it.
   A while back, the author of CC8 contacted me. Since then, I seem to have
lost his address. If you (the author) are reading this, please drop me a line.
I would like to talk to you about something. Thanx.

					Gary Duzan
					Time  Lord
				    Third Regeneration
				 Atari Enthusiast Extreme