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C at a reasonable price?
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  Everybody knows that C is THE language if you want to create
Desktop Applications.  Acorn recommends it as the language to create
large projects, but the Acorns Development Environment will set you
back more than 100, RISC Developments EASY C will cost you 50. 
It's a large outlay if you just want to dabble.

  However this shouldn't worry you!  There is a cheap alternative,
GNU C/C++ (or GCC), a full C AND C++ compiler (the first C++
compiler on the Arc). What's so great about it you cry out. Well
it's free, nearly.

  The distribution discs come with the GCC  application, which
includes the C and C++ compiler, along with an assembler and a few
other bits.  DRLink and UNIX Lib are supplied, which gives you
everything you need.  Unfortunately everything is in separate
directories, so it all needs to be copied onto a hard disk, and a few
environment variables need to be set up.  Once this is done, you'll
need to free up about 3.5meg of memory, and it's ready to run.  If
you don't have enough memory, a small application called Virtual is
available from good PD sources.  This gives you Virtual memory (as
with PC's and MAC's), or in English, disk space is used as memory.

  The next task is writing your first program, it's a good job the
UNIX lib comes with a few.  Simply go to the command line or a task
window and call the compiler.  It'll take care of linking for you. 
That's it, you now have some executable code.

  GCC is covered by the GNU software licence, so Simon Callan (who is
responsible for the RISC-OS port) does not supply a warranty service,
but he tries to fix bugs as soon as they are reported, and will give
you some help, since the package does not come with a manual as such.

  If you want to get hold of a copy of GCC, then you can write to me
or Simon Callan at:

        Simon Callan
        11 Northmead
        Redhill
        Surrey
        RH1 2ED

  Make sure you send 3 ADFS 800k (E) discs filled with PD, a covering
letter and return postage.

Ease of use - 5 - Setting up is a pain.
Features - 6 - It's got everything you'll need to learn C, but you
need a desktop library to code decent applications.
Value - 9 - You don't get much more for nowt!
Overall - 6 - OK for learning C, but if you're a serious coder you'll
need more.  

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