Best Compiler

[Agent Mulder]

Hi group,
I am looking for the BEST C++ compiler
that holds the 3f criterium:

* free
* flat
* fast

Free means that I am free to sell the software
I write with it. Flat means that it is simple, self-
contained and somewhat standardized. Fast it
must be.

I know there are several free C++ compilers
available, from Borland, GCC, Cygwin and
certainly more. What compiler stands out for
use from the command line to target Windows?

-X

 

[Victor Bazarov]

Hi group,
I am looking for the BEST C++ compiler
[...] What compiler stands out for
use from the command line to target Windows?

I strongly recommend asking in a Windows newsgroup.

Victor

 

[Ron Natalie]

I know there are several free C++ compilers
available, from Borland, GCC, Cygwin and
certainly more. What compiler stands out for
use from the command line to target Windows?

If you want fast, try Intel's offering. It's the only one that really
even pretends to address performance. CYGWIN is just an implementation
of GCC. While it's an interesting way to port UNIX apps to windows,
it carries it's own "pseudo-UNIX" baggage around with it which is
a hinderence if you're trying to really develop windows apps.

 

[Agent Mulder]

I know there are several free C++ compilers
available, from Borland, GCC, Cygwin and
certainly more. What compiler stands out for
use from the command line to target Windows?

</>

<Ron Natalie>
If you want fast, try Intel's offering. It's the only one that really
even pretends to address performance. CYGWIN is just an implementation
of GCC. While it's an interesting way to port UNIX apps to windows,
it carries it's own "pseudo-UNIX" baggage around with it which is
a hinderence if you're trying to really develop windows apps.
</>

I found quite a lot of C++ compilers at

http://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/cpp.shtml

Intel is on it. Does it have file windows.h?

#include<windows.h>

Windows. From Microsoft.

-X

 

[Jakob Bieling]

I found quite a lot of C++ compilers at

http://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/cpp.shtml

Intel is on it. Does it have file windows.h?

If not, you should be able to get it (and all the other files you need
for Windows development) by downloading the Platform SDK from Microsoft and
set the compiler up to use those inlcude directories and whatnot. For
further assistance on that, you could try a newsgroup dedicated to the
Platform SDK or the Intel compiler newsgroup (if such exists).

hth

 

[tom_usenet]

</>

<Ron Natalie>
If you want fast, try Intel's offering. It's the only one that really
even pretends to address performance. CYGWIN is just an implementation
of GCC. While it's an interesting way to port UNIX apps to windows,
it carries it's own "pseudo-UNIX" baggage around with it which is
a hinderence if you're trying to really develop windows apps.
</>

I found quite a lot of C++ compilers at

http://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/cpp.shtml

Intel is on it. Does it have file windows.h?

#include<windows.h>

Windows. From Microsoft.

The free version of Intel C++ is Linux only - no Windows headers or
libraries.

Tom

 

[Agent Mulder]

Intel is on it. Does it have file windows.h?

<JB>
If not, you should be able to get it (and all the other files you need
for Windows development) by downloading the Platform SDK from Microsoft and
set the compiler up to use those inlcude directories and whatnot. For
further assistance on that, you could try a newsgroup dedicated to the
Platform SDK or the Intel compiler newsgroup (if such exists).
</>

Is that free of charge? Can I download the stuff from MS itself?
I think I'll use MinGW though. It has something familiar. Thanks
so far and does anybody know relevant sites for using MinGW?

-X

 

[llewelly]

Hi group,
I am looking for the BEST C++ compiler
that holds the 3f criterium:

* free
* flat
* fast

Free means that I am free to sell the software
I write with it.

Read those click-through licences carefully. Plenty of 'free'
compilers come with licences that do not allow this. Usually a
problem with comercial compilers which also distribute a 'free'
version.

Flat means that it is simple, self-
contained and somewhat standardized. Fast it
must be.

I know there are several free C++ compilers
available, from Borland, GCC, Cygwin and
certainly more.

cygwin uses a gcc port, quite similar to the mingw port of gcc.

What compiler stands out for
use from the command line to target Windows?

I nearly always use gcc, but I don't often target windows.

 

[Tom]

I am looking for the BEST C++ compiler
that holds the 3f criterium:

* free
* flat
* fast

Free means that I am free to sell the software
I write with it. Flat means that it is simple, self-
contained and somewhat standardized. Fast it
must be.

I know there are several free C++ compilers
available, from Borland, GCC, Cygwin and
certainly more. What compiler stands out for
use from the command line to target Windows?

First, the FAQ lists free (as in you can download without charge)
compilers. You, as someone who seems to post frequently to this NG,
have of course carefully read the FAQ, right? Right? It's at:

http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite

and if you haven't read it carefully, please read it before posting
again. But you use "free" in a different way - that you are free to
sell the software you write with it. I believe that most commercial
compilers permit you to sell software that you write with them -
that's why you're paying them money for the compiler. (Some compilers
have special "student" or "learning editions" - e.g., Microsoft's
"standard" edition - that restrict your ability to sell your
workproduct.) But then later in the same post, you use "free" in the
more common way (downloadable without charge). Which is it?

Second, since what you apparently want is a Windows compiler, your
question really is off-topic here. I say that not because I'm part of
the Off-Topic Police here, but merely to point out that you're going
to get better answers if you actually post your questions to the
proper newsgroup.

Finally, do you do any research at all before you post your questions?
Like, when you ask questions like "does anybody know relevant sites
for using MinGW?", did you do even one search on google? The relevant
site is mingw.org, which has all the info you need. It also has
(although I'm a little reluctant to encourage you to post there) its
own mailing list where questions about MinGW are topical. Cygwin also
has its own mailing list (and by the way, both MinGW and Cygwin, and
well as DJGPP - which also has its own mailing list - are ports of
gcc).

BTW, I'm still trying to figure out if you're a troll (as in someone
who posts stuff not because they care about the answer but rather just
to get a rise out of people) or just clueless.

Best regards,

Tom

P.S. (and still OT) - yes, the MinGW compiler, which as mentioned
above is a gcc port, is probably the best choice for a
freely-downloadable, free-to-sell-your-work-product,
mostly-standards-conforming, generating-fast-executables, and
windows-targeted compiler. - T.

 

[Jakob Bieling]

<JB>
If not, you should be able to get it (and all the other files you need
for Windows development) by downloading the Platform SDK from Microsoft and
set the compiler up to use those inlcude directories and whatnot. For
further assistance on that, you could try a newsgroup dedicated to the
Platform SDK or the Intel compiler newsgroup (if such exists).
</>

Is that free of charge? Can I download the stuff from MS itself?

Yes, you should be able to download it. Tho MS requires you to install
some ActiveX components on their web-site. If you do not want that, you can
also try to look around their ftp server to see if you find anything useful.

hth

 

[Mike Wahler]

Victor Bazarov:


Oops. My fault. Read

What C++ compiler stands out for
use from the command line to target
Windows?

Inserting "C++" into any sentence doesn't automatically
make it topical here. You're aksing for opinions about
C++ compilers for a specific platform. IOW you're asking
about compilers. Compilers are not topical here, only
the C++ language is.

You also used the phrase 'stands out'. What does that mean?
Are you asking which we feel is 'best' (whatever that means)?
Best for what?

I've been perfectly satisfied with using MSVC++ and/or Borland C++
for creating Windows applications, GUI or 'console'. Others might have
similar or different opinions.

But again, all this is off topic here.

-Mike

 

[Kevin Goodsell]

Hi group,
I am looking for the BEST C++ compiler
that holds the 3f criterium:

* free
* flat
* fast

Free means that I am free to sell the software
I write with it. Flat means that it is simple, self-
contained and somewhat standardized. Fast it
must be.

I know there are several free C++ compilers
available, from Borland, GCC, Cygwin and
certainly more. What compiler stands out for
use from the command line to target Windows?

This is quite off-topic, as you should well know by now.

While I'm not all that familiar with what is available, I'd consider
MinGW for this purpose. MinGW is a gcc port for windows. Cygwin, by the
way, is a collection of UNIX-like tools for windows. Probably much more
than you really want to deal with.

I simply don't know of any compiler in active development, targeting
current standards that is offered for free aside from gcc. The free
borland compilers are old versions, I think.

-Kevin

 

[d2003xx]

Hi group,
I am looking for the BEST C++ compiler
that holds the 3f criterium:

* free
* flat
* fast

Free means that I am free to sell the software
I write with it. Flat means that it is simple, self-
contained and somewhat standardized. Fast it
must be.

I know there are several free C++ compilers
available, from Borland, GCC, Cygwin and
certainly more. What compiler stands out for
use from the command line to target Windows?

Borland C++: http://www.borland.com/bcppbuilder/freecompiler/
Good: Standard complaint, good warning infomation, compile fast.
Bad: The code generated is big and slow.

Watcom C++: (my favorite compiler!) http://www.openwatcom.org
Good: compile very fast, the output code is very fast and small.
Bad: The C++ standard it supports is old, there is no STL bundled.

Digital Mars C++: http://www.digitalmars.com/
Good: compile fast, VC++ complaint (may work with PlatformSDK)
Bad: The benchmark shows that its output code is BAD.

GCC/Cygwin/mingw: http://www.mingw.org
It takes forever to compile...

All of them contain win32 SDK headers. The Watcom C++ comes with a
simple IDE, remote debugger, resource editor, ... And there are
several IDEs for gcc.

 

[Christian]

Intel offers seveal user-to-user forums at www.intel.com/ids/forums where

Threading for Server and Desktop Forum
Intel® C++ Compiler Forum
Intel® Fortran Compiler Forum
Intel® VTune™ Performance Analyzer Forum

 

[Agent Mulder]

Hi group,

I did some research on the free compiler market
and found the way best compiler. Watcom has an
enormous reputation as compiler vendor. They now
offer Open Watcom, in support of the Open
Source movement. Version 1.0, so if you hurry you
can be the first in the block. Download it at

http://www.openwatcom.org/

Open Watcom is very fast. The error output is clear
and short. You don't have to scan the screen diagonally
to spot the clue, like in gcc.

The \binnt directory is stuffed with little tools. Editor vi is
present. wzoom.exe lets you zoom in on a piece of screen.
There is even a tiny IDE called ide.exe! Try it, it is like coming
home in programming.

I looked it up in the FAQ and d'oh, my question was
indeed off-topic:

"Only post to comp.lang.c++ if your question is about the
C++ language itself."

So, well, mmmh. Thank you for reading

-X

 

[Agent Mulder]

Hi group,
After rounds of searching, asking, testing and
rejecting I finally found the compiler that I like.

The four compilers that I tried were suggested
to me by d2003xx (thanks).

1. Borland C++
Test result: Good. Fast, flat. But on my system
I could not get things working. Simple things like
outputting a string with cout caused a crash, even
after several re-installations. Reason unknown.

2. Open Watcom
Test result: Disappointing. The environment is
cool but it seems to lack (most of the) STL. So
it cannot qualify as a C++ compiler.

3. GCC
Test result: Moderate. GCC is slow and it features
obfuscated error messages. I'll use it on Linux but
here in the Wonderful World of Windows I chose

4. Digital Mars
Test result: Good. Fast it is and it has a healthy attitude
towards programming. It is a little bit messy here and
there but I can live with that. Digital Mars is also the
inventor of D, so with this C++ compiler I am a half
step closer to D already

-X

 

[Pavel Vozenilek]

1. Borland C++
Test result: Good. Fast, flat. But on my system
I could not get things working. Simple things like
outputting a string with cout caused a crash, even
after several re-installations. Reason unknown.

You could ask in BC++B newsgroup for help. Problems you describe are not common.

/Pavel

 

[tom_usenet]

Hi group,
After rounds of searching, asking, testing and
rejecting I finally found the compiler that I like.

The four compilers that I tried were suggested
to me by d2003xx (thanks).

1. Borland C++
Test result: Good. Fast, flat. But on my system
I could not get things working. Simple things like
outputting a string with cout caused a crash, even
after several re-installations. Reason unknown.

2. Open Watcom
Test result: Disappointing. The environment is
cool but it seems to lack (most of the) STL. So
it cannot qualify as a C++ compiler.

3. GCC
Test result: Moderate. GCC is slow and it features
obfuscated error messages. I'll use it on Linux but
here in the Wonderful World of Windows I chose

4. Digital Mars
Test result: Good. Fast it is and it has a healthy attitude
towards programming. It is a little bit messy here and
there but I can live with that. Digital Mars is also the
inventor of D, so with this C++ compiler I am a half
step closer to D already

In terms of standards compliance, by far the best from that list is
gcc. The rest are a long way off. However, if you are happy writing
"old-style" C++ (no advanced template stuff, etc.), then the others
should be ok.

Tom

 

[Alex Vinokur]

4. Digital Mars
Test result: Good. Fast it is and it has a healthy attitude
towards programming. It is a little bit messy here and
there but I can live with that.

[snip]

Today I first tried to work with Digital Mars C++.
Immediately I came across two compilation problems.

1. http://groups.google.com/groups?th=31c4b9e2aebcab2a

2.
=========================
Windows 2000 Professional
Digital Mars C/C++ 8.36
STLport 4.5.3
=========================

====== C++ code : BEGIN ======
// File z.cpp
template <typename T>
void foo ();

template <>
void foo<int>() {} // Line#6

int main() { return 0; }

====== C++ code : END ========


====== Compilation : BEGIN ======

$ sc z.cpp -I\dm\stlport\stlport
z.cpp(6) : Error: 'foo' is not a class template
--- errorlevel 1

====== Compilation : END ========


=====================================
Alex Vinokur
mailto:[email protected]
http://mathforum.org/library/view/10978.html
=====================================