Well, it is very simple -- most Windows users do not know how compiler works (I mean what stages source come through). I work for university as Systems Analyst and I must say that very few students learn what really happens in background.
Novaday every compiler is a command line program. Even Microsoft Studio has command line compilers but most programmers do not think about it. All what they see is IDE which is nothing than editor with syntax highligting, integrated help system and interface to run compiler. If you ask them what really happens when they click "Compile" or "Run" you will get wrong answer. For most IDE the sequence is next: 1. save file 2. regenerate makefile (if it required) 3. run "make" (or other equivalent) 4. "make" runs compiler 5. compiler takes for example C++ code (.cpp) 6. compiler runs preprocessor (.cpp) 7. compiler converts C++ into C (.c) 8. compiler runs C optimizer (.c) 9. compiler converts C into ASM (.asm) 10. compiler runs ASM optimizer (.asm) 11. compiler runs ASM compiler (.obj) 12. compiler runs linker (.exe/.com/.bin/.ihx/.out) But system can get even more complicated (GNU Compiler Collection) C++ -> C Objective-C -> C Pascal -> C Ada -> C Java -> C Fortran -> C C -> Assembly Assembly -> binary code Now a question "Why is it so?". And answer is simple, so that code in different languages could "cooperate". Programmer is free to choose language of his choice and his code can be reused in other programming language. Unfortunately most programmers do not use it. I heard that "Windows" is so great from students -- and my conclusion is that students play more games than they study or learn about "Windows". When I inform them that they need to set some variable they do not have a clue what I am talking about. Well, but in regard of the subject discussed here I must agree that good documentation with examples of working code with reasonably good explanation what happens "under the hood" is best help for beginer programmer. I learnt C in 1989 from "The C Programming Language" (Kernigan and Ritchie) and upto today I consider this one of the best books ever written for subject for it's own time. Other gratest book "The Art of Electronics" (Horowitz and Hill) was must read during my study. So far there is no superrior to this book (although it is not uptodate for new technologies) in form of explanation the subject. The person who started this thread had complain about documentation. I must agree that documentation could be better but by my personal opinion documentation is "good" enough to start. Same person would expect to have "commercial" quality documentation with complementary books for different MCUs. But did he took in account how much time should be put into writing documentation? Did he took in account that many people who participate in this project are live in poor countries where survival is quite difficult. Did he took in account that many people who work on this project do not speak proper English (including myself -- I am immigrant)? Does this person have any idea how difficult to start new life in new country from level zero? I believe that he is not. Nobody forces him to use SDCC. There is other commercial products available (Iar, Keil for example) which do job better than SDCC. If he is not happy with SDCC then if he can afford other commercial product go for it. I can not afford to buy other product which cost $5,000+ and I prefer to use SDCC. Sorry for long post, it is better to get back to work and do something more usefull. Andrey Bobby Garner wrote: > Windows users. Go to Start> All Programs> Accessories, and right click > on Command Prompt. Click on Properties, then click the Options tab. > Under Display options choose Window or Full Screen. Click the shortcut > tab and notice that the target in each case is one and the same > 'cmd.exe'. > > Any questions? > > Why would any compiler ever run in a window? Even MSDOS Quick Basic > which runs in a GUI in full screen mode or in a window, has the > compiler built in and it runs in the background. There is nothing to > display except the output which goes to wherever its directed. > > Bobby ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ _______________________________________________ Sdcc-user mailing list Sdcc-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/sdcc-user
