On Jan 29, 2009, at 1:45 PM, solarwind wrote:

> HI-TECH C and Microchip C are the closest you can get to "real" C.
> They're also very higly optimizing compilers, especially HI-TECH. CCS
> is just garbage. Well, it may be ok for certain small things but it
> produces very bloated output.

Of course, Hi-TECH C will set you back $1000 for the "standard"  
version of their compiler.  They do have a freeware LITE version, but  
IT seems to completely lack optimization, and produces such awful code  
that people have wondered whether it isn't some sort of intentional  
"bait and switch" scheme.

"Bloat" is a sort of binary problem.  Either your code fits and runs  
well enough, and it doesn't matter if it's more bloated than it ought  
to be, or it doesn't fit, and THEN you can go look for a better  
compiler, or do pieces in assembly, or whatever.  The primary  
advantage of a C compiler is that it makes it easier to write code, it  
isn't necessarily important that the compiler produce great object  
code.  Get it working and sell gazillions, and you can buy a better  
compiler and sell "version 2 with performance improvements."

BillW

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