-> I've just installed Mandrake Linux on my machine and am attempting to
-> write a C program.  My standard operating procedure so far has been
-> to compose/make changes to the source code using emacs in one
-> session, save to disk, jump over to another session and compile with
-> gcc.  There's gotta be an easier way - say, an ide of some sort.  Is
-> there such an animal out there?

As I recall, since EMACS is a LISP "frame" environment, you should be
able to compile and run a 'C' program while inside of E-Macs by using an
EXEC node.  Have you set the E-Macs major mode to the 'C' language mode?
You shouldn't have to start another session.  You should be able to
compile and run the program straight from the buffer, if you so choose.
The Compile command macro should be bound to one of the C Mode key
bindings?


-> For that matter, does anybody know how to get "help" in gcc.  Is
-> there a user manual?  A preferred web site?
->
-> Help.

The GCC "help" manual is a special "reader" mode of
E-Macs known as
"info files".  The only assumption that GNU could make is that E-Macs
would be present.  All help systems are different, if you can assume
that one is even present, as some Admins wipe all of the help files,
therefore the GNU "help" environment relies on E-Macs to act as its
"man" command and help library.  A GNU "info" file has
a special text
token on line one, something like "-*-GCC-*-" for GCC, for example.
There are also utilities to convert Info files into TeX and LaTex files,
which can then be further converted into PostScript files, if necessary.
You just load the Info file into E-Macs and either the special token
will trigger Info mode or you can explicitly switch into it.  Info mode
is the "GNU Universal Mode" of Help files, which can then be converted
into whatever system you are using locally -- MAN, HLP, DL, LIBRARY, or
whatever.  Try "Info GCC" and see if you come up in the GCC Info online
help manual and EMACS reader.

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