JM> simple C compiler for OS/2.  I don't want to buy Borland's or Watcom's or
JM> whatever, because I just don't program in C (YET) I want to 
JM> try out the language
JM> and see if it does what I want as quickly as I want.

For your learning purposes, gcc/emx should be sufficient. You'll want
a good C manual, and perhaps a book on Gnu C to flesh out (and
organize) the bundled documents. There are several pieces to gcc/emx
that you must have and some auxiliary programs (GMAKE) whose need isn't
immediately apparent. Gnu C has a Unix heritage, so environment
variables for it may need to use a forward slash in pathnames. Not as
bad as it sounds- I sweated lots more getting IBM's $$ C Set ++
installed and working. Just don't think you'll click some "install"
and then start writing C code.

If you don't have a CD-ROM drive, consider getting one. They're cheap
and simplify installing and restoring programs no end.

The available Hobbes CD-ROMs are:
February 1994 (actually 3/94): contains sources, ready-to-run
August 1994: contains packed (mostly ZIP) files only-NO ready-to-run
November 1994: contains only ready-to-run and required fsf sources.

I've had the 11/94 CD for about a month now. I just fired up a
compile of 136 C source files for Ghostscript. It ran and linked in
8 minutes off my 2X CD-ROM drive, using gcc/emx. Not bad. You
can consider the 8/94 and 11/94 CDs kind of twins. If you're
borrowing a friend's CD-ROM to extract programs from the CD, the
8/94 will be more helpful, since the files are already ZIPped.

JM>     Yeah, how can I D/L all of these with a 2400 baud modem?

make sure it's a local call? getting all of Gnu C compiler by 2400
baud will be daunting. try to find someone nearby with CD-ROM drive
(does not have to be OS/2- you just want to make floppies, and any
hobbes file can be pulled off with a DOS system. list on any of the
3 is US$29.95, street is $15-20: only about 2-3 hours' worth of off-
peak US long-distance rates. but you get over 600MB with the CD!

___
 X KWQ/2 1.2e X Edison: smart inventor of 110 volt DC power system...

--- Maximus/2 2.02