On Friday, 96/08/23, Murray Lesser wrote to David Noon about "PL/I for
OS/2" as follows:

ML>     Can you elaborate a little, please.  What "enhanced tools?"

Hi Murray,

There is an execution profiler in the NT compiler, nominally 1.2, and
I am speculating that the OS/2 version will also have it. It was
mentioned in the last newsletter.

ML>     Now, in one of your communiques to someone, you mentioned that PL/I
ML> release 1.3 would be out next year.  If that is the one that will
ML> allow creating stand-alone executables, it might be worth the cost
ML> of upgrading.  In the meantime, I'll think about it.

I'm still not certain that 1.2 won't. I posted a question about it on
Compuserve but have received no reply as yet.

ML>     It is my understanding that the 32-bit VIO is just a 32-bit wrapper
ML> for the same-old same-old 16-bit VIO calls.  Why insert
ML> "automatic" thunking with additional system code when PL/I does it
ML> all for me now?

I thought there was a release that had full replacement DLL's with all
32-bit code, rather than "deferred thunking". If all they do is defer
the pointer conversion you might just as well do it in-line in PL/I.

ML>     I haven't written a macro since Z-80 assembly language days under
ML> CP/M, but I suppose I ought to start learning how to write PL/I
ML> macros.

It is a _very_ powerful facility. You can even create your own
statements with your own language keywords if you want. This is what
I've been planning to use to encapsulate the OS/2 and Win32c API's as
PL/I statements. Work progresses very slowly on that little project
though.

ML>     In spite of the misdirection, the last couple of Indelible Blue
ML> catalogs have listed PL/I for OS/2 (page 40 in the "1996 Summer
ML> Catalog").  $700 (US) for the Professional Edition, $213 (US) for
ML> the Personal Edition.  If they actually stocked it, it may be a last
ML> chance for cheapskates like me to get a copy of Personal Edition
ML> 1.1.

In this country a company called Grey Matter stocks them at 770 pounds
for Prof. Ed. and 145 pounds for Pers. Ed., each with VAT to be added.
There is a strange discrepancy in the price conversions, that the one
aimed at corporate developers should be really gouged whereas the one
aimed at an individual is almost exactly right for the currency
differences.

Regards

Dave


 * KWQ/2 1.2i * Read the docs. Wow, what a radical concept!

--- Maximus/2 3.01