Excerpted from message dated 02-28-96, Robert Goodman to Murray Lesser:

RG>   Lucky (?) of me to look here.  Do you know where/how I can
  >cheaply obtain a PL/1 compiler (with minimal related utilities)
  >that will run in 4 meg on a 386 in DOS 5.0?  However, I'm NOT
  >interested in the "structured" PL/1 that I've heard exists; I seek
  >a version that doesn't necessarily tend toward structured
  >programming. (Otherwise, I'd use Pascal or some such.)  I want all
  >the freedom and sloppiness (i.e. flexibility) that PL/1 can avail
  >me of.
  >   A reference manual for same would be nice, too.
  >   Do you think the publication you mentioned would be of some help?

Hi Robert--

    The only currently supported PL/I compiler that runs on an
Intel-powered desktop that I know of is IBM's PL/I for OS/2, which I am
sure will not run on your system (nor is it cheap!).  If you have CD-ROM
on your machine, Walnut Creek (800-786-9907) has a CP/M CD-ROM that (I
have heard) has both a CP/M version of PL/I (PL/M - used to write CP/M
itself) and a CP/M emulator for DOS, plus lots of on-line documentation
(list price: $39.95).  You have to be sort of desperate to go that
route, but it would be comparatively cheap.  There was a DEC version of
PL/I for DOS, but I haven't the slightest idea where you might find a
copy.  (You might write to DEC to see if they still have a copy of it
around.)

    "Structured programming" is a state of mind.  Structured programming
is _almost_ language independent; AFAIK, only Pascal insists that you
write your programs in that strange fashion.  The books on PL/I that
were written by college professors in the 70's had "Structured
Programming" in their titles because it was the Computer Science fad of
the decade and they wanted to sell books.  Joan Hughes' "PL/I Structured
Programming" has one chapter on structured programming to justify the
title; I skipped it!  I don't think that book will help you much; it is
aimed toward "big iron" users, and one has to infer a lot to convert her
teachings to a desktop setup.  And it is now very expensive.

    Why not try REXX?  REXX is a descendant of PL/I; many of its
constructs are the same.  You might look at "Personal REXX" by Quercus
Systems.  I use it on my ancient 4 MB 386SX laptop that doesn't have
enough hard-disk real estate to run OS/2, so runs on IBM-DOS 5.0 and
DESQview386.  There is even a "compile" option in Personal REXX; it is
not a true compiler to binary executable code, but compiles to a p-code
representation, which is then interpreted very rapidly (very similar to
the big-iron "compiler" for REXX).

    PL/I for DOS is off-topic on this echo.  If you want further
conversation, send me a private message in the 2X4BBS "General"
conference (#1).

    Sorry I can't be of more help.

          --Murray

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