From randy{at}zws.com Sat Dec 27 08:07:32 1997
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 1997 08:06:22 +1100 (EST)
From: andrew clarke 
To: Kim Lykkegaard 
Subject: Re: back to the future

> > Kim, first of all I'd like to mention that your English isn't too bad.
> > It's just a matter of practice - you'll get better.  :-)
>
> I hope so, i have been bette - but after been dragt through Latin,
> Classic Greek and Hebrew in 2 1/2 year, I must conffes what my
> english is suffring from the fact what I didn't use it as offen  :)

I'm not surprised.  :-)

> > and generating of origin lines, tear lines, etc., individually.  So it's
> > quite probable that some of our work has been duplicated.  But I will
>
> Quit Okay. They say great mind think a like ,-)

;-)

> > I still use Borland C++ for DOS 3.1 for most of my programming.  It's
> > quick on my 486DX/2.
>
> Like wise, I'm using 3.1 and having a 486DX/2 :)
>
> The only thing I don't like about BC 3.1 is what i (as far as i Know) can
> compile 32-bit programs.

No, you can't.  I don't know if it's possible with later versions either.
Watcom, DJGPP or EMX will generate 32-bit DOS code though.  There is an IDE
for DJGPP named RHIDE which is supposely similar to Borland's IDE, but you
mention below that you don't like Borland's IDE, so I guess it might not be
of much use to you.  :-)  I downloaded RHIDE but haven't looked at it yet
(I need more hard disk space...)

> > Sometimes the editor (IDE) crashes though, so I have to remember
> > to save often.
>
> I never user it, it to big slow and i dont like the layout, I'm using a
> old internal IBM editor call E2.exe, it is fast and small and I know
> it, and it has some very good block commands, so I'm still using what
> one :)

I use the IDE because it has an integrated compiler and debugger.  (That's
why it's called an IDE.  ;-)  Aside, I'm used to the WordStar keys and
screen layout because of my days with Turbo Pascal (I started with TP 3.0).

Outside of the IDE I use a combination of MicroEMACS and BOXER.  BOXER is
good for block changes, but otherwise I try to stick with MicroEMACS
because I have versions for DOS, OS/2 and FreeBSD.

> > I've been programming in C for 4 years, and Turbo Pascal
> > before that.
>
> I guesst what ;) whats why you writing stile is pascal.
>
> if (something)
> {
>      something;
> }
>
> And I write:
>
> if (something) {
>         something;
> }
>
> ,-)

Ah, true, but initially I used the latter format too, until I found it was
actually easier to write, reformat and move blocks of code around when the
braces are on their own lines.

That reminds me... when I ran UNIX diff over the entire Nuntius source
code, comparing it with the Msged 4.10 source code, I noticed quite a few
changes that were no more than changes in the formatting of the code rather
than actual program modifications.  That makes merging the code a little
more time consuming.  In future, if you can help it, please don't reformat
the code if you don't have to.  :-)

> I will do what - but I think it whould bee even bette (If _you_ can
> accept it a like the idear) what we only make one MSGED. And by what
> I mean what we try to .. damm whats the word... syncronice our work.

Yes.  That has been difficult in the past though, with multiple programmers
sending me code updates.  It took much time to merge their code into the
official source code stream.  Eventually I distributed source code patches
(41-42b1.zip and 42b1-b2.zip) to upgrade programmer's source code to 4.20
beta 2, but by that time I'd lost interest in the Msged project because
nobody had contacted me about it in months, and I didn't think anybody was
still interested in writing code for it.  It's only recently that I've seen
anybody expressing any real interest in the project.

I don't think I ever annouced the availability of those files, but as far
as I know they're available at ftp.zws.com in the /pub/msged/ directory
(I've sent you copies to save you looking).  They might also be in the
Msged directory at ftp.juge.com, and might be available for FREQ from
3:635/728 too, but it's been so long since I created the zip files that I
really don't remember where I sent them.  I should probably check...

> What I'm thing about is if we can find a way to have the same (or
> almost the same code) to work at and exchance chance... And when
> you can stand for the relases and all what kind of thing. I did
> only take up some work I suspetet was dead.

I understand.  I'd like to do the same.

--
Andrew Clarke, Melbourne, Australia
E-mail randy{at}zws.com  FidoNet 3:635/728.4
http://www.blizzard.ml.org/

--- Msged/386 4.20 beta 4