Hey Bob!

Oct 08 13:56 03, Bob Jones wrote to Maurice Kinal:

 BJ> Yes, but you had to pick your compiler up seperately from the 
 BJ> operating system, usually at additional cost for the Windows or Dos 
 BJ> environment..... 

True but the same can be said for any OS.  I can run Linux without a compiler.

 BJ> Ok, most of the original versions of the (MS or PC) 
 BJ> DOS came with a BASIC interpreter either built in to the BIOS or as 
 BJ> part of the OS package.

Also true.  I did use them when convenient to do so but I still *needed* a
compiler.  I still do.  After all these years nothing much has changed,
other then I don't worry about porting anymore.  That has been the most
significant change.

 BJ> But compilers were extra.....

I'd argue they still are.

 BJ> On the other 
 BJ> hand, it is typically standard to include a C compiler (among other 
 BJ> things) with a Unix operating system.

Welllllllll ... yes and no.  I think, not that I know for sure, that most
Linux and *BSD people probably have gcc installed.  I don't think that is a
given though, and certainly isn't a must.  For me it is but I'm fairly
certain that I am not the norm, other then maybe the "gcc on a Unixie
system" issue.

Life is good,
Maurice

--- Msged/LNX 6.1.1