Don Conley (dconley@mines.colorado.edu) wrote:
: I am a student majoring in Math and Computer Science.  I am minoring in
: Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.  I am considering buying a C++
: compiler.  I would like any recommendations that you can make.
: Vital Stats:

: Pentium 90
: 16 MB RAM
: 850MB memory
: Windows
: CD-Rom
: Super VGA

What's missing here Don and is more relevant than the power of your machine
is the platform you wish to program on (you mention Windows, but it
seems like that reference is more a feature of the system then a developement
target.  Lets assume you want to do both Dos and Windows programming.

If your goal is to compile on the most commonly used Windows compiler in the
professional world, you should consider Msvc.  More Windows programmers
are being sought with msvc experience than any other compiler.  The problem
with Msvc is that it has had a very poor history of keeping up with the
C++ standard (nothing is more frustrating than the fact that I can't
compile the STL on MSVC 1.5 because it does not support templates!@#$#!).

If your looking for the best compiler for the Dos/Windows operating
environments you should give Borland 4.5 a try.  Unlike MSVC, Borland is
pretty good about keeping on top of the standard.  Not only do they support
templates and exceptions and comply largly with other standerd edicts, I know
people testing Alpha's for Borland 5, which will support Name spaces and
type Bool (if it releases soon, will it be the first compiler on earth
to do that?).  Borland also offers 16 and 32 bit targets in the same
compiler (isn't that amazing, Mr. Gates).

If you do intend to only program in Dos in the near future it does not
really matter which compiler you choose as far as preparing for the
job market is concerned(so choose Borland). If you do intend to persue a windows
job after school though, you may want to consider looking at MSVC.  MFC (The
interface library for MSVC) is substantialy diferent then OWL (the iface lib
for Borland) that it could be a hindrence in the job search if MSVC positions
are all you can find.  I speak from direct, recent, experience here.  My
favorite offer was an Msvc job and it took me about a month to adjust to
the change (downgrade?).  And I have been told that adjustment was unusually
fast.


Hope this helps

By the way, I suggest you redirect your compiler/begginer C++ questions to
comp.lang.C++ in the future.  This is the area for C++ standards discusson,
and though I don't personally give a shit, many of the purist will consider
you flamebait if they happen to catch this kind of message on
this group after a bad day at the office!

good luck

Brian

I am a student majoring in Math and Computer Science.  I am minoring in
Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.  I am considering buying a C++
compiler.  I would like any recommendations that you can make.
Vital Stats:

Pentium 90
16 MB RAM
850MB memory
Windows
CD-Rom
Super VGA

Thanks in Advance.
Don Conley