Shareware Overload/ShartewareOverload.cdr/games/bor_news.zip/BORLAND.NEW

Text File | 1987-01-29 | 15KB | 327 lines

BORLAND'S TURBO BASIC DELIVERS FASTEST COMPILATION, TRUE
RECURSION, BASICA COMPATIBILITY, 8087 SUPPORT



SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif  --  Thousands of people who write programs in BASIC or
plan to in the future can now boost their programming skills and write
cleaner, more elegant programs with Turbo Basic from Borland International,
Inc.  The new language development environment for IBM and compatible PCs
offers functionality and speed previously unavailable from other BASIC
compilers on the market, by combining the interactive strength of BASIC with
the structured, modular approach of Pascal.  Turbo Basic achieves the fastest
benchmarked compilation speeds among commercially-available BASIC compilers
for PCs.

     Turbo Basic employs the same powerful yet easy-to-use language
development environment that is characteristic of Turbo Pascal and Turbo
Prolog, Borland's first two language products and market leaders in their
respective categories.  The package includes a fast memory-to-memory
compiler, full screen editor, an internal linker and runtime library, and
Microcalc spreadsheet complete with source code.

     Combined support of true recursion, full 8087 integration, block
structured programming statements, and the ability to access all of the
computer's memory, set Turbo Basic apart from contenders, and make it an
ideal BASIC programming environment for both beginning and seasoned
programmers.

     New Turbo Basic also supports large multiline functions and procedures
with true local, static and global variables.  It is compatible with IBM's
Advanced Basic, (BASICA) and Microsoft GWBasic, and supports full EGA
graphics.  Turbo Basic has a suggested retail price of $99.95 and is expected
to begin delivery in 1Q 1987.

TURBO BASIC

PRODUCT BACKGROUND



Floating Point and Integer Support

     Turbo Basic answers one of the single most popular demands of BASIC
users: speed.  Full 8087/80287 (math coprocessor) support is provided in
Turbo Basic, which generates inline coprocessor instructions (with software
emulation if no 8087 is present). Intermediate results are calculated to 80
bits of precision.  Built-in conversion functions take BASICA floating point
data and convert it to Turbo Basic's standard IEEE floating point format.
Programs using integer mathematics can benefit from the implementation of a
new 32 bit long integer data type in Turbo Basic.



A Professional Development Environment

     Turbo Basic has the look and feel of other Borland software programs,
with its pull-down menus, context-sensitive help, and full window management
with separate windows for editing, messages, tracing and program execution.
The user has full control of placement, size and color of windows in the
environment.  The Compiler, Editor and Executable programs in Turbo Basic are
fully integrated.  Program text can be output to a window or to the full
screen.

     Turbo Basic automatically positions the cursor at the point of error in
the source code whenever compile, runtime or I/O errors occur. Turbo Basic
programs can be run within this programming environment, or Turbo Basic can
generate executable and chain files, without requiring a linking step.  As
with other Borland language tools, Turbo Basic allows users to create stand-
alone programs, with no support files, no royalties and no licensing
requirements.

Structured Programming in Turbo Basic

     Turbo Basic provides extensive block structured programming statements.
Conditional control is provided by the block IF (including ELSEIF) and SELECT
CASE statements.
     Support for DO WHILE, DO UNTIL, LOOP WHILE, and LOOP UNTIL statements in
Turbo Basic supplement the traditional repeat control statements of BASIC.
True recursive procedures and functions -- with local, static and global
variables -- make Turbo Basic highly suitable for the experienced BASIC
programmer developing large programs.  Recursion, or the ability of a
procedure and function to call itself, has been a long awaited feature for
BASIC programming.

     The EXIT statement can be used in procedures, functions or any block
statement (FOR, WHILE, DO, IF, SELECT CASE).

     Line numbers are optional in Turbo Basic, and alphanumeric labels can be
used to make programs more readable.

     A new named constants feature aids structured programming, helps
generate efficient code, and supports conditional compilation.  With
conditional compilation -- offered to BASIC programmers for the first time
with Turbo Basic -- users can write a single program but actually have
several different versions of that program, simply by setting flags at
compile time.  In this way the user need only update and maintain one
program.The
     Turbo Basic compiler automatically knows when event trapping is
required, and generates the appropriate code, thus saving the programmer from
the inconvenience of setting switches before compiling.  Event trapping can
be explicitly turned on and off at points in the source program to speed up
execution time.  A short circuit expression evaluation feature in Turbo Basic
promotes faster execution and more efficient code.

Memory Management

     The $SEGMENT compiler directive in Turbo Basic supports large program
development beyond the traditional 64K byte program limits of many other
BASIC compilers.

     All available memory may be used for array data, with any single array
up to 64K bytes.  Dynamic arrays allow specification of array size at runtime
for efficient use of memory, with defined upper and lower bounds.

     String data can occupy up to 64K of memory.  Turbo Basic provides
dynamic string memory management, and there is no requirement to wait for
string space to be compacted.



Operating System and Assembly Language Interface

     Turbo Basic extends BASIC to provide a call interrupt statement allowing
easy access to all DOS services and BIOS interrupts directly from the source
program.  With Turbo Basic, the programmer can call Assembly language INLINE
procedures by specifying the hex code or loading in a .COM file at compile
time.

*  *   *  *

     The introduction of Turbo Basic marks Borland's third major new language
development system since Turbo Pascal was launched in November, 1983.  The
company markets a growing family of high performance, modestly priced
software including programming language products, business productivity
software, development tools for artificial Intelligence applications,
electronic versions of leading reference works, and scientific and
engineering software tools.  A number of Borland products are leaders in
their respective software categories; such as Turbo Pascal, SideKick, Reflex:
The Analyst, Turbo Prolog and Turbo Lightning.

      For more information, contact Borland International, Inc., 4585 Scotts
Valley Drive, Scotts Valley, Calif., 95066; [phone].










January 26, 1987

BORLAND CHALLENGES ALL PLAYERS WITH TURBO C: OFFERS FASTEST OPTIMIZING C
COMPILER FOR MICROCOMPUTERS AT $99.95

----------------------------------------------------
Programmers Can Compile From Command Line Interface Or From Borland's
Integrated Environment

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. -- Programmers embarking on serious
software development projects, and novices taking their first
crack at the C programming language, can harness the power of new
Turbo C from Borland International, Inc. The new language
development system compiles at a fast 7000 lines of code per
minute. Turbo C is the only optimizing C compiler for
microcomputers that provides end users with a choice of using
either a conventional-style command line interface; or the
integrated environment that Borland has become known for,
complete with built-in editor, compiler and Linker.

Turbo C provides a one-pass compiler, full control of memory
models, and extensive code optimizations. In benchmark tests
(attached), Turbo C generates the fastest, smallest object code.
Turbo C has a built-in Turbo linker, also provided as a
standalone program for use in the command line mode.

According to Borland president Philippe Kahn, "People use C
because of the conciseness and flexibility of the language...and
Turbo C is best described as a high level language tool that
delivers programming control at the low end as well. We are proud
to repeat the concept of Turbo Pascal, by delivering a lightning
fast compiler and a feature-rich development environment at a
fraction of the cost of what might be considered as a comparable
offering."

                    Turbo C's Compiler and Linker


Turbo C is a single-pass compiler that generates intermediate
data structures in memory. In contrast, most C compilers are four
or five-pass compilers that compile using temporary files on
disk. Turbo C compiles to memory at fast raw compile times
exceeding 7000 lines/minute on a 6 MHz IBM PC AT.

Turbo C supports 6 memory models: Tiny, Small, Compact, Medium,
Large, Huge. Near pointers and far pointers allow the programmer
to take full advantage of the 8086 microprocessor's architecture
with the mixed model technique employed in Turbo C.

A  fast linker, like that implemented in Turbo Prolog, is
compatible with the DOS linker and links approximately two to ten
times faster than the DOS linker while it is about one-fifth the
size.

Turbo C features a built-in LINT with extensive error checking
for streamlined development and debugging; and full support of
ANSI prototypes. Optional Pascal calling conventions have been
included for added efficiency and optimization power.

A full range of Compiler options are provided including inline
assembler, multiple levels of optimization, generation of
80186/80286/8087 instructions, warning supression, and multiple
memory models. Compiler optimizations include automatic register
assignment and common sub-expression elimination.


                 In Support of Industry Standards for C
                          and Runtime Libraries

Turbo C implements the forthcoming ANSI C standard and delivers
full support of Kernighan and Ritchie C. Special extensions for
the PC environment include six memory models; and extensions for
mixed-language, mixed-model programming. Support for software
interrupt functions, and unique support for inline assembler, are
both implemented in Turbo C.

The Turbo C library includes standard functions and support for
the IEEE Floating Point standard (with software emulation if no
8087 is present). Support for UNIX compatibile library routines,
and supplemental functions for DOS and BIOS calls are also
included in the library for Turbo C.


                     The Development Environment

Turbo C features a pull down menu environment that is the
hallmark of other widely-used Borland language tools such as
Turbo Prolog and the forthcoming Turbo Basic. Because Turbo C
also comes complete with a command line version, professional C
programmers and software developers can select compile options
from the command line, from the integrated environment or from a
configuration file; without the need to set environment
variables.

The integrated environment in Turbo C supports an automatic
Make/Project Facility designed for managing program development.
A separate Make program is provided for the command line version.
This Facility compiles all modules in a project, or recompiles
only the modules that have been modified since last compiled.

The Run operation within the integrated environment will
recompile all necessary files, generate the executable code and
run the program, then return back to the user interface (UI).

Two tiled, zoomable windows -- the Editor Window and the Message
Window -- can be invoked within the editor; and the user can
toggle between these windows with a hot key.

In the Editor Window, a full screen editor is provided with
insert/overwrite, auto-indent, and block copy, move, read, write,
and delete along with many other functions.

In the Message Window, warnings and compiler error messages can
be turned off selectively at different levels. Turbo C steps
through multiple errors, and the interactive editor automatically
positions the cursor in the source code at the point of error.

The integrated help system in Turbo C is an abbreviated form of
the reference manual, showing declarations and descriptions of
all library functions for the large reference libraries commonly
associated with the C language.

                         The Turbo C User Manual

Turbo C's user manual is designed with special sections for both
experienced programmers, and for novice C programmers. The manual
contains a tutorial section on Turbo C for Turbo Pascal users
learning to program in C.

Borland International, Inc., was founded as a company devoted to
the development of superior language tools. The company's major
language development software includes Turbo Pascal, Turbo
Prolog, Turbo Basic and now Turbo C, and their accompanying
Toolbox products. Turbo Pascal and Turbo Prolog are the leading
language tools in their respective categories. Both Turbo Basic
and Turbo C are scheduled for delivery beginning in the first
half of 1987.

Turbo C will be available for $99.95 (suggested retail price)
either directly from Borland, or through its distributors and
dealers worldwide. For more information, contact Borland
International, 4585 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley, CA,
95066. Telephone [phone].

                           Benchmarks
                           ----------

Sieve benchmark (25 iterations)
-------------------------------

                                        Turbo C        Microsoft C

Compile Time                            3.89           16.37
Compile and Link Time                   9.94           29.06
Execution Time                          5.77           9.51
Object Code Size                        274            297


Dhrystone benchmark
-------------------

                                        Turbo C        Microsoft C

Compile Time                            5.93           30.70
Compile and Link Time                   10.60          44.22
Execution Speed(Dhrystones/second)      1282           1240
Object Code Size                        1164           1375


Benchmarks run on a 6 mhz IBM AT using Turbo C version 1.0 and
the Turbo Linker version 1.0; Microsoft C version 4.0 and the MS
overlay linker version 3.51.

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