I think yes, because the gcc port 1.37 is for me very helpfull.
1. The gcc Compiler is used for most publicdomain unix programs, so you
won't have any trubble with the compiler it self (too big arrays, short ints
and so on and on).
2. The code is in most cases is 1.2 to 1.5 times faster the Think-C and MPW C.
(up to 2.0 for special cases. This helps use to forget the slowness of gcc
compiling programs)
This helps use to wait with the update for a new maschine or speed up the
program it self for example rendering, raytracing.
3. It makes it possible for every one who likes to program in C, C++ and
Objectiv-C without paying alot of money for in my eyes toys like Think-C
(to prevent picking on me this is my personal view !!!), or the MPW enviroment
were you have to buy the shell, C and C++ every thing extra. (You pay alot of
for something witch is slower and has more bugs than gcc).
Now the prof for what I said before.
The last project I worked on was an MPEG to quicktime converter for the Mac.
With Think-C no way, because off the limitations with big static datastructures.
If you write a program yourself than that may not be a problem but for 100kbyte of write code you get mad. Even with the MPW-C no better luck after fixing all problems the program decodes only garbage. This is a problem with long defines
and optimisation witch is buggy in MPW-C. The only compiler witch I could find
to do my job was gcc 1.37 no problem at all. This wasn't the only project were
gcc does an perfect job. I ported the first pd JPEG program to the mac, dkb-2.12
and so on. With JPEG and dkb-2.12 it was possible to compile with MPW-C but,
the programs were 1.2 to 1.6 times slower than with MPW-C.
But many Mac-programer wouldn't be happy with gcc because you are not able to
compile one line off code with toolbox calls in it. I personaly spilt the projects
in files for toolbox calls and other. The toolbox files are compiled with MPW-C and the rest with gcc and than link together. For POV-Ray 1.0 I get 1.2 more
performace that with MPW-C. Not mutch but for 48 hours tracing time you save 8
hours an hole working day.
Rainer
P.S: I only have access to a development maschine with MPW-C and Think-C in my
sparetime (in a lab near me) so I could spend alot of time programing the Mac.