Needin' a C Compiler? Check out MingW & lcc-win32

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In summary, some people recommend Borland C++, Dev C++, and Comeau for compilers, and others like Visual Studio. Dev C++ is said to be better in that it is not as "heavy" as others for download and memory consumption after installed. Pete recommends using Borland C++, and recommends the website smorgasbordet.com for picking up a compiler. He also recommends the websites bloodshed.net, objectcentral.com, digitalmars.com, openwatcom.org, andgnu.org for further research.
  • #1
Math Is Hard
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Hi there,
I am taking a C programming course this summer and I am looking around for a compiler.
I have used Visual Studio in the past but I don't need anything quite that elaborate. The recommendations I've gotten are for:
MingW
http://www.mingw.org/
and lcc-win32
http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~lcc-win32/

what do y'all think about these? anything else I might look into?

Thanks!
 
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  • #2
How about Borland C++, Dev C++, and there is also Comeau for free on the net
Choosing Dev C++, I personally think, is much better as it is not so "heavy" as others for download and memory consumption after installed.
I have two questions as to why you stopped using Visual studio, and why you now change back to C but not go on with C++ ?
 
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  • #4
Thanks for the advice. Now that I think about it, I can see how my post did look kinda weird! :biggrin:
I don't have a Visual Studio license anymore. I used it at my previous job, where we all had licenses, but I don't have a licensed copy where I am at now.
Why I am doing C: the C++ was just some stuff we did in beginning computer science class. (our teacher ran out of things to talk about so he decided to just give us programming assignments!) At the school I am at now they require you to take a C class before you're allowed to take C++, so here I am! :yuck:
I just installed the lcc-win32 and I am messing around with that a little bit. So far I am really confused, but I have barely looked at the documentation.
 
  • #5
Dang! Thanks for that plethora of compilers! Wow - who knew!?
 
  • #6
Well, you are lucky to study in that school, there are some here I know having no C++ courses. C++ is what students are always advised to teach themselves. C is the language to be taught in class.
I have heard that from many friends of mine in other schools..<smila>
 
  • #7
Pattielli said:
Well, you are lucky to study in that school, there are some here I know having no C++ courses. C++ is what students are always advised to teach themselves. C is the language to be taught in class.
I have heard that from many friends of mine in other schools..<smila>

That's a shame because almost all the work I see in the software industry is with object oriented programs like C++ and Java.

Pete
 
  • #8
I am really confused! Is software industry what I was talking about ?
Yes, although students are taught about C, but who doesn't know C++ ? I think, they work much better with C++ than with C. (Because as I already said, they are all advised to teach themselves C++, actually it also depends on schools, there are some that will have C++/ API/ Winprogramming courses, whereas some only have Delphi, C, and introductions about OOP. Most of the schools throughout the country have Java courses, and the students will be taught much more about it when they take Software Engineering Course (OOP, Java and Internet, JSP, JavaBeans, architectures, SOAP, etc), in SoftEng courses, again, it also depends on each school, of whether professors will ask students to learn more about java or C++, but I think Java is chosen most, because it always, as many people know, goes quite well with "Networking" term. Microsoft dot Net is also being also taken into consideration, it is just in a beginning stage, I amnot sure about this though, but I think even when it is not brought into popularity in colleges, students still go search and teach themselves). That is some information I have been told about...(I am just another "listener", things might change in different other ways, who knows ?)
C (and Delphi) is/are the first language(s) for students to learn here, and second Java and an able-to-teach-yourself-language VB, which is not oftenly used because of its ease to learn and acutally not having as much challenges for students as C/C++ and Java . A friend of mine who studies in the South of the country said she uses VB, MVC++, openGL for her research projects only.

Another point, programming languages taught I think are just about 3 or 4 for freshmen and sofomores, and when they go up to 3rd and 4th year they have to search and teach themselves any other things that they like to learn, and when their last college year comes, they may have to teach themselves some other things that meet their need in their projects for graduation. And again, it is a self-study all the time...

Although lots of people I have met usually refuse C of the old days, I still see there are lots of applications made by students in CS department of my school, and which is mostly programmed using C language (micro, Tk, CPU, chips etc-related projects) whenever I go listen to the presentations of 3 or 4 year students.
>>>Just a thought poping up in my head right now: I think C language is getting older these days but things go from the past to the present and future, i admit that I learn C++ easier after i already know something basic about C first, don't know though, but perhaps it is because i started first with C whose syntax of memory allocation, string manipulation etc, i guess, are now partially erased from my memory. Is that good ? I am still wondering...
 
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1. What is MingW and lcc-win32?

MingW and lcc-win32 are two popular C compilers that can be used on Windows operating systems. A C compiler is a program that translates human-readable C code into machine-readable code, allowing the program to be executed on a computer.

2. Why do I need a C compiler?

If you want to write and run programs in the C programming language, you will need a C compiler. Without a compiler, your code will not be able to be translated into machine code and therefore cannot be executed by a computer.

3. How do I install MingW and lcc-win32?

MingW and lcc-win32 can be downloaded and installed from their respective websites. Both compilers have user-friendly installation processes and instructions available on their websites.

4. Are MingW and lcc-win32 free to use?

Yes, both MingW and lcc-win32 are open-source software and are free to use and distribute. This makes them popular choices for beginner programmers or those on a budget.

5. Can MingW and lcc-win32 be used for commercial purposes?

Yes, both compilers can be used for commercial purposes as they are released under permissive licenses. However, it is always important to check the license terms and conditions before using any software for commercial purposes.

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