CompuServe Messages

Here we go: First, I do not work for the company DTM or GVP, nor I get any money from them. – Cluster is a programming language like Modula 2. It is as readable as Pascal and Modula 2. – The syntax is basically Modula 2. You can switch (if you like) to original Modula 2 language syntax but the strength of Cluster are the additional features. – objectoriented programming – exception handling (C++ has not yet!) + userdefined exceptions. This is a real help in programming (I know!). – Resource-handling, -tracking – functions can have complex return values – a string type – beside BEGIN…END you can define a CLOSE part in your program. This part is automatically executed if your program ends or even if your program crashes (to free memory or close windows for example) – Import groups, to reduce the annoying imports – constants of complex types – low level programming (registers) if you like – runtime errors do not crash the computer, even you get the source line of the error displayed – predefined procedure variables (like in C++, but you can select which you want!) – fast code generation for 68000, 68020/30/40 and 68881/2 – compiles around 6000 lines/minute – Code -> standard Amiga with fastmem: 1600 Dhrystones/s, Amiga 33MHz 68030: 13000 Dhrystones/s. The system consists of: – Two editors (!), one integrated, one with AREXX-Interface (OS 2 style guide) – Compiler, Linker, Loader, Make, around 1200 pages manual, more than 2kg – Price (Germany): DM 399.- ~= $ 240 ($ 1 = DM 1.65), student prices are available, I think around DM 100 off (~= $ 60). Perhaps you can contact GVP for more information, otherwise I can give you the address of DTM Germany. If you like I can ask the Cluster programmers if they allow to upload a demo version of Cluster (they have one). This will take around 800KB. Juergen Braun (via Autopilot… from Germany) (I hope my english is not so bad!)