From: lecoat@atari.org   
      
   Hi,   
      
   Michael Schwingen writes:   
   > Francois LE COAT wrote:   
   >>>> What worries me the most, is that there's no 16bits integer type. The   
   >>>> C language is inappropriate for 16/32bits ATARI machines.   
   >>>   
   >>> Huh?   
   >>>   
   >>> Of course there is - I just tried using gcc-m68k-atari-mint cross-compiler   
   >>> (4.6.4) - it is called "short", just like expected.   
   >>   
   >> Replacing integer type (int) by short type (short) in my 30 years old   
   >> sources from Eureka 2.12 doesn't work. GNU/GCC 3.3.6 16bits integer   
   >> type is suitable for 16/32bits machines like the ATARI ST, but GNU/GCC   
   >> 4.2 and later don't have this 16bits int type. This is a cruel lack =(   
   >   
   > Huh?   
   >   
   > "short" *is* an integer type, so gcc has what you need. If using "short"   
   > does not work, your code is buggy in other areas and simply needs to be   
   > debugged/fixed - this is not gcc's fault.   
   >   
   > I can accept that you don't want to do that work, but again: that is your   
   > decision and not gcc's fault.   
      
   If 16bits variants of ATARI's libraries were supplied with GNU/GCC 4.2   
   or later, I would appreciate de retro-compatibility with the ATARI ST.   
   But these 16bits versions of MiNTlib, GEMlib etc. are not still   
   maintained ... You would say that it is "buggy" or something else,   
   but it is simply 30 years old, such as the sources of my Eureka 2.12   
   software. The retro-compatibility with the ATARI ST is not maintained.   
      
   The problem is really with the "programmed obsolescence" with GNU/GCC 4,   
   and people developing the ATARI target. They forget that ATARI ST is   
   a 16/32bits architecture, and the "integer" type should be proposed as   
   a 16bits type. This is a matter of adequacy from the language with the   
   target. A 32bits integer type is far too demanding for an ATARI 520ST   
   with 1Mb of RAM, like the one that was proposed 30 years ago by ATARI.   
      
   Please notice that my software Eureka 2.12 runs on the early 520ST =)   
   Most of the ATARI software produced today are not, you can check it.   
   The software generated with AHCC have more chance to run with ATARI ST.   
      
   Regards,   
      
   --    
   François LE COAT   
   Author of Eureka 2.12 (2D Graph Describer, 3D Modeller)   
   http://eureka.atari.org/   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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