rt > risc/6000 (actually ANSI compiler in AIX Version 3)

[Stefan M. Vorkoetter]

I have ported the Maple Computer Algebra system to the RS/6000, and therefore
feel qualified to comment on the C Compiler (since the Maple Kernel is written
in C).

Our Kernel is not an ANSI C program, and xlc spewed pages and pages of error
messages at me when I compiled it.  However, when invoked as cc, the entire
program compiled just fine (in under 10 minutes for 25000 lines of code in
about 50 source files).

So, my understanding is that xlc is an ANSI compiler, while invoking it as cc
makes it behave more like a typical UNIX compiler (ie. it can compile real
programs, not just textbook examples :-).

A further note: turning on the optimizer is significant.  It sped up Maple by
50 to 75 per cent.

Stefan Vorkoetter
Technical Manager
Waterloo Maple Software
(smvorkoetter at daisy.uwaterloo.ca)