Watcom C/C++ compiler
 |
To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, the introduction of this article may need to be rewritten. Please discuss this issue on the talk page and read the layout guide to make sure the section will be inclusive of all essential details. (December 2010) |
 |
This article relies on references to primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject, rather than references from independent authors and third-party publications. Please add citations from reliable sources. (May 2011) |
 |
|
| Original author(s) | Watcom Sybase SciTech Software |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Open community |
| Initial release | January 8, 2003 |
| Stable release | 1.9 / June 2, 2010 |
| Development status | Active |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Size | 73.8 Mb |
| Type | Integrated development environment |
| License | Sybase Open Watcom Public License version 1.0 |
| Website | www.openwatcom.org |
The Watcom C/C++ compiler is a compiler for the computer programming languages C and C++ that produces executable programs for several platforms and operating systems. The code it produces for MS-DOS executes very fast[citation needed]. It was one of the first compilers to support the Intel 80386 "protected mode"[citation needed]. In the mid-1990s some of the most technically ambitious DOS games such as Doom, Descent and Duke Nukem 3D were built using Watcom C.[1]
Though no longer sold commercially by Sybase, the Watcom C/C++ compiler and the Watcom Fortran compiler have been made available as the free and open source[2] Open Watcom package with the assistance of SciTech Software. The code is portable and, like many other open source compiler projects such as GCC or LCC the compiler backend (code generator) is retargetable. The compiler can be operated from, and generate executable code for, the DOS, OS/2, Linux and Windows operating systems. It also supports NLM targets for Novell NetWare. There is ongoing work to extend the targeting to Linux[3] and modern BSD (e.g., FreeBSD) operating systems, running on x86, PowerPC and other processors. The Open Watcom C/C++ version 1.4 release on December 2005 introduced Linux x86 as an experimental target, supported from NT or OS/2 host platforms. There is code for an abandoned QNX version, but libraries necessary for it to be compiled could not be released as open source.[citation needed] Stable version 1.9 was released in June 2010.[4]
Contents |
[edit] Release history
The Open Watcom Wiki has a comprehensive history.[1]
| Date | Product | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Waterloo C for S/370 | |
| 1985 | Work on current code generator codebase started | |
| 1988 | Watcom C 6.0 |
|
| 1989 | Watcom C 7.0 | |
| 1989 | Watcom C 7.0/386 |
|
| 1990 | Watcom C 8.0 | |
| 1990 | Watcom C 8.0/386 | |
| 1991 | Watcom C 8.5 | |
| 1991 | Watcom C 8.5/386 |
|
| 1992 | Watcom C 9.0 | |
| 1992 | Watcom C 9.0/386 |
|
| Watcom C 9.01/386 |
|
|
| 1993 | Watcom C/C++ 9.5 | |
| 1993 | Watcom C/C++ 9.5/386 |
|
| 1994 | Watcom C/C++ 10.0 |
|
| 1995 | Watcom C/C++ 10.5 |
|
| 1996 | Watcom C/C++ 10.6 |
|
| 1997 | Watcom C/C++ 11.0 | |
| 1998 | Watcom C/C++ 11.0B | |
| 1999 | Sybase issues end-of-life notice for Watcom C/C++ 11.0 | |
| 2000 | Sybase announces open sourcing of Watcom tools | |
| 2001-09-27 | Watcom C/C++ 11.0c Beta | |
| 2002-12-21 | Watcom C/C++ 11.0c | |
| 2003-01-28 | Open Watcom 1.0 | |
| 2003-08-12 | Open Watcom 1.1 | |
| 2004-01-07 | Open Watcom 1.2 | |
| 2004-08-03 | Open Watcom 1.3 | |
| 2005-12-14 | Open Watcom 1.4 | |
| 2006-04-26 | Open Watcom 1.5 | |
| 2006-12-15 | Open Watcom 1.6 | |
| 2007-08-18 | Open Watcom 1.7 | |
| 2007-10-23 | Open Watcom 1.7a | |
| 2009-02-21 | Open Watcom 1.8 | |
| 2010-06-02 | Open Watcom 1.9 |
[edit] Compatibility with other compilers
Open Watcom's syntax supports many conventions introduced by other compilers, such as Microsoft's and Borland's, including differing conventions regarding (for instance) the number of leading underscores on the "asm" tag. Code written specifically for another compiler rather than standard-compliant C or C++ will often compile with the Watcom compiler.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b History - Open Watcom. OpenWatcom.com wiki.
- ^ Source code. OpenWatcom.org FTP server.
- ^ Installing Open Watcom on Linux - Open Watcom. OpenWatcom.org wiki.
- ^ "Latest Release (June 2010) - Open Watcom". OpenWatcom.org wiki. http://www.openwatcom.org/index.php/Main_Page#Latest_Release_.28June_2010.29.
[edit] External links
- Open Watcom website
- Paul Hsieh. (Revision 4.12, 2008-05-08). "The WATCOM C/C++ Programmer’s FAQ". http://www.azillionmonkeys.com/qed/watfaq.shtml. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
- Rick Grehan (October 1994). "Watcom C/C++ Gets a New Face". BYTE 19 (10): 111. Archived from the original on 1997-07-12. http://replay.web.archive.org/19970712221411/http://www.byte.com/art/9410/sec12/art5.htm. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
