To: jepler AT nyx DOT cs DOT du DOT edu (Jeff Epler)
Cc: djgpp AT sun DOT soe DOT clarkson DOT edu
Subject: Re: How to use files in docs/gcc? 
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1993 00:51:33 -0700
From: Darryl Okahata <darrylo AT hpnmxx DOT sr DOT hp DOT com>

> How can I install these files into demacs?  I'm pretty much a newbie,
> so I had just added lines looking like 
> 
>  * gcc: (gcc).

     This should work, as long as the top-level info file (the one
containing the indirect tags table) is called "gcc" and is present in
the same directory as the file, "dir".

> In case it matters, they are the demacs files that are current at
> simtel, version 18.55.120 (?)

[ shameless plug follows ... ]

     I'd like to point out that "OEmacs Release 3" is an alternative to
demacs.  Here are some reasons to use Release 3:

* Release 3 is based upon V19.12 (yes, this isn't the latest, but the
  next release, Release 4, will be based upon something newer).  Demacs
  is based upon an ancient V18.55/V18.57 mixture.

* Unlike previous versions of OEmacs, it can be compiled and dumped
  using DJGPP.

* OEmacs works within MS Windows (however, the DJGPP-compiled version
  requires a numeric coprocessor, while the WATCOM C/386-compiled
  version doesn't, but takes a very long time to start up).

* Pressing Ctrl-Break will interrupt whatever OEmacs is doing; you can
  always break out of infinite Emacs-lisp loops.  With demacs, an
  infinite Emacs-lisp loop means that you'll have to hit Ctrl-Alt-Del ...

Of course, there are some reasons not to use OEmacs Release 3:

* Subprocesses "suck" with the DJGPP-compiled version.  The demacs
  "-keep" options have not been merged into GO32, which means that
  shelling to DOS takes a long time and sucks up a lot of disk space.

* The DJGPP-compiled OEmacs requires a special GO32, one that is a
  superset of the 1.10 GO32 (I had to add some special turbo calls).

* Release 3 is a beta release, and comes as a set of seven 1.2MB .ZIP
  files, which, when extracted, will suck up an additional 25MB or so
  (full sources, two sets of binaries, etc., are included).

If anyone wants more info, send email.

     -- Darryl Okahata
	Internet: darrylo AT sr DOT hp DOT com

DISCLAIMER: this message is the author's personal opinion and does not
constitute the support, opinion or policy of Hewlett-Packard or of the
little green men that have been following him all day.