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From: mzp@uicsg.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.cbm
Subject: Re: DON'T GET MAE/Merlin review - (nf)
Message-ID: <5728@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 17-Feb-84 22:51:05 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.5728
Posted: Fri Feb 17 22:51:05 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 20-Feb-84 07:12:33 EST
Lines: 35

#R:pur-phy:-119100:uicsg:18200001:000:1622
uicsg!mzp    Feb 17 09:27:00 1984

  I find your description of Merlin somewhat appealing, although I cannot
understand your avid dislike of MAE.  I used MAE for some reasonably-sized
programs (a C-64 graphics package), and found it to be more than adequate.
Its major drawback is in fact that it sits in RAM, thus limiting resident
program space.  I take notable exception with several of your charges:

  1.  I don't know what kind of problems you had using macros, but I have
      never experienced any difficulties whatsoever with them.  It sounds
      like you were trying to do something with macros that would have
      more rationally done in some other manner.

  2.  There ARE operators for low and high byte.  Try reading the manual.

  3.  The manual is not copious with examples, but it contains all the
      information that is needed.  I was going at full clip within two
      days after getting MAE.

  4.  You imply that MAE does not support include files.  It in fact does,
      and it more than comfortably handled a densely-commented program
      which assembled to about 3K.

Now, I am not going to back MAE unconditionally.  It has funny pseudo-ops
and the default colors are bad.  But the editor is easy to use and supports
bidirectional scrolling.  The included monitor is extremely powerful.
It even comes with a simple text formatter, and it only cost my company
$69.  It appears that you never really tried to become accustomed to MAE,
because you wouldn't be complaining so fiercely now if you had.  Perhaps
Merlin-64 has its virtues, but do not rule out alternatives with haphazard
claims.

					Mark Papamarcos