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Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2004 13:24:01 -0500
Message-Id: <200403091824.i29IO1ct003888@envy.delorie.com>
From: DJ Delorie <dj AT delorie DOT com>
To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
In-reply-to: <2695edf1.0403091000.1ee55dfb@posting.google.com>
	(ppaatt AT aol DOT com)
Subject: Re: even ordinary .exe .com .sys rebuilt by djgpp
References:  <2695edf1 DOT 0403091000 DOT 1ee55dfb AT posting DOT google DOT com>
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> Can djgpp build ordinary .exe and .com and .sys?

In general, no.  Why would you want to?  ;-)

Exception: DJGPP includes a 16-bit assembler called "djasm" that can
produce these files, but ONLY if you can fit all your code into a
single asm file - not even libraries are supported.

> Else is there some other gcc that just plain works?

I once ported gcc to the 16-bit i86 world.  It's an OLD port, at
http://www.delorie.com/djgpp/16bit/gcc/, but someone has resurrected
it recently (search the gcc archives).  No guarantees and it's
definitely not user friendly at this point (i.e. no assembler or
linker!)

> In my ignorance, I fear the runtime time cost, the real mode space
> cost, compatibility, and other effects of switching back and forth
> between real and protected mode.

Experience has shown that DJGPP programs tend to be faster than 16-bit
programs.