Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft Corp says it has released its latest C and C++ compiler for the personal computer market. The product, which is inventively named C 7.0 and is due for shipment by the end of the year, enables the production of both 16-bit and 32-bit code, getting round some of the memory management problems associated with programming under the Windows environment. By using an intermediate, compressed P-code, Microsoft says, the compiler reduces the size of applications by up to 60%. The com piler also allows for the more efficient calling of functions through in-lining techniques. The C move is seen as a stepping stone to the company’s 32-bit Windows and NT operating system.
