Sierra 68000 C Compiler
From Sega Retro
| Sierra 68000 C Compiler | ||||||||||
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| Developer: Sierra Systems, Larry Rosenthal | ||||||||||
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The Sierra 68000 C Compiler[2] is a MS-DOS software-based PC hosted C cross-compiler, developed by Sierra Systems and released in 1987, for the Motorola 68000 Family microprocessors, composed by a 68000 C compiler, macro assembler, linker, librarian, up/down loader (both serial and parallel) and a source level debugger. It was largely used in the early 90's in 68000-based applications ranging from navigational systems to printer applications and video games (the Sega Channel BIOS and the Western Technologies Genesis Development Card[3] firmware, were both programmed with the Sierra 68000 C Compiler) and was licensed to and included by Sega in their Sega Mega Drive Development Kit sold to Third-Party video game development companies (listed in old Cross Products Price lists[4], which was, at the time, part of Sega). It contains several key features such as highly optimized code, rapid compilation times, ROMable code, position independent and reentrant code generation and support for resident libraries, fragmented address space and IEEE floating point format.
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A special parallel download/upload capability was possible through the use of a proprietary cable, which once connected to the printer port of the host computer and plugged under a EPROM on the target board allowed for "blazing fast" downloads.
Patents
US5287455
