SDCC is not really very difficult to get going, especially if you download the latest build. All you need to do is unpack the compressed file, it will put the files in the correct directories.

However it does work from a dos promt, so you may find that this will limit your possibilites with XP, I have machines with 98 and XP but thus far only have SDCC on the 98 Machines.

Just a small point, it will save you grief, to use printf() you will need to write a routine for putchar() first, all this needs to do is to write a character to the serial buffer and check the interrupt bit, just as you would in assembler for polled output.

Also you will need to set the registers so that the timer(s) are correctly configured for your desired baud rate, you code should call this before any printf commands.

Good luck, I've founf that SDCC does everthing that I want.

Richard