Whatever compiler you choose, make sure it's for the operating system you have on your computer. An older MS-DOS compiler probably won't run well under Windows (though it may be possible to run it in a ``DOS box''.) A newer Windows compiler certainly won't run under plain MS-DOS.
Also, it's preferable to have a C compiler, or a C++ compiler that also compiles C, as opposed to a compiler that only compiles C++. As far as I know, most C++ compilers do have an optional mode in which they act just like C compilers, and when you're writing C programs, this is obviously the mode you want to use. (C++ compilers that also compile C are often called ``C/C++ compilers.'') If you find yourself stuck with a compiler that compiles only C++, you may be able to use it (since C++ is mostly a superset of C, and most C programs--especially simple ones--are also valid C++ programs), but it won't be ideal.
Finally, as mentioned above, you don't need the latest-and-greatest of the brand-new compilers out there, and in fact you may not even want a brand-new compiler. C is a stable language, and especially for the simple programs we'll be writing, a compiler from a few years ago will be perfectly adequate. Some of the fancier features that newer or more powerful compilers contain would only get in our way. Do make sure that any compiler you get is new enough to run under your computer's operating system (or old enough, if you're using an older operating system such as MS-DOS or Windows 3.1). Do make sure that the compiler is ``ANSI compatible'' (although you'd be hard-pressed to find one that was not, since the Standard was ratified almost 10 years ago). Beyond that, it hardly matters which compiler you get, so stick with something simple and inexpensive, which will be bound to serve you well while you're learning.
Read sequentially: prev up top
This page by Steve Summit // Copyright 1995-9 // mail feedback