Sun's C compiler produces faster code than gcc does. However, in my experience on our SPARC SunOS 5.8 (==Solaris 8) machine, AFNI is prone to crash when compiled with Sun's cc. I don't know why this is - over-aggressive optimization, perhaps. Anyway, this is why I no longer distribute binaries for AFNI built with Sun's compiler.
gcc and many other packages can be downloaded for Solaris from [
www.sunfreeware.com]. In particular, I also recommend the netpbm package, since AFNI will use some of these programs (if they are in the path) to enhance its 2D image I/O capabilities.
bob cox