
> And a search within the \masm32\include directory tells that exist 80 *.inc files with PROTO C functions.
Have you counted the number of API prototypes that are STDCALL ?
> I was referring to the import libraries included with MASM32
Have you counted the number of API prototypes that are STDCALL ?
> The include file msvcrt.inc, which is part of the main include file masm32rt.inc of the SDK distribution, contains many hundreds of renamed functions with the crt_ prefix
Yes I know, I wrote the tool that created them. What you don't do is lose a massive number of names because they are used in another language, this allows the project to use any name it likes without being restricted by another language. In case anyone has missed it, MASM is a macro assembler that does not need a C compiler although it can easily use a module created in C if its done properly.
and is not bound to give any credence to other languages naming conventions.
> ..than C, PASCAL, STDCALL, FASTCALL, ...
I think you have missed the point here, MASM comes with NO RUNTIME LIBRARY at all, the vast majority of API functions are STDCALL, a few are in C, as far as I know there are no PASCAL functions and in 32 bit you can cook your own version of FASTCALL if you want to.
I know that you guys come from a different set of assumptions but I will make the point that MASM as a macro assembler can produce EXE, DLL, and OBJ files without any other help from C compilers.
LATER :
> These Windows API functions loads msvcrt.dll and use these functions, so MSVCRT is definitely a vital part of the package.
This is nonsense, you can call any of the entire Windows API function set without having to include MSVCRT.