Re: Pascal or whatever for IIgs...

["Mike Westerfield" <MikeW50@aol.com>]

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In article <37963C84.E881D9B5@swbell.net>, Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>
wrote:


>     Okay. So, what are the limitations on developing GS desktop applications with
>the new IIgs BASIC?

There are three main ones, at least in a direct comparison with C, Pascal or
Modula-2.

1. BASIC is an interpreted language. That's good and bad. It makes it easier
to prototype a program, but the end product runs slower. Ironically, for a
really large product, the finished program would be smaller than the same
program in a compiled language, or even assembly language, but size is not
usually a factor for a toolbox program.

You might think that being interpreted keeps BASIC from using assembly
language subroutines. That's actually not true. GSoft BASIC has a clean
interface to user tools, which gives you a great way to add assembly
subroutines. The package comes with two small sample tools, too.

2. There are no courses (YET!) to teach you toolbox programming in GSoft
BASIC. Courses already exist for Pascal and C.

3. This is the biggie. GSoft BASIC is most natural from its own shell, which
works like a souped up Applesoft BASIC.SYSTEM shell. It _can_ be used from
the ORCA environment, installing GSoft BASIC as an ORCA language, but we
don't actually ship it that way. You need some way to create resource forks
for most desktop programs, and the only ones we sell is Apple's Rez
compiler, which only works from the ORCA shell, and Design Master, which is
a bit dated. There is no RezEdit equivalent on the Apple IIGS. You need to
think about how you will create resources before choosing GSoft BASIC as a
desktop development language.

Mike Westerfield