[ILUG] [OT] Which programming language ?

[Rory Browne]

It's probably not particularly relevent that this is a Linux LUG
mailing list, and not a windows one. I don't think anyone dissed VB
for the sole reason that it worked on windows. If so then the
critisism would have to be leveled at Gtk, and Qt, as well as many
popular and excellent applications, such as mozilla, and openoffice.
VB was critisised because it wasn't cross platform. That is perfectly
valid critisism. VB doesn't work on Linux.

I would like to add that no one here has told him to go use Linux to
host his applications. I don't think any of us are critising windows
as a platform for his program in particular in this thread. However
the difficulties of running VB applications, are particularly
relevent, and your mentioning it without suggesting alternatives, such
as Kylix, and highlighting that using VB would lock him to Windows(for
the most part), was irresponsable. I feel that it was our duty to
point out the problems with the notion of using Visual Basic. I'd do
the same if someone suggested the use of libraries(is pspell one?),
that only worked on unix.

I'll never tell anyone to develop for Linux, instead of developing for
Windows. That as you say would be "zealotry". If someone wants to
develop for a particular platform, and that platform only, then I
won't stand in the way. I will however try to encourage the use of
cross-platform tools/libs, etc, because it adds value to the product
if it can be run on more than one platform. I feel it is my
responsability, and certainly not zealous, to point out to people that
there are relitively easy ways of making their software(In this case
the use of kylix/delphi, instead of VB) cross platform, particularly
when that person asks the advice from a group of users, of a platform
where the use of cross-platform would be extremely benificial.

As for the best tool for the job, Kylix/Delphi, and VB have similar
merits. VB is at a major disadvantage, in that it won't run on
Windows. I haven't used gambas yet, or any other VB clone, but maybe
mentioning them, especially if they are +-Platform, may have been more
useful than mentioning VB. To suggest that VB is ideal for something,
is downright misleading, considering that it greatly sticks you to the
one platform.

To conclude, alls well that ends well. He's using Lamp, so the client
can be anything that can support a web browser, especially since the
AMP, part, and probably even the MP(Mysql, and PHP) part, can be
ported relitively easly to any other OS, and WebServer, that supports
MySQL, and PHP.


Regards


On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 17:09:10 +0000, Gareth Eason <bigbro at skynet.ie> wrote:
> 
>         I'll beg to differ with your claims on this occasion - since many
> people that I know (and I'm sure many others that I do not) DO feel the
> claim I posted below has merit. But thanks for sharing :-)
> 
>         I'm also going to nip your comment (or more the sentiment behind it)
> regarding this not being an MS-Windows mailing list in the bud. You are
> quite correct. It is the mailing list of the Irish Linux User's Group. I
> use Linux. I'm sure you do. It's _OUR_ mailing list. And since I am (or
> try my very best to be) a proponent of using the best tool for the job,
> I feel it would be remiss of me not to have mentioned Visual Basic in
> the response.
> 
>         If you wish to advocate Linux, you are welcome here. If you wish to
> practice Linux zealotry - then please take it elsewhere. I find that
> Linux can sell itself more than adequately on its own merits. Using this
> case in point, I believe Declan has weighed up the options presented to
> him and has gone for a LAMP type solution, simply because the pros
> outweigh the cons.
> 
>         Best regards,
>         -->Gar
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rick Moen wrote:
> > Quoting Gareth Eason (bigbro at skynet.ie):
> >
> >
> >>VB is a FINE development language for GUI on a Windows platform....
> >
> >
> > However one feels about that (see below), last I checked, this wasn't an
> > MS-Windows mailing list.  Not that that kink isn't OK, but the gentleman
> > would probably want to seek those particular tips in a more-relevant
> > forum.
> >
> >
> >>For a 'non-programmer' who wishes to learn a language solely for the
> >>purpose of developing a simple GUI with a minimal amount of back-end
> >>processing, VB is ideal for the job!!! No question about it.
> >
> >
> > You'll find that hardly anyone feels this claim has merit, including
> > (but hardly limited to) Benoît Minisini, creator of Gambas:
> > http://gambas.sourceforge.net/introduction.html
> >
> --
> Irish Linux Users' Group
> http://www.linux.ie/mailman/listinfo/ilug/
> 
>