From: root AT 127 DOT 0 DOT 0 DOT 1 (Crewden) Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp Subject: Re: games programming Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 18:22:16 GMT Organization: _ Lines: 81 Message-ID: <3731d89a.411018413@server> References: <37307f1e DOT 322573486 AT server> <7gsjg8$dj8$1 AT bgtnsc02 DOT worldnet DOT att DOT net> NNTP-Posting-Host: gw-avocet.mint.net Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.5/32.452 To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com It has been a log time since I used Applesoft BASIC. I do remember there was a DEFFN but I don't recall exactly what it was capable of. Math style functions, kind of one-liners I think, but not the kind of functions as described by C/Pascal. A friend of mine used to program with QBASIC, and I do recall there being functions and more flow control support. Loops with the same functionality as do/whiles and switch statments. QBASIC provides enough mechanisms for flow control so that you didn't need to use line numbers (which it also supports). Applesoft basic as I recall had "for" loops. Any other kind of loop or flow control you had to contruct from if statements and goto commands. Though I don't recall it particularly forcing structure upon the programmer. My friend proved that QBASIC was quite capabile of allowing you to write the same spagetti code that was run-of-the-mill for Applesoft BASIC code. You've probably been doing this longer than I have. Though I recall the IIgs being (at least in terms of BASIC programming) not a lot better than a IIc/e,etc. But I was fortunite enough to have one at home. So I pretty much had the 80 columns when I started. I did do a bunch of II BASIC as well, and can understand why it would be exciting to get out of 40 column mode, it used to drive my nutz on the school's II. I remember entering the huge BASIC program that allows you to input the HEX code listings supplied by Compute (I think) magazine. I entered many pages hex notated machine code just so I could have a program that would allow me to scroll the BASIC code to my programs not only DOWN up "oh my god" I could scroll UP now!!!. ;) On Thu, 6 May 1999 09:42:49 -0700, "Bob Roseman" wrote: + +Crewden wrote in message <37307f1e DOT 322573486 AT server>... +> +> The BASIC, at least the kind I remember (Applesoft +>basic) has little if any structure. There are no functions +>(subroutines yes;functions no) all variables are global, no +>switch/case statements. The structure of the BASIC I learned on is +>actually worse (believe it or not) that that of Assembly. + +Applesoft did have a DEFine FuNction. What did you do with it? :-) +I don't remember if Integer Basic had it or not. +Qbasic (PC) forced more structure on the user, and therefor was harder to +learn for beginers, for which the original language was developed. +When Applesoft came out there was no case to switch. I remember how excited +I was when I added a card to get lower case and 80 char wide lines (good +ol' Ultraterm card, Apple II+) + + +>Some of the newer BASIC programming languages like VB are structured +>and most often don't even have line numbers. That is to say, a lot of +>the new BASIC languages are more like Pascal. + +VB is not a 'BASIC language', but a hybrid. + +>In short, if it's the kind of BASIC without functions and has line +>numbers, don't him use it for too long before moving on to one of the +>better highlevel languages such as Pascal/C/Java (recommended in that +>order) or and any other language that is not BASIC, Assembly, or god +>help you COBOL. + +He should use BASIC until he understands loops and branches. + +Bob R +