What do you use FreeBASIC for?

General discussion for topics related to the FreeBASIC project or its community.
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jj2007
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by jj2007 »

systemctl wrote:If I'm just being hated because of my post above
No, we don't hate you for so little, we are just amused. But don't forget to take your pills, please ;-)
Lost Zergling
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by Lost Zergling »

@systemctl. The use of brackets is rather dedicated to scientific sensitivities, because in general more condensed, I think this because I come from a documentary computer type environment (Lotuscript, near vb) in which brackets were not used to mark blocks of code. The Basic is older and was invented in the United States (https://time.com/69316/basic/)
Even President Obama has chimed in. Last December, he issued a YouTube video in which he urged young people to take up programming, declaring that “learning these skills isn't just important for your future, it's important for our country's future.”
As for Pascal, it was the fruit of a Swiss researcher and an Englishman (https://tipsmake.com/who-invented-the-p ... g-language). It was also used to develop Lisa, one of Apple's first Apple (Macintosh). By denying these 'wordy' languages, you are also denying your own history and the glory of researchers of the past. I prefer not to comment on the most controversial part of your message.
I am not interested in hating you because of your words which are from my point of view sadder than provocative, on the contrary, we have a point in common which is the attraction for the Free Basic language. I tried to support you with an open minded regard on your technical suggestions even if I remain aware of the fact that my own technical level cannot allow me to bring you significant help. Many will have noted the intelligence and technicality of your remarks, please do not allow yourself to be dominated by perverted reasoning.
systemctl
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by systemctl »

Lost Zergling wrote:@systemctl. The use of brackets is rather dedicated to scientific sensitivities, because in general more condensed, I think this because I come from a documentary computer type environment (Lotuscript, near vb) in which brackets were not used to mark blocks of code. The Basic is older and was invented in the United States (https://time.com/69316/basic/)
Perhaps you are right. I have my background from science, more specific, mathematics. Even though I adbandoned it because I have trouble with advanced math and turned back to learn programming to be work as a freelancer. But funnily it is, I have never qualified as a programmer and they have me to work as an it helpdesk, I install Windows and take care of inkjet, the company's network is the sysadmin, though. So, I have never really coded.

Symbols like brackets are used intensively in math so I think I have already familar with them and found it's easier to deal with them than words. So I can't speak for others. It's my fault. I assumed everyone to be like me.
Lost Zergling
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by Lost Zergling »

I was lucky to be able to work for a few years in the programming field, and it allowed me to learn that there is no optimal solution, most of the time, the solution depends on the context, especially in management IT. We can do non-relational documentaries, RDBMS, object code, infrastructure configuration, use an ERP, a web agency type solution, etc. Optimization is important, but it's far from the only consideration. In the mathematical domain, in hard sciences, in AI or in graphics, at low level, it is quite the opposite and optimization is predominant. But the "soft" sciences have not said their last word, they tend to want to bring the machine closer to so-called natural language. Basic is historically more located on the cognitive side and therefore, even if hard science uses (to my knowledge) little this tool, quite capable of creating a bridge between levels as well as C could do.
badidea
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by badidea »

An interesting talk about the history and future of programming:
"Uncle" Bob Martin - "The Future of Programming"
BasicCoder2
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by BasicCoder2 »

While looking at Future of Programming on utube I noticed another one which is about what makes language popular.
It is interesting to me because FreeBASIC isn't even on the radar so why do we use it and other do not?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyJZzq0v7Z4
jj2007
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by jj2007 »

Today is the 56th birthday of BASIC: https://www.zdnet.com/article/50-years- ... -anything/

FreeBasic is listed at MindTeq
Lost Zergling
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by Lost Zergling »

The conference given by Mr. Bob Martin is interesting. I mainly retain two elements: the promotion of functional programming and the "business" aspects by insisting on the qualitative aspects to be highlighted and linked, according to him, to the mastery of mathematical language. A vision which is his and in which he advocates a refoundation of the profession of developer-designer according to these paradigms. On the contrary, I see functional programming as a subset of object programming, let me explain. The stack should be seen as a resource, like the cache. When you use the stack, you use a resource which is in fact the possibility of specifying in advance an order of priority, which can result from a calculation formula so as not to obstruct the speed. In this case, the object you are using is none other than the stack, seen as an object made available by the processor. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_programming: "Functional languages ​​use high-level data types and structures like expandable lists. It is thus generally possible to easily carry out operations such as the concatenation of lists, or the application of a function to a list - the browsing of the list being done recursively (is it ?) -, in a single line of code. "
Functional programming is therefore an object code aimed at the industrialization of a programming style of mathematical type.
It is considered that it is easier to bring mathematics to the high level than the opposite, that is to say that the high level of mathematical abstraction must be able to be declined in an industrial manner in high level of IT abstraction. In terms of IT, architecture is high level compared to coding, just as design is high level compared to architecture, well I think so. To reach the level required by Mr. Martin, you must master math, architecture and design. The (flattering?) Promise of functional programming is that perhaps mathematics can condition it all. I think that's pretty true, but I also think this won't be sufficient making you a designer of the exceptional class of Alan Turing that he must have been without a doubt.
badidea
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by badidea »

BasicCoder2 wrote:...
It is interesting to me because FreeBASIC isn't even on the radar so why do we use it and other do not?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyJZzq0v7Z4
I haven't watched your link yet, will do this now, but "Uncle Bob" says: No language is perfect.
And that is also way there are so many. Including some weird ones, see: The Art of Code
You can became an actual 'rockstar' programmer. See end of talk.

Still learning on this, but it seems to me that using external libraries is both a strong and a weak point of freebasic. Strong because a lot of C-libraries can be used with freebasic without too much work. Weak because it is complicated for the average programmer to get them working.
BasicCoder2
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by BasicCoder2 »

badidea wrote:Still learning on this, but it seems to me that using external libraries is both a strong and a weak point of freebasic. Strong because a lot of C-libraries can be used with freebasic without too much work. Weak because it is complicated for the average programmer to get them working.
Yes with hindsight, 11 years ago, I should have persevered with learning how to install libraries for use by a C++ program instead of using FreeBASIC. The problem was FreeBASIC was just so readable and easy to use. And for me, now I am familiar with FreeBASIC, it is still just too easy to use! It depends on what kinds of coding you want to do and the only other language that would fully cover my interests would be C++. I was going to try and find the time and motivation to learn how to use C++ on the Raspberry Pi to access a webcam using opencv and access the GPIO pins and then along comes D.J.Peters with FreeBASIC solutions!
bfuller
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by bfuller »

badidea wrote:
BasicCoder2 wrote:...
Still learning on this, but it seems to me that using external libraries is both a strong and a weak point of freebasic. Strong because a lot of C-libraries can be used with freebasic without too much work. Weak because it is complicated for the average programmer to get them working.
Yes. I don't even consider myself "average" programmer--more an Engineer who uses software like any other tool, to get a job done...so when I do want a quick solution (generally to drive a bit of hardware that I am trying to back engineer to repair) I use Freebasic but have never tried the power of C-libraries because of the perceived difficulties. I have forced myself to learn some C in my work with Arduino but marrying Freebasic and C would be a big step for me.
marcov
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by marcov »

badidea wrote: Still learning on this, but it seems to me that using external libraries is both a strong and a weak point of freebasic. Strong because a lot of C-libraries can be used with freebasic without too much work. Weak because it is complicated for the average programmer to get them working.
Pretty much any language nowadays does what FB does in this regard. The only "special" thing is that having a preprocessor might make it easier to translate macros. But that is about it.
Lost Zergling
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by Lost Zergling »

I believe in critical look on FB as well as on other langages, in our own creativity and/or technicity, and in the conviction we have in the relevance and force of FB, not so much formally but rather in the spirit that it expresses. I see the langage as well as a purpose by itself.
systemctl
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by systemctl »

I don't want to be the bad guy here but I'm afraid I have to agree with marcov. Most of the FreeBASIC users there only care about developing small old school games or animations, some migrated from commercial BASIC variants tend to care more about GUI development but overall they don't use it as a professional tool but a hobbyist toy. They don't use it for serious jobs so the language can't reach it full potential.

BTW, I have almost done translating the Ulfius library headers to FreeBASIC. Now we could do web development with FreeBASIC, too. But so far no one really care.
Imortis
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Re: What do you use FreeBASIC for?

Post by Imortis »

systemctl wrote:...But so far no one really care.
I saw this post and thought it was quite interesting. I did not post. That does not mean I don't care. I can't be alone in that.
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