OpenEuphoria

1. My choice for a primary language...

• Posted by Nick Johnson <arachnid at MAD.SCIENTIST.COM> Mar 28, 2000
• 414 views
• Last edited Mar 29, 2000

Hello all.

After recently recieving NZ$200 for a programme I wrote for my school (not
in euphoria), I have been considering what to buy as a primary programming
language. I tried XBasic, but can't get my head completely around it. I use
Java and a number of other languages, including ColdFusion, but now that I
can afford to register something, I was debating what. It came down to: VB6
vs Euphoria. I would like to detail my decision.

PRO's:
Visual Basic has a large user base, and therefore a larger support base and
a larger number of libraries built for it - nothing to do with euphoria.
Visual Basic allows intrinsic use of custom controls written for the windows
environment.
Visual Basic supports Object Orientation, but does not require it's use.
Visual Basic has a fully developed IDE built in.
Visual Basic has Collections, the equivalent of Sequences

CON's:
Visual Basic is _Microsoft_!
Visual basic is only available for windows
Visual Basic has the usual plethora of types (string, int, byte, etc, etc)

In the end, my decision came down to this:
As others have complained, documentation is often vauge for euphoria
As others have complained, Object Orientation is not even an option except
for OO libraries, which can't quite make the grade, IMHO (but I admire those
who have written them - they go as far as the language permits)
I needed a RAD (Rapid Application Development) language. While Euphoria
probably fits that description, it's lack of intrinsic GUI cripples it a
little in this department.

So basically, Euphoria does not suit my programming style.
Based on these conclusions, I am buying VB. However, I intend to keep my
eyes open for two things:
Improvements to euphoria to a level where I feel I can use it as a primary
language, and better documentation/communication.
A language with VB/Delphi style integrated IDE, cross-platform linux/windows
(other than XBasic).

So it is with sadness that I end this post and any serious development in
Euphoria. I will stay on the list, and listen, particularaly for
improvements, and Euphoria strikes me as an excellent CGI language, but for
now, farewell.

Nick