OpenEuphoria

1. Built-ins [Long Post]

• Posted by Lucius Hilley III <lhilley at CDC.NET> Feb 02, 1999
• 429 views

First I must say.  I despise the PDF format.  It's slow even on my
Pentium 133Mhz Machine with 48Megs of Memory.  PDF Sucks.
HTML is fine.  Windows HLP/Help files fine.  I understand shying
away from the flat, inactive text format.  I want something that
isn't going to turn my speedy machine into a turtle.  Imagine if
I was still using a 486 66Mhz or worse. My friends 486 33Mhz.
I shutter to think of it.  PDF on those things? Give me break.

OKAY.  Now to the real issues.
DOS free installation? Hmm, I guess so.  Not really a big deal.
Except that someone might not have Windows and an alternative
DOS installation should still be available.

>More built-in functions like fast sprites, fonts, SVGA, sound, etc.
Hmm, BAD. I guess, BAD, Don't know.

(Sprites) - BAD Idea. Rob already has his hands full handling REAL
issues. Sprites dive into the heart of Graphics & Euphoria currently
uses Watcoms, far less than perfect, Graphics routines.
Of course it might not be a bad Idea to include a fully functionally
Graphics include file with Euphoria.  That is, When we get one that
is fully functional.  That is why Euphoria still has Watcom as a
fall back.  I believe that even Neil.e still has a few things to be
ironed out.

(Fonts) - I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea to include Jiri's
wonderful font libraries as part of the Euphoria package.
Of course I feel as though you are saying.  BUILT-IN !!!
I fear having everything BUILT-IN.  Sounds like QuickBasic but with
a Dos-Extender.  And Believe me QuickBasic left a lot out. [blech]
Sorry for cursing the list with that QB word.  OOPS there go again.

(SVGA) - BAD Idea.  Read (Sprites) above.

(Sound) - I don't know.  I like the idea but, I feel that someone
such as Jacques Deschenes could explain how hard that would be.
Maybe it could be done as I suggested for (Fonts).  Include Jacques
Deschenes sound library with standard Euphoria.


>  Include some "flashy" demo programs -- maybe some games with
>nice sprites, music etc. show that you can make professional
>quality software with it and people will take it more seriously.

Wow, What an idea.  Hmm. Now just whose fancy programs would be
released as part of the standard Euphoria package as DEMOS of
what Euphoria is capable of?  I'm not sure but I think I feel
the sensation of hurt feelings from some of the people that
weren't used as a Demo.  And others that don't want their
product used as a demo. And on top of that.  I don't think Rob
neither has time to Create a demo other than is Trekkie type
Language Wars, nor to Shuffle through all the great things that
have been created to decide what should be used.

Another thing about which program to use as a Demo.
The extremely Euphoria coded game by Mark Honor, LemonHeads,
uses a graphics engine that was ORIGINALLY 100% Euphoria code.
BUT, it is now extensively, Almost entirely, Machine code.
These things would have to be considered. I personally feel that
such programs/projects should NOT be viable candidates as a
Euphoria Demo program.  PS: For those of you that don't know.
I picked Mark Honors game for a very good reason.  I personally
know that all of LemonHeads was 100% Euphoria.  I also know that
it uses the Mode19.e graphics engine.  It was originally 100%
Euphoria. ---- This would make it a perfect candidate. BUT,
Marks code didn't change.  It is still 100% Euphoria, at least
last I checked.  The mode19.e engine, however, is not.
Why did I pick on Mode19.e.  Simple:  I can only hurt Mine and
Gregs feelings for disqualifing the Mode19.e Engine as a Euphoria
Demo candidate.  SORRY Mark.  We just made mode19 to good. :)

PS: Sorry if this seems like a shameless plug.  That wasn't my
intent.

        Sincerely, Lucius L. Hilley III