1. VERY OFF TOPIC - VB6.0 vs DELPHI4
My employer has asked that I look at both Visual Basic 6.0 and
Delphi 4, and do a comparison between the two. If there is anyone
that has looked at both, could you offer an opinion of what your
thoughts are? We are interested in RAD, and will probably use ODBC
to access DataBases that exist on our UNIX systems at the present time.
We need the Object Oriented Programming, I was led to understand that
the Visual Basic did not implement OOP as well as Delphi, also there
is the learning curve and time involved, most of the programmers have
not had any prior experience with Pascal. Also what about inheritance,
I understand you have to go around the world to implement Class
Inheritance in VB?
Any opinions would be very helpful.
Later,
+ + + Rev. Ferlin Scarborough - Centreville, Alabama - USA
email: ferlin at sandw.net
email: ferlin at email.com
2. Re: VERY OFF TOPIC - VB6.0 vs DELPHI4
At 08:08 PM 25-02-1999 , you wrote:
>My employer has asked that I look at both Visual Basic 6.0 and
>Delphi 4, and do a comparison between the two. If there is anyone
>that has looked at both, could you offer an opinion of what your
>thoughts are? We are interested in RAD, and will probably use ODBC
>to access DataBases that exist on our UNIX systems at the present time.
>
>We need the Object Oriented Programming, I was led to understand that
>the Visual Basic did not implement OOP as well as Delphi, also there
>is the learning curve and time involved, most of the programmers have
>not had any prior experience with Pascal. Also what about inheritance,
>I understand you have to go around the world to implement Class
>Inheritance in VB?
>
>Any opinions would be very helpful.
Delphi (any version) is superior to VB on many aspects. First it's a true
compiled language, and doesn't require the 5000K+ of DLL's VB apps require
on clients. Second Delphi is truly an OO language, whereas VB tries to be
OO. Delphi is a strong types language, where VB allows to create
"magically" variables (most of them VARIANTS, very slow!). I know VB can
use ActiveX (OCX) controls, but don't know if you can create them. Delphi
let's you build ActiveX components and includes some nice Wizards to help
the task. Delphi's Object Pascal code can be natively compiled by more
powerful tools like C++ Builder (mixing C++ code with Object Pascal), where
VB is limited to itself. Delphi Professional (stringly recommended) and
Client/Server comes with a complete (6 books!) printed documentation, I
don't know VB, but VC++ has everything online only. Both can develop
database apps. Delphi's BDE and data-ware controls are very easy to use.
BDE let's you connect to any datasource thru ODBC and has native support
for Interbase, Paradox and Visual dBase tables. Most of VB custom
components I've seen are commercial, whereas most of Delphi's are
freeware/shareware (with source code!). You can find these on pages like
www.tory.ru. And last I must say that I'm in love with Delphi (I use
version 3 professional, I'll wait to 5.0 to upgrade), I've used a bit of VB
on the pasr and really hate it. Last year I went to a Microsoft Chile
meeting for Visual Studio 6 and SQL Server 7 premier and the product looked
great... on the Enterprise edition, but still I won't change my adored
Delphi ;)
I you still are unsure and are on budget I suggest your boss buys VB &
Delphi's standard edition (they are like $90 each) and give them a try.
Regards,
Daniel Berstein
[daber at pair.com]
3. Re: VERY OFF TOPIC - VB6.0 vs DELPHI4
Ive never had my hands on Vb6, but I worked with vb5.
What you about OO is pretty much true. Its oo in the way C++ is OO.
But it *is* a compiled program. And if you watch out and know how the compiler
is working you *can* produce fast code.
Thats indeed also a choice of choosing the right variable type. You could
already built OCX's wiht Vb5 as well as 'just'
libraries.
And as to using C code, hmm, well simerlar to Euphoria (im afraid), you can call
a DLL, or write a dll with a standard set of
functions that fit in the OCX-modal. Afterwhich its very powerfull to combine
basic and c.
On the other hand: the language is still called basic.. need I say more ?
But those 'datacontrols' that are commercial according to you...
... I havent seen any.. why ? .. because since version 3, Visual Basic comes
wiht a *free* set of extremely powerfull database
controls, and complete ODBC support. MS did know how to choose their targeting
audience.
>I you still are unsure and are on budget I suggest your boss buys VB &
>Delphi's standard edition (they are like $90 each) and give them a try.
You can get free one month demos' on cd as well.
Ralf
4. Re: VERY OFF TOPIC - VB6.0 vs DELPHI4
>On the other hand: the language is still called basic.. need I say more ?
>But those 'datacontrols' that are commercial according to you...
>... I havent seen any.. why ? .. because since version 3, Visual Basic
comes wiht a *free* set of extremely powerfull database
>controls, and complete ODBC support. MS did know how to choose their
targeting audience.
You did misunderstood me Ralf. Offcourse both tools have their way to do
databasing. I meant other kind of components, like windows controls
(buttons, grids, etc.), compression libraries, socket networking, etc. Just
go to www.torry.ru (VCL section) and you'll understand what I mean.
>>I you still are unsure and are on budget I suggest your boss buys VB &
>>Delphi's standard edition (they are like $90 each) and give them a try.
>
>You can get free one month demos' on cd as well.
Where can I find those CD's?
Regards,
Daniel Berstein
[daber at pair.com]
5. Re: VERY OFF TOPIC - VB6.0 vs DELPHI4
>>You can get free one month demos' on cd as well.
>
>Where can I find those CD's?
Actually, I wouldnt know. My father brings a lot home from his work. And a linux
cd-rom can, here in holland, simply be ordered
at most book-stores.
I would guess though you might be able to order it, just like you could have
ordered a internet explorer/exploiter 4 cdrom for
just the packaging costs.
Ralf
6. Re: VERY OFF TOPIC - VB6.0 vs DELPHI4
- Posted by Daniel Berstein <daber at PAIR.COM>
Feb 28, 1999
-
Last edited Mar 01, 1999
At 09:06 PM 28-02-1999 , you wrote:
>>>You can get free one month demos' on cd as well.
>>
>>Where can I find those CD's?
>
>
>Actually, I wouldnt know. My father brings a lot home from his work. And a
linux cd-rom can, here in holland, simply be ordered
>at most book-stores.
>I would guess though you might be able to order it, just like you could
have ordered a internet explorer/exploiter 4 cdrom for
>just the packaging costs.
Indeed. I got IE4 when it was released from Micro$oft Chile, I also have
several evalution tools delivered for free (Intel & Allaire comes to mind).
But I had never heard of FREE evaluation version of VB or Delphi. Those
would be interesting resources.
Regards,
Daniel Berstein
[daber at pair.com]
7. Re: VERY OFF TOPIC - VB6.0 vs DELPHI4
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Euphoria Programming for MS-DOS
> [mailto:EUPHORIA at LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU]On Behalf Of Daniel Berstein
> Sent: 1999 March 01 02:43
> To: EUPHORIA at LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
> Subject: Re: VERY OFF TOPIC - VB6.0 vs DELPHI4
>
Daniel (and other interested parties):
PC Plus Magazine (UK Edition) is issued with monthly Cover-CDs, never less
than 2 and sometimes 3 or 4, NOT counting ISP beermats. Recent issues have
included FULL copies of Lotus SmartSuite 97, SuSE Linux 5.2 (and
subsequently many other Linux progs, inc.Corel WordPerfect), Borland
C-Builder, Delphi 2 Developer, Blah, blah etc. These are 100% kosher
unlimited, though without printed documentation, and usually 1 version
behind whatever is current. They are also usually accompanied by special
offers for reasonably-priced upgrades to latest versions (with
documentation).
I'm not sure whether subscriptions to PC Plus from outside the UK carry all
these, so check with http://www.pcplus.co.uk/ for fuller info. The cover
price in the UK is £4.99 (about $US 8.00), 1-year 12-issue sub UK £24.99,
Europe £85.58 (about $US 140.00), Rest of World £99.99 (about $US 160.00).
EMail subs at futurenet.co.uk
Not exactly freebies, but... Latest issue has BeOS 4 demo (runs from CD, via
boot floppy, full and unrestricted but can't be installed to HD), Lotus
Organiser 96, Visual Prolog, Idealist 3, lots more stuff, Win and Linux.
