Aurora Vs. My Current Language

[ZeroDog]

Besides being cross platform,ÂÃ,  what advantages will Aurora have over my current programming language?

[Ionic Wind Support Team]

oop, scintilla, bitfields and unions, standardized syntax, better loop control, more control over your code, all libraries included with purchase so there is nothing else to buy ever, etc.

Plus you have my support.

[Steven Picard]

Plus all the cool kids are doing it. 

[ZeroDog]

sounds good so far... I heaer there are plans for 2D support in the works... what about 3D?ÂÃ,  any plans yet?

[ThadMiller]

Hi all, I was just notified today of this project from Paul, so here I am.  I'd like to extend this thread a bit, because the it's my concern as well (and I'm sure it will be for many other users of "other" languages).

First off, Paul, how's your sanity?  I thought one of the reasons to sell the former company was because it was just taking too much time.  Is Iconic Wind another 1-man shop?

But seriously, what is the goal for Aurora?  Is it going to be a toy/hobby?  IMO, IBPro is a serious language... I've actually used it to write a few production apps for www.guru.com projects, and recieved nothing but shining compliments on the results.  If the goal of Aurora is compete with IBPro, with you having a full-time job (and not to mention, a family), how long before that goal is realized (even if it's a ball-park figure... months, years)?

I'm also concerned about how close Aurora might follow C/C++.  The ability to just do

Code Select Expand

openconsole
print "hello world"
do : until inkey$<>""
closeconsole in IBPro is great.  I recently convinced my dad (a math teacher, NOT a computer person) to buy IBPro because it's so simple to do a console and print, he can then focus on math calculations within the app, and not include files, formatting, etc.  And it's awesome that I can use the same language to do advanced windows apps (because dad will always have questions for me).

So, if Aurora gets to the point where it can handle everything that IBPro does, what else will it be able to do?  Cross-platform, OO, scintilla, bitfields and unions have already been listed.  What about an easier method to contain activeX controls - flash.ocx, wmp.dll, etc - currently, I've only seen sapero use flash.ocx in an IBPro app, but it's full of assembly, and well beyond my capabilities to follow, much less, duplicate.  Any chance of a GUI editor for windows (perhaps Sean could help with that).  How about little niceties like auto-incremented file versions or IDE intellisense.

I know this is all brand new, and $40 for a life-time of updates from Paul's new language, is well worth it (except money's a little tight right now after getting laid off - 8 years at a company, then new owners show up and say "move to california, or you won't have a job"... not the kind of employer I want to work for, nor do I want to move across the country), but I'd like to get an idea of what the goals are for Aurora.

-Thad

[Parker]

Okay, I know, I'm not Paul

But I can answer some of your questions.
Aurora is going to be a language, it's up to you how you want to use it. It will have more features than IBPro however, with the same or similar libraries. ODBC will not be a paid pak though, it will come with the language.

In Aurora:

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OpenConsole();
writeln("Hello World");
while (inkey$() = "") ;
CloseConsole();
It's case insensitive, so you can write openconsole(), OPENCONSOLE, OpEnCoNsOlE()...
Many commands are called the same as in IBPro, such as INKEY$. The semicolon is the statement terminator, and it uses curly braces, but other than that, it's pretty similar to IB with OOP and some other features added.

If you wanted to, I'm sure you could get some ActiveX stuff working right now. The reason sapero used asm with IB is that IBasic didn't support the OOP stuff required. I have no knowledge of ActiveX, but if you were really wanting to do it, I'll bet you could without using asm.

Currently it's in alpha. Which means the IDE is just a copy of what Paul had for IBPro modified a bit to fit. But many enhancements will be added eventually. The dialog editor will be modified to use Aurora libraries, and probably the menu editor too.

You'll be able to compile for windows and linux with the same GUI code, unless of course you use platform specific API. Many of the features being implemented here were in the IBPro 2.0 list, but obviously Paul doesn't have control over that anymore.

[Ionic Wind Support Team]

First off, Paul, how's your sanity?  I thought one of the reasons to sell the former company was because it was just taking too much time.  Is Iconic Wind another 1-man shop?

LOL.  Sanity is fine, thanks for asking

My previous business was a full time job.  This one is just part time, in the evenings and mornings with no pressure.  In fact I am on a break now and have to run out to go fix a few slot machines shortly.

My new job pays well, very well.  So I am not depending on Aurora as a primary income source.  I almost made it freeware but others in my life convinced me not to do so.

I also own my own home now, completely paid for.  So there is no longer the monthly crunch that I suffered for so many years.  Hobby?  Programming has always been a hobby for me, a job second.

But seriously, what is the goal for Aurora?  Is it going to be a toy/hobby?  IMO, IBPro is a serious language... I've actually used it to write a few production apps for www.guru.com projects, and recieved nothing but shining compliments on the results.  If the goal of Aurora is compete with IBPro, with you having a full-time job (and not to mention, a family), how long before that goal is realized (even if it's a ball-park figure... months, years)?

Aurora isn't a beginners language, although many beginners seem to take to it easy enough.  It's a C like OOP language with my own personal touch.  Robust function and object libraries to make coding just that much easier, and a syntax that is a bit more forgiving than other OOP languages.

Aurora isn't a competitor with any BASIC language, except those that support OOP programming perhaps.  I don't even see it as a competitor for C++ since you can acheive alot with that language once it is fully learned.  But you never know

Aurora is what Pro could have been, if it had not been tied to a previous syntax, and the whims of outside parites. 

As for simple console projects...you can still do them.  Great for testing ideas and code.

Code Select Expand


global sub main()
{
writeln("hello world\n");
while GetKey() = "";
return 0;
}


COM can be handled natively now.  The class structure Aurora uses is the same that COM uses.  ActiveX will be even easier to add then with a BASIC language. 

Paul.

[ThadMiller]

COM can be handled natively now.  The class structure Aurora uses is the same that COM uses.  ActiveX will be even easier to add then with a BASIC language.

That alone will make Aurora a product I want.  I hope the current price holds out for a month or so, since I need to wait until after the holidays before buying anything.  This is really exciting!   

I'm glad to hear that the sanity is in tact (at least as much as a programmer's sanity can be considered in tact).  And I know programming is a hobby first (or at least should be), but the concern is the amount of time that will be devoted to it - and your long term sanity!

I know a lot of users are going to be interested in 2D/3D graphics... but not me.  I want to see a decent IDE with good project managment, easy use of resource files, database access, COM/ActiveX control usage, and DEFINITELY an easy way to make my apps look professional (XP themed everything, menus, toolbars, etc).  I have to say, I'm not really thrilled with the semicolon line termination (sorry, I like CR LF), but if that's going to be my only complaint (other than a WYSIWYG dialog/window IDE editor  ), I'll get used to it!

So everyone start coding and posting lots of demos!  When I buy Aurora in a month, I want lots of samples. 

-Thad