Can GAMBAS be an alternative to Visual Basic (or maybe Visual Foxpro)?
Posted: Saturday 10th February 2024 7:07pm
Classic Visual Basic is (was) among one of the most loved and widely used programming languages. MS stopped supporting it's last version (VB 6) on 28 April, 2008. But after almost 16 years, Visual Basic (Classic) stands strong at Rank 23 at TIOBE Index - Feb 2024.
Talking about another (one of the best) RAD tools for data-centric applications, Visual FoxPro... Last version 9, was released in December 2004 and got SP2 patch in October 2007. Support ended in Jan 2010 and ext. support in Jan 2015. The language still stands at rank 27 at TIOBE Index - Feb 2024.
No wonder why (many) programmers used to work in these languages still flooding forums with the question "What is the alternate to Visual Basic or Visual FoxPro". Where to port running applications, and how? Is there any language with similar syntax those people are used to? C, C++, Java, Python, Php, Go, Electron or some SASS like thing? No, something as easy as VB and as quick to develop data-centric applications as VFP... some powerful RAD framework to achieve tasks with graphical UI designer and ability to bind codes on events. There are really too many powerful tools to make web based applications but who want to run a web server and database server on client's computer? And how much do small-to-medium sized businesses pay to write some code for them?
So, the question is: Can GAMBAS be an alternative to Visual Basic or Visual FoxPro (with easy-to-access database system)? Can it compile applications for Windows? Yes, it can be a great alternative to those languages. I read the objective of it's developer and I know he almost achieved his target. Just a bit more work... GAMBAS has a lot of potential and a bright future.
I've been using and coding on MS operating systems since 1998.. basically doing data-centric desktop applications. My coding journey goes from dBase III Plus >> FoxPro (Dos) >> Visual FoxPro. With a bit of work in VB Script and Visual Basic Classic. For website and apps I use Php + SQL. Recently, I switched on Linux and started looking for some powerful native framework to make cross platform applications. I tested GAMBAS, liked it too much.. I mean really TOO MUCH.. I like the neat interface, offer a good collection of controls / widgets, the language structure is well known.. code editor is too good, compiler is fast.. but... sorry to say, it require more database systems embedded and ability to compile applications for widely used platforms.
For now, I have to move on with FreePascal + Lazarus IDE as it make me enable to compile my code for desired platforms. Database support is great, strong community, and UI designer is very well built. But the language 'Pascal' is too different for me or anyone used to work in VB or VFP. I would personally like to go with GAMBAS, as it feels like home but... may be some time soon in future.
I don't know if the message here could even reach the developers or even if any of the project developer would even to through this thread. Got no Idea but here I would like to express what I feel I should... and yeah it's not about starting any kind of flame-war.
Talking about another (one of the best) RAD tools for data-centric applications, Visual FoxPro... Last version 9, was released in December 2004 and got SP2 patch in October 2007. Support ended in Jan 2010 and ext. support in Jan 2015. The language still stands at rank 27 at TIOBE Index - Feb 2024.
No wonder why (many) programmers used to work in these languages still flooding forums with the question "What is the alternate to Visual Basic or Visual FoxPro". Where to port running applications, and how? Is there any language with similar syntax those people are used to? C, C++, Java, Python, Php, Go, Electron or some SASS like thing? No, something as easy as VB and as quick to develop data-centric applications as VFP... some powerful RAD framework to achieve tasks with graphical UI designer and ability to bind codes on events. There are really too many powerful tools to make web based applications but who want to run a web server and database server on client's computer? And how much do small-to-medium sized businesses pay to write some code for them?
So, the question is: Can GAMBAS be an alternative to Visual Basic or Visual FoxPro (with easy-to-access database system)? Can it compile applications for Windows? Yes, it can be a great alternative to those languages. I read the objective of it's developer and I know he almost achieved his target. Just a bit more work... GAMBAS has a lot of potential and a bright future.
I've been using and coding on MS operating systems since 1998.. basically doing data-centric desktop applications. My coding journey goes from dBase III Plus >> FoxPro (Dos) >> Visual FoxPro. With a bit of work in VB Script and Visual Basic Classic. For website and apps I use Php + SQL. Recently, I switched on Linux and started looking for some powerful native framework to make cross platform applications. I tested GAMBAS, liked it too much.. I mean really TOO MUCH.. I like the neat interface, offer a good collection of controls / widgets, the language structure is well known.. code editor is too good, compiler is fast.. but... sorry to say, it require more database systems embedded and ability to compile applications for widely used platforms.
For now, I have to move on with FreePascal + Lazarus IDE as it make me enable to compile my code for desired platforms. Database support is great, strong community, and UI designer is very well built. But the language 'Pascal' is too different for me or anyone used to work in VB or VFP. I would personally like to go with GAMBAS, as it feels like home but... may be some time soon in future.
I don't know if the message here could even reach the developers or even if any of the project developer would even to through this thread. Got no Idea but here I would like to express what I feel I should... and yeah it's not about starting any kind of flame-war.