Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!pro-angmar.UUCP!m.tiernan
From: m.tiernan@pro-angmar.UUCP (Michael Tiernan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: GS (What you want _requires_ moving closer to the Amiga...)
Message-ID: <3508.apple.net@pro-angmar>
Date: 24 Mar 90 16:00:23 GMT
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Organization: The Internet
Lines: 51

In-Reply-To: message from alphalpha!toddpw@tybalt.caltech.edu

I didn't take the time to read all of this message but I skimmed it as it
scrolled by and agree with Todd Whitesel, BASIC is an embarrasment to the
computing industry but what's embarrasing about it is that it always works
(99% of the time) is easy and any fool can do it.  DBMaster was written in
AppleSlop with ML routines thrown in.  It worked good.  Slow but always
worked.

Me, I hate BASIC for what it teaches people but I love it because I don't
even need to boot the OS to use it, just turn on my //e (or IIgs) and it's
going.  I can test something simple without waiting for a recompile, link and
all the rest of the foolishness.  I personally love Pascal and am developing
a passion about C but I recognize that BASIC has it's place in life.

One of the things that put the Apple II's where it is today is the fact that
it put Mr Ordinary-Everyday-Joe on the keyboard writing programs.  Heck, there
are some really neat (I know that that word right away means "Not profitable
for resale") programs that do some nice things.  What Apple seems to have
forgotten is that I didn't buy my system to "Use" and draw pretty (but
useless) graphics or "Utilize as a development platform"
and write and sell the next AppleWorks.  I bought it to use and make my life
easier, to do things on it that I don't want to do by hand, do challenge
myself to write software that does something.  This is where the word
"Personal" in Personal Computer made it's point.

My opinion: If Apple wants to save anything of the Apple II market, make the
machine more useful to the the non-developers, get someone to write a simple
BASIC (such as AppleSoft) that utilizes all 16bits has no "Structured"
do-dads, just a simple language so that ANYONE can boot the machine and type a
BASIC program that works.  No screwing around.

Before you think that I'm a neanderthal user, I program in many different
things, Pascal, C, Assembly (6502, 65816, 68000, Z80 remember them?, and
others).  Again, I don't like what BASIC teaches but it gets more people using
the machine than anything else will.

Time to get off the soap box, the altiude is getting to me....

Thanks for letting me blow off some steam.


<< MCT >>

GEnie       : M.Tiernan
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Internet    : pro-angmar!m.tiernan@alphalpha.com
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"And the sweating of their souls will not wash the blood from their hands."
                                                                  - Phil Ochs