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From: daveh@cbmvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.lang
Subject: Re: structured assembler (BASIC)
Message-ID: <41@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 2-Apr-86 11:48:54 EST
Article-I.D.: cbmvax.41
Posted: Wed Apr  2 11:48:54 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Apr-86 06:35:37 EST
References: <443@3comvax.UUCP> <7900003@ztivax.UUCP> <153@crin.UUCP> <7947@watrose.UUCP> <463@3comvax.UUCP> <1256@ism780c.UUCP>
Reply-To: daveh@cbmvax.UUCP (Dave Haynie)
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 31
Keywords: BASIC

I'd like to add a few words on the subject of BASIC versus other
(real) languages [hey, there he goes again, blatently revealing his bias
in the first sentence].  C, LISP, Pascal, BASIC, etc., all have standard
built-in functions.  Some may take advantage of the processor's
capabilities, some may not.  However, with BASIC (and to a degree
PASCAL) you have the concept of functions that are an integral part of
the language.  If its a real good implementation, you might have most
of your functions written to take advantage of the hardware you're
working with.  If not, you're totally out of luck.  Languages like C,
LISP, and FORTH easily allow the complete redefinition of primitive
functions to better adjust to the environment (this is done quite often
in C especially, where just about every compiler and standard library
allows you to define the primitive I/O calls as either macros or
functions).  With compiled BASIC you are at the complete mercy of
the compiler when it comes to using your built-in functions, if they
are poorly implemented (as with most BASIC compilers), you'll run
slowly.  If my C application needs a function to be faster, I can
rewrite it in machine code if I desire, changing nothing else in the
entire program.  Same with FORTH.  And when it comes to mnemonic
variables and procedures, my OpenWindow(), OpenLibrary(), SetTitleBar(),
etc. calls to a windowing system are perfectly mnemonic; its the fault
of the programmer if he's not using the capabilities of his language
to its fullest, and the fault of the language if he's got to deal with
several sheets of notes reminding him of the difference between
AD, AC, ST, DV, D2, D2, X, XX, Y3, CK$, FT%, FNA, FNB, etc., which is
exactly what I've done in the past when writing major projects in
BASIC.

                        ihnp4   \
Dave Haynie             allegra -- !cbmvax!daveh
                        seismo  /