Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!amdcad!sun!pitstop!sundc!seismo!uunet!mcrware!pgthor!dev386!beckman
From: beckman@dev386.UUCP (Zacharias Beckman)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: ACTOR
Summary: About the development systems (SDK, Actor)
Message-ID: <432@dev386.UUCP>
Date: 6 Feb 89 18:52:32 GMT
References: <7592@netnews.upenn.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Iowa, Iowa City
Lines: 49

In article <7592@netnews.upenn.edu>, harnyo@grad1.cis.upenn.edu writes:

> I have been looking for a development toolkit for writing
> Microsoft Windows software. There are two of them available
> (as far as I know). One is the original development toolkit
> from Microsoft itself. The other one is called ACTOR. 
> 
> I am not familiar with either of them. Will somebody please
> comment on this ! Thanks.
> 
> n.b : Do I need to get a 'C' compiler as well ?

The two kits (Actor is not really a kit, but I will refer to it that way) vary
greatly.  The Microsoft SDK is a traditional programming tool; it requires C
(probably Microsoft C 5.1, although Lattice C is also supposed to be
compatible), and development of the application is conducted by writing C
programs that call the appropriate SDK functions.  There are nearly 400
(approximately) function calls in the SDK, and until you learn it well, it is
almost like programming in a difference language.  The system is very
powerful; don't expect to learn it overnight.

Actor is an object oriented language which, if you are not familiar with
object oriented programming, will take you a while to learn.  It has a few
disadvantages -- programs are large; there is a bit of a learning curve --
however, it is an excellent system which I highly recommend.  On the upside,
no C compiler is needed, although the Microsoft SDK would be a usefull tool to
have, since Actor can call the SDK functions and make use of the SDK resource
compiler.  But, it is not required.  To give you an idea of the power Actor
makes available: for kicks, I wrote a short program that makes a cube bounce
around inside a window.  A mouse-click will stop the cube; another will
restart it.  It took 12 lines of Actor code; in C, it would have taken at
least a couple pages with all the overhead.

By the way, if you are a student, I believe the Whitewater Group is still
offering an 80% discount to students -- which means you could get Actor for
only $100.

I suppose I would recommend the SDK if you are planning on writing several
smaller programs, such as utilities, communication packages, or programs that
must not use much memory.  If you are planning larger applications, or
something that borders on artificial intelligence, or research, or if you just
want to have a "Really Great" language to work with, I would recommend Actor.
Personally, I can't imagine living without both of them...

Zacharias J. Beckman   ...   gatech!mdt!pgthor!dev386!beckman
                       ...   uunet!mcrware!pgthor!dev386!beckman
(319) 354-5116               (319) 351-1993

Blessed are the meek for they shall inhibit the earth.