Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!unmvax!bbx!bbxsda!scott
From: scott@bbxsda.UUCP (Scott Amspoker)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: Thorobred BASIC
Message-ID: <491@bbxsda.UUCP>
Date: 22 Dec 89 16:47:05 GMT
References: <17766@nuchat.UUCP>
Reply-To: scott@bbxsda.UUCP (Scott Amspoker)
Distribution: na
Organization: Basis International,  Albuquerque, NM
Lines: 42

In article <17766@nuchat.UUCP> orion@nuchat (Roland Dunkerley III) writes:
>                                                  So, I
>was wanting to know if anyone else out there had used
>TB, and if they would be willing to comment on it's
>features, ease of use, vendor support, and so on.

Thoroughbred BASIC is based on MAI Basic/4 "Business Basic" (not to be
confused with Microsoft Business Basic).  Basic/4's Business Basic
has been around close to 20 years.  It was designed mainly for
transaction-oriented business data processing, however, it has
proven ideal for many other applications.  I'll agree that many
times, C or C++ would be a better choice, for what Business Basic
was designed for, it is still the best choice (IMHO).

Business Basic is superficially similar to other BASICs.  What sets
it apart is powerful device handling capabilities, intrinsic keyed file
access with file/record locking, error and exception handling up the
yin-yang, and 14-digit decimal precision math.

Over the years, many companies have offered Business Basic workalikes
running under various platforms.  Thoroughbred BASIC is one of those
workalikes. 

Now for the commercial...

We also sell a Business Basic platform known as "Business Basic Extended"
or BBx.  The "extended" part involves substantial enhancements not
found in traditional Business Basic such as long variable names, string
arrays, windowing, graphics, multi-keyed files, and many others.
We also run on dozens of different machines including any DOS or
DOS network (and compatibles), and most boxes running Unix, Xenix,
or some reasonably compatible **ix.  Since we are upward compatible
from traditional Business Basic, software written in other Business
Basics generally ports easily over to BBx.  If you are seriously looking
for a good Business Basic give us a call or ask around.  We are
well known in the Business Basic world.

-- 
Scott Amspoker
Basis International, Albuquerque, NM
(505) 345-5232
unmvax.cs.unm.edu!bbx!bbxsda!scott