Original_To:  JNET%"WIN3-L@UICVM"
Original_cc:  4TMS009
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.win3-l
Date:         Sun, 23 Aug 1992 00:25:00 MST
From:         4TMS009@MC.BITNET
Subject:      Re: Visual Basic as a serious :-) environment

>-Access to sound, animation, CD-ROMs?

Yes, you can access sound, animation and CD-ROMs. If you were working
with just the General VB package, it doesn't say how. BUT the
Professional Toolkit does. (Well worth the price!!)

>-Suppress annoying system messages such as "File I/O Error", in order to
> replace them with more gracious burps?

Yes, but you have to do it yourself. When the program recieves an
error number, you can let it do its own thing (i.e. "File I/O Error")
or you can catch the error yourself and send out what ever you want.
(i.e. "You Fool!! That File doesn't EXIST!!") ;-)

>-Access to all system resources, like a modem: we couldn't do it.

Yes, it can be done though the Windows API. Can't really say much
about it personally, haven't had the need yet to access it. :-(

>-What is the "Pro" part of VB Pro about? OLE?

The "Pro" side provides some Third party DLL's (3-D Check Box, 3-D
Comand Button, 3-D Frame, 3-D Group Push Button, 3-D Option Button,
3-D Panel, Animated Button, Common Dialog Control, Gauge Display,
Graphs, Grid, Key Status, MDI Child Windows, OLE Client Control, Pen
Edit Controls, Picture Clip, Spin Button, and Visual Basic Multimedia
Device Control)

Also provided, How to develop custom controls (C++ compiler needed or
equivalent), Help compiler with instructions and devolpment
suggestions, a generic installation program for your programs, several
HLP files (Though they need to be updated for Windows 3.1) :-( Someone
told me that they are on CompuServ, I don't have access. COULD SOMEONE
PLEASE PUT THEM AT INDIANA OR SOMEWHERE ELSE WITH FTP ACCESS!!!!!!!!

>-Database management? And I mean a fast and useable DB!
>-Speedy loading and execution, seems it takes almost forever to initialize?

Both of these topics should be taken care of in the next version of
VB. Microsoft just merged with FOX so there might be database
management soon. As for the speed, as with all first versions there is
room for inprovement and I have been assured from Microsoft that they
are seriously working on it for version 2.0 (Which might be out by the
end of the year!)

>-Is there a way to get rid of that bulky VBRUN100.DLL?

NOPE. Sorry but I asked the same question to Microsoft. I was told
that due to portability and to keep your own code down to a managable
size it was needed as is. Specifically I asked about the .VBX files
from third party custom controls. But the VBX files are in actuality
DLL's and to get rid of them isn't possible at this time.

>-How much is it gonna cost me if I wanted all the extras needed to make
> an app professional looking? There is a new DLL add-on every week...

Like someone told me... How large is your wallet? :-) But that is the
beauty of VB, you can make it as professional as you want. But some of
the best working programs I have seen look damn crude, but they WORK
and get the job done!!! (That's what really counts)

>-Can I only dream of develop-(one or two 'p' ? It's late.)-ing in
> order to make at least a few parts of my project portable, say, to
> the Mac... I guess that is impossible with VB. How about C or Pascal?

Don't know if it is possible with any language, I just don't have the
knowledge to answer that question. Sorry :-(

Personally I REALLY enjoy Visual Basic!!! Though I am just getting
started in it and am taking my time to learn it. But it SHOULD be
taken as a serious platform!!! Here is a quote from a person at
Microsoft....

"We're proud of Basic.  It's the product that started the company.
And, as you've seen, it isn't the same language that a lot of people
think of when they hear "Basic."  Overcoming that outdated opinion
is something we think we can accomplish, but it will take time.
There are a lot of professional Basic programmers out there
(in character mode as well as Windows) and there's no reason
for them to feel ashamed of the language they're using.  They
are more productive than many of the people who are using "real"
languages, and that's what counts in the *real* world."

NOTE: This was in responce to a comment about changing the name to
something else besides BASIC.

***********************************************************
Dirk Brewer                            Student / Consultant
4TMS009@MC.BITNET              Mesa College * Mesa AZ 85202
                The Toon Master

NOTE: old address BREWER@MC.BITNET
      new address 4TMS009@MC.BITNET
***********************************************************
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU