From: strong-john@yale.edu (John Strong)
Subject: Re: Power BASIC
Organization: Yale University Science & Engineering UNIX(tm), New Haven, CT 06520-2158
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 14:28:46 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.080623.9957@netcom.com> bart@netcom.com (Harry Bartholomew) writes:
>	I own Turbo Basic 1.0 and received the offer to upgrade
>	to PowerBASIC 3.0 for $59 + tax (CA residents) based on
>	that. Offer guaranteed until 15 Jan. '93 (perhaps longer ?)
>	Spectra Publishing: 800 245 6717 X4114	
>
>	I have no affiliation with them. Curious to hear more
>	about PB3.0 since MS has given up QB per se.

I thought this press release might be of interest:


For Immediate Release

Contact:  Steve Landau, Marketing Manager
          (408) 730-9291

     POWERBASIC 3.0 Available as $59 Upgrade - Changes BASIC
                       Programming Forever

NOVEMBER 17, 1992, SUNNYVALE, CALIF. - SPECTRA Publishing and
developer Bob Zale announced today the release of PowerBASIC 3.0,
a major upgrade to PowerBASIC 2 and Turbo Basic 1.1 (previously
distributed by Borland International, Inc.).  This release of
SPECTRA's BASIC compiler incorporates a number of 'firsts' for
BASIC such as built in TSR generation, new data types, unlimited
strings, and internal Assembler.  With its new user interface and
increased functionality, PowerBASIC 3.0 is faster, more flexible,
and more powerful than any previous BASIC compiler.

PowerBASIC 3.0's improvements permeate the program.  Its new
user-interface incorporates full mouse support, a clipboard, and
an expanded context sensitive help system.  PowerBASIC's new
editor supports huge source files with no 64K limit, and its
debugger is functional to the level of CPU registers.

Of great significance is the instant TSR generation capability of
PowerBASIC.  Traditionally programming TSRs was difficult, time
consuming and required the use of additional tools.  PowerBASIC
is the first to ease TSR development.  PowerBASIC's TSR
capabilities allow a TSR to be created with as few as five lines
of code.  Any TSR, even one requiring 600K of memory, can "pop-
down" to just 4K when not in use.  TSRs automatically use EMS,
XMS, or virtual memory.  According to Bob Zale, "Any stimulus can
be used to initiate a TSR, even a message from a foreground
program.  And for the first time, two way communication between
multiple TSRs is no longer a dream, it's reality."

A new internal Assembler offers PowerBASIC programmers great
flexibility.  PowerBASIC has made it simple to insert specific
machine code at critical areas of a program.  For the first time,
Assembler code can be written and mixed in with PowerBASIC code,
line by line.  Users can reference PowerBASIC variables, labels,
and procedures directly, and even debug at the register level in
the expanded environment.

Memory limitations have long been a problem for programmers.
PowerBASIC solves memory problems by using EMS, XMS, and virtual
disk to assure that any real-mode program can be compiled.
Additionally, a new stand-alone debugger has been added so that
large programs can be quickly and easily debugged.  "We
recognized the problems people had debugging large programs and
realized that a simple solution was to have a stand alone
debugger with the same interface as the integrated debugger.
This makes debugging large programs a snap and removes one more
of the programmer's worries," said Bob Zale.

New data types significantly augment the existing PowerBASIC data
types.  For the first time, PowerBASIC offers: Unlimited dynamic
strings; Unsigned Integers (byte/word/dword); User defined TYPES
and UNIONS; a true handle-based string memory manager; and Fixed
length strings.  PowerBASIC's already comprehensive data types
include: fixed and floating point BCD; single, double, and
extended floats; dynamic and flex strings; as well as integer,
long integer, and quad integer.

New features include Huge Arrays (greater than 64K), Absolute
Arrays (at a specific address), Bit Operations (shift, rotate,
test, set, reset, toggle), Smart linking of units, .OBJs and
.PBLs created by the PBLIB librarian, Optional variable
declaration, and even Local multi-level error trapping.  "Our
goal has been to deliver the most effective programming language
to everyone who has a job to do.  Many of the features we've
packed into PowerBASIC have never been available in any BASIC,
and in some cases we've improved on features available in other
languages," said Bob Zale.  EXIT FAR is one example of the
developers intent; it provides a controlled, multi-level
sub/function exit.  This is a safe, yet powerful improvement to
the LONGJMP function found in C compilers.

Technical support continues to be provided free of charge to
registered users of PowerBASIC.  "Our support staff is available
to answer any questions by fax, mail, or phone.  In addition we
have dedicated BBS and a dedicated CompuServe section to support
our customers," said Lloyd Smith, Technical Support Manager.  The
PowerBASIC support system is further backed up by an independent
newsletter, Basically Speaking from Information Management
Systems, which is also a third party developer.  Other third
party developers supporting PowerBASIC 3.0 include Crescent
Software, EllTech, DSE Software, and Software Interphase.

-- 
John Strong                 |"My mother never breast fed me.  She told me that
strong@minerva.cis.yale.edu | she only liked me as a friend."                 
Yale University             |                             - Rodney Dangerfield
Newsgroups: alt.lang.basic