From: fredf@microsoft.com (Fred Freeland)
Subject: Re: PDS 7.1 and VB for DOS
Date: 11 Sep 92 17:09:11 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corporation
Keywords: Basic

In article <ted.716017534@lonestar> ted@rice.edu (Ted Carver.) writes:
>Well, I upgraded to Basic PDS 7.1 about 4 months ago.  I haven't
>used the product that much, but it seems to me that it doesn't
>give a lot of bang for the buck unless you've never used windows
>before and have no experience with structured programs.  Microsoft 
>appears to be using the same old ploy of putting out as many products 
>as possible (cf. OS/2 vs. Windows).  The features in v. 7.1 were too 
>little too late.  

Would you please clarify what you are saying. Basic PDS 7.1, which has
been out for more than two years, is not designed for Windows programming.
It is strictly a DOS-based development system. As for "bang for the buck"
I think QuickBASIC 4.5 user's would argue that Basic PDS 7.1 adds quite
a bit of "bang for the buck." And I am also curious about what you mean
about too little too late. As I said, it's been out for over two years. 

  
>   This stuff in the VB press release about aiding developers who want 
>to make the DOS/Windows transition is a bunch of you-know-what.  
>I fully expect that VB for DOS will be crippled somehow to avoid 
>competition with VB for Windows.  I guess I'll just switch over to 
>something else.

I don't know what you're reading into our press release.  Visual Basic
for DOS still has virtually all of the important features of Basic PDS 7.1
while adding the ability to create windowed, event driven programs like
Visual Basic for Windows.  These two products are not in competition with
each other. Visual Basic for Windows is for developers who want to develop
Windows applications. Visual Basic for MS-DOS is for developers who have
not yet committed to Windows development. Believe it or not, there are
a lot of people out there that are quite content to use character-mode
applications (DOS Apps) rather than graphical (Windows Apps) ones.

There are also a number of other significant improvements to the Basic
programming environment provided by Visual Basic for DOS. For complete
details, either read the press release or wait for a magazine to do a
review or quick look.

Microsoft and the group that develops our Basic products are committed to
excellence. We take great pride in the products we develop and believe it
or not, we don't play games with our users. We value each one of them and
always solicit their input. If you don't feel you're getting your money's
worth, send us a letter and let us know what your specific grievances are.

-- 
Frederick F. Freeland Jr.                        "Of all the things I've lost,  Microsoft Corporation                               I miss my mind the most!"   One Microsoft Way  
Redmond, WA 98052 (206) 882-8080                                                                                                                                internet: fredf@microsoft.com                                                   arpanet:  fredf%microsoft@uw-beaver.ARPA
uucp:     uunet!microsoft!fredf                                                                                                                                 Opinions expressed over this signature are my OWN and not those of my employer!