Re: [Fwd: Anyone programming Windows apps in Forth?]

Well, I'm not sure if this is directed to me, but since I posted the
referenced message on comp.lang.forth, and I started a similar thread here
on sftalk, I'll go ahead and reply to it.

At 04:39 PM 1/10/2002 -0800, Elizabeth D. Rather wrote:

>The following message appeared on comp.lang.forth. I believe the
>"Windows GUI interface" means a point-and-click user interface
>development scheme like Visual Basic,

Actually, I was referring to iForth. It appears from an admittedly cursory
examination of their documentation that there is no Windows dialog box
creating wrappers, such as is provided by SwiftForth and MPE's VFX.

My take is that even for people like myself who would FAR rather be
programming in Forth, the complexity of the Windows interface in both
SwiftForth and VFX are reason to seriously question whether taking on a
large Windows application in Forth is a good idea; and I'm not even
considering using iForth for it, in spite of its other merits, because
there is no discernable Windows GUI help at all.

So I'm looking to see if anyone at all is doing Windows programming in
Forth where a rich Windows interface is required, with lots of widgets
being created, moved around the screen, and so on.

Secondary to that, it seems to me that the issues that have caused me to
take a second look at using Forth instead of VB might well be causing other
VB programmers to do the same. Which is the fact that VB is about to be
orphaned, and that .NET is a lousy choice for anything that needs smooth
control of timed events.

So maybe there is an opportunity here for those of us who love Forth and
want to see it become more of a mainstream programming choice.

The opportunity is in the Windows interface, which right now is very un
Forth like in SwiftForth and VFX, and non existent in iForth. If
programming Windows in Forth is just as Byzantine as in C++, why would
anyone who already has C++ chops change, and why would a VB programmer who
needs to move to another language choose it over C++? Answer: they would not.

But if Forth had a far simpler means of creating Windows objects, and
particularly if some of the OCX controls could be used in Forth, I have to
believe some non trivial number of soon to be ex VB programmers will choose
it over C++.

Maybe this is just wishful thinking. I'm hoping to get a feel for it by
the response to these postings.

>but I'm sure the folks there
>would be interested in your comments on programming without,
>as well as knowing what kind of applications you're doing.

Real time, modular algorithmic MIDI and Graphics. Sort of emulations of the
old analog music and video synthesizers. You can very quickly and easily
see what my applications are, by visiting my web site:

http://algoart.com

...there are even free downloads of the programs (I make my money from the
upgrade licenses).

>If you're not familiar with Usenet newsgroups, you can send me
>a message and I'll post it.

I'm not sure what you mean by this. I'm a bit out of touch, but my ISP has
a news feed so I can get and post to comp.lang.forth - or are you referring
to something else that I am - as often happens - clueless about?

John

Algorithmic Arts
http://algoart.com

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Received on Thu Jan 10 2002 - 18:08:21 PST