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The Pros and Cons of PureBasic
Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 5:25 pm
by josku_x
Hello!
As an ex-pb user I wanted to know other users pros and cons of PureBasic. The only rule in this topic is to post ATLEAST one pros AND one cons. Don't only post "PureBasic is great", explain why it is great etc.. and also post your negative view of PureBasic, what's bad what should be done, etc..
I could start with a few things:
Pros
PureBasic is easy-to-use, it has a good function library and it is very well compatible with the Windoze API (I'm saying this even if I use my Ubuntu box

)
Cons
PureBasic lacks COM support which is an important feature if you want to get professional things done (like a MS Word clone). PB isn't really cross-platform, if I'd want to make linux programs in windoze, I'd had to download another PB version (linux) and run it through LINE.
Overall
Well, what can I say? PB is good for beginners and experts alike, but you can't say it's the best and it maybe costs a bit much if you are on a tight budget.
I'll give it a 8/10.
Please also read what others post and say, don't just reply with information that some other user posted. Happy posting/reviewing!
Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 5:42 pm
by Straker
Pros
PureBasic is great.
Cons
Some ex-users return to spam the forums and try to stir things up.
Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 5:53 pm
by josku_x
That's not really nice
I am not here to mix things up, in fact Fred and the PB team could use this topic as good information to make PB better, right?

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:11 pm
by Hydrate
Straker wrote:Pros
PureBasic is great.
Cons
Some ex-users return to spam the forums and try to stir things up.
I find that very offensive to be honest, it was rude an not asked for, the guys is obviously trying to improve PB. Heres my views anyway:
Pros:
It has simple, easy to use syntax, and this can be attracting to new programmers.
Cons:
The site hasnt been updated in a long while, looks old, and is beggining to become pretty much useless. The games and applications shown that were made in PB are old, and the links go to dead pages.
Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:18 pm
by dracflamloc
Yea Fred needs to showcase T3h Warg
Anyway... you're a former pb user? Didn't you just start using it? (September of 2005), yep. And you went ape trying to up your postcount.....
I can see where some sarcastic/rude comments might come from.
Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:22 pm
by Straker
Excuse my negativity. Generally speaking, the pros and cons of PureBasic are discussed in most of the threads in these forums, so a specific thread about it usually devolves into a subjective negative discussion and the thread ends up locked.
Check this thread out - you might even recognize the title:
http://www.purebasic.fr/english/viewtopic.php?t=15237
Since you decided to announce yourself as an ex-user, why start such a thread? It seemed like baiting to me, and I responded in like manner.
If it really is important to you to discuss Cons (we users already know the Pros which is why we are users), you can post your own features and requests in that specific forum.
Besides, one person's Con is another person's Pro (like the whole OOP debate).
There are active and ongoing threads discussing PB in general, like
this one. Your discussion may be more appropriate there (and I noticed you were already a participant).
Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:44 pm
by oldBear
I'm with Straker. This topic has been discussed many times before. It's not like we weren't aware of the price or COM support, so what's new? Have we learned anything? Has Fred?
I liked it during the "quiet" period between post 999 and 1000.
As an "ex" why continue to bother us with your nonsense?
cheers
Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 10:07 pm
by Flype
Well, i think that each language have their own Pros & Cons.
I use purebasic as a primary language, but i use also php, python, c, delphi when it's needed.
PureBasic, compared to what, for what ?
It can be the better for someone, for something, or the worst for others.
The todo list of the Purebasic team is still / yet a long list.
Fred already knows what to do in the nearest future.
But, well, it's not forbidden to discuss.
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:20 am
by White Eagle
PureBasic lacks COM support which is an important feature if you want to get professional things done (like a MS Word clone).
Trust me, even if it had stellar COM support, it would not benefit you. I feel confident in saying YOU do not have what it takes to turn out a MS Word clone no matter what the language or its features.
PB isn't really cross-platform,
You are right. PB isn't cross-platform. It only has Windows, Linux, OS X & Amiga versions. What other OS would you like supported?
(I'm saying this even if I use my Ubuntu box )... if I'd want to make linux programs in windoze, I'd had to download another PB version (linux) and run it through LINE.
If you are already running Ubuntu, wouldn't it make more sense to run the Linux version of PB on Ubuntu?
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:47 am
by Dare
Um ..
As an ex-user, what difference does it make to you, josku_x?
Wouldn't it make more sense to post things like this on the boards supporting your new language?
Then you could start with "As a new-whatever user ...".

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:14 am
by Phoenix
Dare wrote:Um ..
As an ex-user, what difference does it make to you, josku_x?
Wouldn't it make more sense to post things like this on the boards supporting your new language?
Then you could start with "As a new-whatever user ...".

I agree that josku_x seems to be just trolling these forums....
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:49 pm
by Baldrick
Strakers reply is pretty much as good as you can hope for in this thread josku_x!
Works for me anyways

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:55 am
by Fred
I feared of such a topic by looking at the title, and i'm not disappointed

. Seriously, what did you expected joshu_x ?
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 4:30 am
by yoxola
Something to compare is better...
BlitzMax Pros:
- All native commands are cross-platform (technically)
- Utilize 3rd party C compiler to build libs/executables
- Very powerful built-in functions for Game Develop
- Intelligent compile to save time
- OOP design in mind
BlitzMax Cons:
- The documents is VERY cryptive like Da Vinchi Code
- VERY poor and useless native editor
- poor sound support, no native streaming
- Can't handle threading at all, the GC is buggy
- No native GUI Editor
PureBasic Pros:
- Powerful, easy Editor with many nice utilities
- Bundled GUI Designer is pretty useful
- Very complete Win32API integration
- Small executable, fast compile, inline ASM
- Easy to learn, yet pertty powerful
- A great community that helps many users
PureBasic Cons:
- Not fully cross-platform, many commands are missing in other OSes
- Lesser COM support, it doable but not easy
- The 3D Engine is not very usable as expected.
- Midas module library is outdated, and should get replaced
- Making 3rd party libraries need higher knowledges
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 1:19 pm
by GedB
Poor Joshua_x, he misses the days when programming was fun.
He tells himself that he now has feature x and widget y, but he still cannot escape the fact that he isn't having fun.
So he keeps coming back, looking for validation that he made the right choice.
Thats both the pro and con with Purebasic, it gets in under you skin.
