dvenus wrote: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:13 pm
As I mentioned pure basic appears to be the only basic compiler getting updates and fixes. Other commercial products don't appear to have had updates or fixes in a few years. So the blog made me curious as to what might coming.
Curiosity is generally only bad for cats.
PB seems too good to be true, when compared to the competition, doesn't it? PB is the
last indie BASIC standing, and Fred is the only developer of an indie language who has a proven track record of keeping his promises to his userbase (which speaks volumes as to why it is the last indie BASIC standing).
The old saying in the 90s, in the heyday of Shareware, was an upgrade is just an update released when you needed the money. When PB became "not as profitable", Fred could have done what many other indie BASIC developers did and move to a paid model or make new features a paid add on. Not, Fred. He went out and got a regular job. He kept his promise of free updates to his users.
Any comments I make on Fred, apply equally to Freak. Freak is a coding Guru, just like Fred. We have two strong developers of the language and Andre kicks some serious butt when it comes to the documentation. PureBasic still exists largely because its developers care about the product and its users. And in general, we have some of the most helpful and knowledgeable folks on the forum.
Yes, the community has changed over the years as other languages have taken off and many may move on. But, many of us are still here. I have been here since JAN 2004. One month shy of 20 years. Many have been here since the late 90s. One of the most heart warming things I have seen in any programming community, was long ago, when Fred, Freak and Bericko (sp?) (who used to maintain the GUI editor) had a get together in person and shared some pictures. You could see the happiness, mutual respect and general camaraderie and friendship in their eyes and faces. Because the developers get along so well, is a part of why PB is still here.
A lot has changed in the 20 years that I have been here. In the product and in the lives of everybody here. Fred, like many of us, has gotten married and started a family. I am a firm believer in "Family comes first" and Fred, I am sure, believes the same. So if updates are not as quick as some may like, we need to learn to be patient.
If you want to see some of what PB is capable of, cruise the code Archives of purearea.net There is a lot of old example code there, that can run under modern versions with some tweaking, or you can download the old versions of PB from your account.
Keep in mind, it is not just FREE updates. It is free updates for ALL platforms, including emerging ones. When I first joined, I think the only platforms supported were Amiga, Windows (32 bit) and Linux (32 bit). Look at all that is supported now. And it is not just for applications, it is for games, too.
Most competition, even if offering free upgrades, would still be charging for each platform. Unlike much of the competition, PB has actually been on store shelves at one point. PB has a track record to be proud of, and Fred has a legacy and work ethic to be proud of. Even more importantly, Fred has the respect of his user base, which is also a huge part of why PB is still here.
Welcome to the community! I know you said you are considering it. You will not regret your purchase.
