nala@ihlpf.ATT.COM (A. Flora-Holmquist) (01/28/88)
Greetings, I am interested in Apple ][GS development, I have written some data acquisition applications using Microsoft Basic (the OLD OLD TASC compiler) and assembler. However, TASC is an old product and it does not support the GS advanced features. I would like to port my applications to the GS (utilize the GS unique features not available on the other Apple II machines). After perusing the January 88' copy of the APDAlog (did you notice the cover photo is backwards?) for Apple ][GS development tools I see three choices. 1.APW v.1.0 with APW C v.1.0, I did not see a debugger for the APW. 2.The ORCA/Pascal for the ][GS, with Desktop and Debugger. 3.TML Pascal Works in APW or TML Pascal Stand-alone version. TML also has example code products as well as a speech tool kit, no debugger. I have several questions: 1. What is the system language of the ][GS and does using C or Pascal make it any easier to use the tool box? On the Mac, Pascal is the system language and therefore is be my choice for compatibility as well as the availability of MacApp. However, is the same true here? 2. Does anyone have experience with all or two of the three products that can compare/contrast the strengths/weeknesses. 3. I like the idea of the TML source code library and speech tool kit, however I see no mention of a debugger. Is the ORCA debugger useful enough to out weigh the TML library and speech kit support? 4. Why use the APW environment at all, ORCA and TML both support it, is there a good reason to go with the APW shell and use some other compiler? 5. I am a C hack for the last 7 years although I did extensive Pascal hacking in grad school. I loved Pascal then, I like the economy of expression of C now. Has the Pascal language evolved enough to support systems programming well. As I remember, bit twiddling and such was not easy in Pascal. I would like to hear from the professional development community as to what software development environment (language, debugger, shell, etc.) you are using and why. I do not wish to start a holy war on the net so please contact me directly via email. Thanks in advance, Al Flora-Holmquist ihnp4!ihlpf!nala