brahms@tdd.sj.nec.com (George Skillman) (05/03/91)
I just attended a MS Windows developer's conference and boy are there a heck of a lot of development tools out there. These tools make the tools available under UNIX GUIs look awful. I'd divide them into the following groups: 1) OOP Languages: Smalltalk V, Actor, BC++, Borland's new Pascal 2) Hypercard-like: Toolbook, Windowcraft, PLUS 3) Code Generators: Windows Maker, ProtoGen, VZ Programmer, Winpro/3 (These products have a GUI interface that lets you draw your application's windows. They generate C code. They're sort of like a dialog box editor, except for the entire application. Some advertise cohabitability with BC++. There was one that generated BC++ code called 3-in-1. It's only $199 but it looked pretty rudimentary. Digitalk had another company sharing its booth called Acumen. They had a code generator for Digitalk's Smalltalk V for Windows product. It looked pretty rudimentary too, but since it's written in Smalltalk, you can modify it to your heart's content.) 4) GUI Independent API products: Guild, XVT (The idea here is that the product gives you one API which, when you buy a different library set, lets you move to a different GUI without having to change your code.) 5) OOP/Code Generator Environments: Object/1, Choreographer, Easel (This category is really a Rolls-Royce approach to programming Windows; unfortunately, the price tag ranges from $1000 - $12000+ with Object/1 being the cheapest and Easel being rather outrageously priced.) I'm leaning towards using Borland C++ with the C++/Views class library. If I can talk my boss into it, I'll get a code generator like Blue Sky's Windows Maker or 3-in-1. I wish Borland would port their new browser and class library they put in their Pascal product to their C++ product. On the exhibit floor, each company had only one small cubicle from which to tout their wares; except Microsoft, of course, which had several. They were there trying to sell their MSC6.0 which someday will support C++. They'll probably introduce it in the true Microsoft tradition of johny-come-lately with more bugs and twice the price. Microsoft was also trying to sell their OS/2 manuals; you know, Vols 1-3 documenting the 1.1 API and Vol 4 documenting changes in 1.2. Of course, we'll have to pitch them in the trash when 2.0 or 3.0 come out (if ever). I've noticed lots of messages posted to comp.windows.ms.programmer, mostly about doing windows development the hard way. Surely someone out there has bought some of these code generator packages! Would you guys please give us a hint as to how you like them? Perhaps they're so good, you're all done with your programs and don't need to read this news group. Thanks for your help. George Skillman NEC America 110 Rio Robles San Jose, CA 95050 brahms@tdd.sj.nec.com -- ============================================================= George Skillman brahms@tdd.sj.nec.com
bill@polygen.uucp (Bill Poitras) (05/09/91)
In article <1991May3.020220.2936@sj.nec.com> brahms@tdd.sj.nec.com (George Skillman) writes: >I just attended a MS Windows developer's conference and boy are >there a heck of a lot of development tools out there. >These tools make the tools available under UNIX GUIs look awful. >I'd divide them into the following groups: > >4) GUI Independent API products: Guild, XVT ^^^^^ Does anyone have information on Guild? Who makes it? Phone number for the company would be helpful. Thanks. +-----------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+ | Bill Poitras | Polygen Corporation | {princeton mit-eddie | | (bill) | Waltham, MA USA | bu sunne}!polygen!bill | | | FAX (617)890-8694 | bill@polygen.com | +-----------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+
mrinne@niksula.hut.fi (Mikko Rinne) (05/13/91)
-- We've taken care of everything, I Mikko Rinne Helsinki University The words you read the songs you sing I Ver{j{nkorva 3 of The pictures that give pleasure to your eyeI 00650 HELSINKI Technology It's one for all and all for one, I 358-0-7284479 We work together, common sons. I mrinne@niksula.hut.fi Never need to wonder how or why. (Peart) I