Hello from a new forum member

Discuss whatever you want here--both QB and non-QB related. Anything from the DEF INT command to the meaning of life!

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msdos622wasfun
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Hello from a new forum member

Post by msdos622wasfun »

Hello everyone. I'm a new member here, and I just wanted to introduce myself and say Howdy. I started programming in QuickBASIC back in the late '80s. I fell in love with it in no time, probably because it was so easy to use. It introduced me to the more serious world of compilers and structured/modular code, plus the IDE was so nice and fast and allowed you to become productive quickly. I have dabbled in other languages before (like Turbo Pascal, C, Java, and C++ in college), but different dialects of BASIC have always been my favorite -- including PowerBASIC (for DOS), VB, REALbasic, and Emergence BASIC by Ionic Wind Software. And I think I will always have a special place in my heart for good ol' QB.

Another motive for me joining this site is my desire to share some of the better QB programs that I've written in the past. I plan on uploading them soon, and when I do, I'll notify everyone (they're mostly games). I know that QB is DOS-based, essentially "obsolete," and is very, very slowly being phased out, but I think we can all agree that those of us who have had so much fun with the language still like to keep it somewhat alive.

Anyways, thanks for having me here. Peace.
Last edited by msdos622wasfun on Fri Jun 25, 2010 6:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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burger2227
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Post by burger2227 »

Welcome to the forum. We could use some good programmers here. Especially "old timers" with QB.

Pete's site currently cannot add uploads so may I suggest you try Dropbox.com. All you have to do after you download their program is place zip files into a special folder on your PC. It automatically will be available online (Program in taskbar monitors). Right click your file placed in the Public folder to get the link for it. When a user clicks the link, only a download box comes up instantly. Real slick!

You can then post links here. You can also add some links to your signature like I have.

Ted
Please acknowledge and thank members who answer your questions!
QB64 is a FREE QBasic compiler for WIN, MAC(OSX) and LINUX : https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php
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JamesWiding
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Post by JamesWiding »

Well, I had tried to learn to program in C++ but it sooooooo weird not have any restriction. I don't feel like coding everything that I need to program. Maybe I a wus but still I found that qbasic was cool and I used to help memorize some bullcrap for my job when I was a forntline supervisor. It was called the OJS and I had to memorize over 500 sentences of safely loading a package. It would make you type it perfectly and tell you how many times you would type it incorrectly and correctly. It worked for me and it was the first time I made something to further my career.
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msdos622wasfun
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Post by msdos622wasfun »

burger2227 wrote:Welcome to the forum. We could use some good programmers here. Especially "old timers" with QB.

Pete's site currently cannot add uploads so may I suggest you try Dropbox.com.
Thank you for the reply and the advice. Is the fact that uploads cannot be added just a temporary technical issue, or are submissions simply not being accepted anymore? If the latter is true, may I inquire as to the reason?

I am going to look into Dropbox (I think I could really benefit from its syncing services, too). Actually, I have a Mac Mini running 24/7 as a web server, and all the freeware I've written is on my site. Could I just advertise that and post a link to it? Also, regardless of whether I decide to offer my QB programs via Dropbox or my site, what is the preferred method of promoting them here? Should I just start a new message thread and post a link to my site?

Thanks. :)
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msdos622wasfun
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Post by msdos622wasfun »

JamesWiding wrote:Well, I had tried to learn to program in C++ but it sooooooo weird not have any restriction.
I highly value my exposure to C and C++. I think it was a good learning experience. Nevertheless, in my opinion it definitely is one of those languages that can get pretty insane the deeper you go into it. I guess it's more cryptic and not as easy to read as most dialects of BASIC are. But I suppose it's all relative, and a lot depends on the talent, knowledge, and skills of the programmer. All languages serve a purpose and have a target audience.

Of course, it's interesting how languages such as BASIC are adopting characteristics and syntax from C and C++, no doubt proving how influential and well-designed those languages are.
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burger2227
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Post by burger2227 »

Also, regardless of whether I decide to offer my QB programs via Dropbox or my site, what is the preferred method of promoting them here? Should I just start a new message thread and post a link to my site?

You can add your site link to your profile signature so it is seen every post.

Let me know if you have any problems. I help out here.

Ted
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QB64 is a FREE QBasic compiler for WIN, MAC(OSX) and LINUX : https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php
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Your right

Post by JamesWiding »

I just wish I could understand what you know. It's easy for me to control the program words in my mind with qbasic. I started to explore an old Debug assemblier tutorial and that was a little easier because its like you make your own commands and every piece of the program is like a variable but thats as close as I come to understanding it. I also tried and began to explore the asm routines in Qbasic which makes it like C++ but the damn small linux and Xbox hacks have caught my attention at the moment. I want to learn the scripting language of DSL first to the level of my DOS skills (which isn't very much compared to you masters). What I wouldn't give for money to go to school and learn this for real. "Sigh" I guess I shall remain with the free education of google until I can get a job in the evening. The Economy sucks here. The economy sucks everywhere. Qbasic splits the commands and the variables and thats fine but when you combine the concepts, for me, that gets harder and its because I learned it first rather then learned C++ first. When I code in BASIC it's like it comes to me in my mind but C++ or assmemblier it takes more and the trial and error method is not efficent. I mean what is a header and why does it need a link and why does it need to be different then the main code? Why is the code in an iostream and Why must you use different libaries to make it compatiable? Are Liberies the different rules people made like commands? Please somebody elighten me I beg you (please be gentle I wish to be a master it). I'm such a noob and its been around most of my life.
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msdos622wasfun
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Post by msdos622wasfun »

burger2227 wrote:You can add your site link to your profile signature so it is seen every post.
No sweat ... once I get everything up on my website the way I want it, I will update my signature.

Thanks again. :D
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msdos622wasfun
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Re: Your right

Post by msdos622wasfun »

JamesWiding wrote:I just wish I could understand what you know.
Heh. I'm definitely flattered, but let me assure you, I don't know it all, and I learn all the time, just like you. :)

To respond to one of your points, I know what you mean about how things come easier to your mind when you think of a programming problem in terms of BASIC. That's probably because it resembles English, and the language was initially designed as a teaching tool so that beginners could learn how to write software. Contrast that with a lower level language like C, or assembly (which is even lower), and it's easy to see the difference.

As far as why certain languages require headers and libraries (which is pretty much true even for BASIC nowadays), don't be intimidated by that. A header is just a file that is included in your project, and it usually contains declarations and definitions that are required in order for your program to run. I suppose in a way they are related to libraries, in a sense that quite often, when you want to use a certain library, your program needs to refer to the appropriate header so that the compiler can link the proper routines to your application. A library is a pre-compiled unit of code that consists of various procedures and functions that you want your program to be able to access. Instead of duplicating this functionality over and over again for each program that needs it, a program simply grabs what it needs out of the library. Usually libraries are defined by what purpose they serve -- such as graphics routines, user-interface routines, mathematical functions, disk and file I/O, networking and communications routines, and so on.

Think of it this way: A header file prepares the compiler and tells it what to expect, what kind of constants are used in your program, and outlines the proper method of how to call the procedures and functions that are used, thus assuring that your program doesn't perform an illegal operation by calling a function in an incorrect manner, which would lead to an error that would prevent your program from executing.

Hopefully this has shed some light for you on these topics. If you want to discuss it further, let me know.
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Post by tomstyler23 »

Hello everyone, I am new here and nice meeting you all.
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msdos622wasfun
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Post by msdos622wasfun »

tomstyler23 wrote:Hello everyone, I am new here and nice meeting you all.
Hi!
Check out my Freeware at <a href="http://erichkohl.blogspot.com/p/my-software.html">My Software Page!</a>
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msdos622wasfun
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Post by msdos622wasfun »

Hello again everyone. Just wanted to let you know my software page has moved (see sig).
Check out my Freeware at <a href="http://erichkohl.blogspot.com/p/my-software.html">My Software Page!</a>
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burger2227
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Post by burger2227 »

I added a couple of your signatures, but you should go back and edit ones if you forgot.

Ted
Please acknowledge and thank members who answer your questions!
QB64 is a FREE QBasic compiler for WIN, MAC(OSX) and LINUX : https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php
Get my Q-Basics demonstrator: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fdmgp91d6h8ps ... s.zip?dl=0
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msdos622wasfun
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Post by msdos622wasfun »

anora wrote:Hi !

I'm newbie here. Happy to be members of the forum.
I hope we will have great time here. and I'll try to contribute to forum develop more.
I'm positively looking forward to the forum and its members, hope all will guide, share and help me to increase my knowledge. Nice to meet you..
Hi there. Do you like to program in QB a lot?
Check out my Freeware at <a href="http://erichkohl.blogspot.com/p/my-software.html">My Software Page!</a>
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