Future of powerbasic

Started by Sutthisak Phongthanapanic, September 01, 2013, 12:10:38 PM

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Theo Gottwald

Couldn't somebody like Charles make a "PB Clone" that we can use? :-)

Charles Pegge

#31
If PB goes caput, there will still be plenty of time to decide whether to continue the PB dialect, it very much depends on user demand, and whether supporters would be willing to encode the PB functions library.

Patrice Terrier

Theo--

Don't you think it is time to leave the nimbe and come back to the terra firma (floor of cow)  :)

...
Patrice Terrier
GDImage (advanced graphic addon)
http://www.zapsolution.com
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James OShea

Does anyone have a good guess as to how many active PowerBasic users there are?  I am sure PowerBasic holds that number pretty close to the vest but I am looking for an educated guess.  I would think that the heyday would have been PB/DOS in the mid to late 1990's.

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Theo Gottwald

I guess its not enough to make something commercial that really pays out.
Thats the main Problem.
On the other side PB IS HE>RE - its stabel - and its working.
We would just need something like that in x64 ...

@Patrice. Read the posts from Jim and find out if everything happens how he told us. (New Beta Program etc.).

Patrice Terrier

Quote@Patrice. Read the posts from Jim and find out if everything happens how he told us. (New Beta Program etc.).
which post  ::)
Patrice Terrier
GDImage (advanced graphic addon)
http://www.zapsolution.com
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Theo Gottwald

#36
QuoteI find it impressive to see how many turn their back so quickly.  PowerBASIC has always met or exceeded benchmarks of 99% of the compilers out there.  As everyone has been told, 64bit will be real.  But do you really know what advantages 64bit gives you?  Microsoft even recommends that you install Office as a 32bit on 64bit machines.

I thank you Chris, your EZGui products are well written, and have helped us sell many products.  And you are right, being a senior employee, I took over operations.  I am an analyst, a programmer, and a teacher - learning marketing and trying to make the best decisions for PB have been a big challenge for me. 

Our site and phones have been down since 3:00pm Sat.  We moved into a bigger office and have hired an on-site IT specialist, a marketing genius, and some more tech support personnel.

We hope to have everything normalized in the next day or 2 (I hope today...) and when we get back to 100% we will be relaunching the beta forums for testing.

I sincerely regret the difficulties all PBers have endured.  We are continuing to make newer and better compilers. 

PB did not die Nov. 6, 2012.  It was forced to change. 

Jim Bailey
PowerBASIC Staff

QuoteThank you Chris, for explaining the different methods of programming. As there are many that like to use EZGUI, FireFly, PBForms, etc...

I would also like to mention the fact that PowerBASIC is one of the only compilers that can use different GUI designers, different IDE - or editors, and create DLLs compatible with 99% of applications or compilers out there today.

This forum seems to have taken to "suggestions" rather than asking question as to what may become of PowerBASIC.

So please let me take a second to tell you that all suggestions that are made, in the forums, as well as email, are being cataloged and reviewed by our development department. New maintenance versions are on their way, and work is being done with regards to new major versions (with a path to 64bit).

Any questions, please direct them to jim@powerbasic.com, and I will do my best to explain the answers to you.

Thank you all for your support,
__________________
Jim Bailey
PowerBASIC Staff

QuoteThank you, Steve, we are working on many more aspects of Bob's visions. We still have our no-vaporware policy as to upcoming compilers and add-ons/tools. However Bob left us with a lot of ideas, and work...

The first project is to get the .04 versions of our current compiler released. Hopefully this will be the last maintenance release for this version.

Then we will be able to concentrate on the new compiler with new features.

Patrice Terrier

#37
Yes, i have read these, and the no vapor ware policy moto, is realy too handy to turn us to mute...

Do you know the name of the {new} guy in charge of R&D, because that woul be the only thing that could give us a real confidence in the future of PowerBASIC or not.

...
Patrice Terrier
GDImage (advanced graphic addon)
http://www.zapsolution.com
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Brice Manuel

QuoteIt is impossible for PB to compete with Visual Studio

Unless your goal is mediocrity, you should not try to compete with Visual Studio.  It does not even support ISO standard C.


QuoteI got a nice email from PowerBASIC explaining that a key staff member had been in an auto accident, fortunately not seriously injured, which caused them to be behind in their email and shipping.  I am giving them the benefit of the doubt.

I wonder if it was the same key employee that was in an auto accident several years ago that supposedly caused the delay in the shipment of manuals that I ordered?  This was the excuse I was given when I called to ask about the status of my order.


QuoteAs far as the website, web service providers go down, so that may not be their fault.

IIRC, before Bob's death, the servers were in-house and PB Inc. merely leased a data line from Verizon.  Whether they have continued this or outsourced the servers is irrelevant at this point.  Whatever the problem is, it is getting a bit harder to make excuses.


QuoteDespite all the challenges though, this does not mean they are not up to the task. It is only reasonable to expect them to take a year or so to figure things out. This is no overnight fix that can be done. They will likely make a few mistakes along the way and find out what works and what doesn't.

We have seen an update pushed out after Bob's death.  It is not like they have been sitting on their hands staring at the monitor all day. 

There is an old saying that behind all good men, is an even better woman.  Bob's wife has been mentioned a time or two on the PB forums and I am sure she is doing what she can to keep the team going.  Jim sounded overwhelmed in a previous post here, so hopefully he is getting some stress alleviated with the new team members that were added.


QuoteTo quote Bob Zale - "smaller, faster", that is what I want and need.

PB 10 lost focus of this vision, as "actual used code" compiled in PB 10 is often larger than the same code compiled in PB 9.  I moved away from PB 10 because of the bloat.  Unfortunately, the compiler I was using is now dead due to the incarceration of its author.  So, I am back to using PB for some new projects.


QuoteJim Bailey wrote that on 29 April. It is worth noting that we used to get notifications on PMs as well as activity on subscribed threads. Some folk may call by regularly but not log in so they will not be aware that a PM awaits them. I've had a few notifications from this forum in the last few days and it makes a world of difference.

I have heard of people being unable to register on the forum because the confirmation email is not sent out and therefore you can't confirm your account.  If this is still true, tech support is basically closed off to new customers.


QuoteAfter the second episode we were told of a marketing guy and an IT guy were joining.

The IT guy needs to be fired immediately.  It does not take over a month to update servers.


QuoteSo will I, Guy, and I suspect many other folk will as well.

I will too.  Thanks to the people named in my signature, I can keep going with PowerBASIC for several more years.


QuoteOn a new compiler version I usually part with my hard earned as soon as I am aware of their existence. This will not be the case in the event of new versions and I suspect that will be the case for many other folk as well. Now, that is sad!

I will not spend another dime on unsupported software.  Unless PB Inc. allows me access to the tech support forums, there will be no further purchases from me.  People that do not believe in their product enough to provide support for it, will not see my money.


QuoteBut do you really know what advantages 64bit gives you?

I answered this when Jim asked, but I was the only one who answered.  I may be the only one interested in 64-bit support.


QuoteYes, i have read these, and the no vapor ware policy moto, is realy too handy to turn us to mute...

The no vaporware policy did wonders for PB DOS 4.0 and PB for Linux.  I hope the 64-bit version of PB for Windows has a better fate than PB for Linux. ;D
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James OShea

#39
Quote from: Brice Manuel on September 10, 2013, 02:48:37 AM

I wonder if it was the same key employee that was in an auto accident several years ago that supposedly caused the delay in the shipment of manuals that I ordered?  This was the excuse I was given when I called to ask about the status of my order.

I find that troubling.  If I figure out they are outright lying I am done.  I'll use version PB/Win 10 and PB/CC 6 until Microsoft no longer supports 32 bit

QuoteI have heard of people being unable to register on the forum because the confirmation email is not sent out and therefore you can't confirm your account.  If this is still true, tech support is basically closed off to new customers.

I had this problem but a quick email to PowerBASIC resolved it.
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Brice Manuel

QuoteI find that troubling.  If I figure out they are outright lying I am done...

I lived in Florida for almost eight years and given how bad the drivers are there, it is not outside the realm of possibility. ;D
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Chris Holbrook

The sad fact is that for years the company has done nothing whatever to inspire confidence, particularly so since Bob Zale left us.

Yet the products are just as good as they were a year or so ago. PowerBASIC Inc have scored a massive own goal by their mishandling of their situation. Their business model, believed to rely exclusively  on licence sales for revenue, can be no help.

How many commercial programmers would wish to be associated with the brand, if it could be avoided?

If you have run out of commitment or cash guys, for goodness sake put the business on eBay, don't faff about and let you user base go sour.

Even with a new product or upgrade, a considerable quantity of doubt has been poured over the whole enterprise and people will be suspicious of the brand.

Something must be done, and soon.











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Brice Manuel

Quote from: Chris Holbrook on September 10, 2013, 11:59:45 AM
Even with a new product or upgrade, a considerable quantity of doubt has been poured over the whole enterprise and people will be suspicious of the brand.

Something must be done, and soon.

Anything done at this point will be too little, too late.  They can't undo the damage that has been done or regain developers who have ditched the product.  They can only move on and hope to keep those of us that remain happy and try and attract future customers.
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Theo Gottwald

If there are people from florida overthere ... can't you just sit in the car, drive there and late rgive us a report on the new "Marketing" and "IT Guy's"?

Anyway, PB is here and it works fine. The produced code is very small and efficient.
The only problem is that MS plans to switch off x32 rather sooner then later.


James OShea

#44
Quote from: Theo Gottwald on September 11, 2013, 07:36:27 AM
If there are people from florida overthere ... can't you just sit in the car, drive there and late rgive us a report on the new "Marketing" and "IT Guy's"?

Marketing?  The axiom is that it costs 5X more to obtain a new customer than to retain an existing customer.  The first step in their marketing strategy should be to stop losing existing customers.  I don't believe they have figured that out.  From what I can see they don't have a maketing strategy. 

I still haven't gotten either my disks, the files or any info as to when I can be expect them.  I am back to suggesting "caveat emptor" on any purchases directly from PowerBASIC.  The taste in my mouth just gets worse and worse.
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