Comparison of Different Programming Languages

[Punch-M6.net]

That's true, but C++ is often extended with various platform-specific libraries, and if a program is made dependant on these then conversion can take some effort. Java is far less likely to have such problems, due to it's virtual machine structure.

[Valmont]

Java = language = platform independent
C++ = language = platform independent
DirectX = not-a-language
MFC = not-a-language
Qt = not-a-language

Do you see the pattern here? C++ is easely to be extended with platform independent libraries as well. But once again, this is not the way to compare the languages itself.

[Belisarius]

The source-code is portable in C++, but the compiled program isn't. When Java says "platform independant", it means that the compiled program can be run from any platform. You don't need to come up with different distributions for different systems.

[mozenrat]

As a business application development environment and a RAD tool, nothing beats Delphi. I have used it for quite some time and frankly, besides not supporting operator overloading, I think its the ease of VB with the power of C. and as to the comment that its IDE is not as customisable as VB's, then the writer missed it. Delphi allows one to build ones own components FAST. and you can replace the entire group of components from Borland with your own containing all features you think necessary.

[Ludwig]

C# (additional stuff)
Pro:
-VCS 2003 edition IDE had a nice way to include GUI design and code into one file.
Con:
-VCS 2005 edition IDE ruined it all, now your code is scattered all over. This makes it very difficult to communicate with other programmers.
-C# code requires too much typing, easy to make a typo!

[DJMaze]

Should add the D language to this list.
Digital Mars - The D Programming Language

[vegaseat]

Originally Posted by Ludwig

C# (additional stuff)
Pro:
-VCS 2003 edition IDE had a nice way to include GUI design and code into one file.
Con:
-VCS 2005 edition IDE ruined it all, now your code is scattered all over. This makes it very difficult to communicate with other programmers.
-C# code requires too much typing, easy to make a typo!

If you don't like all that typing, use Boo! A language with Python syntax written to feed into C#. Actually written by a person who didn't like all that longwinded C# typing!

[vegaseat]

Since I am somewhat hooked on Python, I wanted to add this ...

Let's not forget that Python is a high level language with a real advanced memory manager, gone are those silly allocations and sneaky memory leaks. In Python most things are objects, and a named variable simply points to the object. Object types are by inference, Python is smart enough to figure it out. Also gone are those endless semicolon end of line markers. They are only used if you want to put more than one statement on a line. Python uses a number of modern (STL type) containers like lists, sets, dictionaries, which can contain mixed types. A large number of builtin methods, like optimized sorts and searches are available for these containers. Advanced computer science topics like functional and meta programming are supported, classes can have multiple inheritance and there are generator and partial functions, as well as nice candy like list comprehension and generator expression. Passing multiple arguments to and from functions is no problem. Default, variable number and keyword arguments can be used too. Give Python a try, you will like it!

[vegaseat]

If you are an old timer like me, and have used Basic or Qbasic in the past, here is a nifty package ...

BCX the BASIC To C Translator:
Pro:
- simple basic syntax
- easy to write console or GUI code
- translates to C code and then compiles the C code
- you can view and change the C code
- good help file
- lots of examples
- active forum
- comes in a package including editor/IDE and C compiler
also has a Visual Basic like IDE and form builder
BCX DevSuite Pro from: BCX DevSuite Pro at RJP Computing

Con:
- C code might be just another layer for some

Here is typical BCX code ...

' look at a series of numbers and print out the prime numbers
' prime numbers are divisible only by unity or themselves
' this is BCX basic, a modern successor to Qbasic

Dim A    ' defaults to integer

For A = 1 To 100
  If IsPrime(A) Then Print A;
Next

Pause   ' make console wait

Function IsPrime(Num)
  Local X
  ' make exeptions for 1 and 2
  If Num = 1 Then Function = False
  If Num = 2 Then Function = True
  ' leave on even numbers
  If Mod(Num, 2) = 0 Then Exit Function
  For X = 3 To Num - 1 Step 2
    If Mod(Num, X) = 0 Then Exit Function
  Next X
  Function = TRUE  ' return true if it's a Prime Number
End Function

Or a simple example of GUI code ...

' test listbox selection

GUI "ListBox1", PIXELS

SET names[7][10] AS char
   "Heidi", "Bertha", "Samantha", "Rubin", 
   "Frank", "Sandy", "Sunny"
END SET

DIM text$
DIM Form1 AS HWND
DIM List1 AS HWND

SUB FORMLOAD
  LOCAL A$, k 

  Form1 = BCX_FORM("Click on a name ...", 0, 0, 260, 200)
  List1 = BCX_LISTBOX("", Form1, 1009, 10, 15, 100, 150)

  FOR k = 0 TO 6
    A$ = names[k]
    addLB(List1, A$) ' load list1 via sub
  NEXT

  CENTER(Form1)
  SHOW (Form1)
END SUB

BEGIN EVENTS
SELECT CASE CBMSG
  CASE WM_COMMAND
    ' list box item clicked (selected)
    IF CBCTL = 1009 THEN    
      IF CBCTLMSG = LBN_SELCHANGE THEN
        text$ = getLB$(List1)
        ' just for test
        Beep(400,500)
        ' selected item to form title
        SetWindowText(Form1, text$) 
      END IF
    END IF
END SELECT
END EVENTS

' add a string
SUB addLB(idnr as HWND,ltext$)  
  SendMessage(idnr,LB_ADDSTRING,0,ltext$)
END SUB

' return selected string
Function getLB$(idnr as HWND) 
  LOCAL index, buf$

  index = SendMessage(idnr,LB_GETCURSEL,0,0)
  SendMessage (idnr,LB_GETTEXT,index,buf$)
  Function = buf$
END Function