|
Post by nitrofurano1 on Aug 23, 2016 15:00:22 GMT -5
i can see perfectly the motivation from psycatic as for me it is exactly the same - it feels like when we play with lego bricks and try to build something interesting, it is far more exciting when we have lots of bricks available (more than what we need), than when the bricks are missing - and the same happens about development, related to knowledge and available technology (tools, libraries, interpreters, etc.) - and such excitement usually comes and goes, depending on our free time, motivation, will, etc. about ZX-Basic, it is excellent for me because it is perfect for my needs and for what i have available, Python comes pre-installed on GNU/Linux, and Bash scripts are perfect for transforming compiled binaries into resulting cartridges - but i can imagine non-Unix-like users might struggle with it, as i have no idea about how to convert Bash scripts to other scripting languages (like dos-prompt .bat files, for example, or how to use commands like dd or xxd from there ) about SecondBasic, i really need to be honest and blunt about my opinion, my short experience on trying to use that was quite frustrating and demotivating (incomparably way more than BasiEgaXorz), for the reasons i mentioned in previous messages - but we never know if and how huge improvements might come, just like whatever software project
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2016 15:06:47 GMT -5
The difference between ZX BASIC and SecondBASIC is that with SecondBASIC a novice can download an installer, install it and get started making games in BASIC complete with IDE. I can't even be demotivated and frustrated by ZX BASIC because I can't install and use it. I really, really wish that part was as easy as BEX or SecondBASIC. UPDATE: No disrespect to you nitrofurano! You usually include tools to build your games and examples. Your downloads are the closest I've gotten to getting ZX BASIC to work
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2016 15:24:51 GMT -5
It's a nice tool, in theory, but the amount of work, even if the ASM library is created ahead of time for each console, would take FOREVER for a single person to do. Even if I were to make SecondBASIC more portable*, by allowing anyone to add in new commands/functions and map the converted ASM and arguments, that's still a huge undertaking.
Also, most people who know ASM really see zero need to write a BASIC compiler as it's bloated - basically the library is included in the compiled ROM, and the translated BASIC code can be slower that straight up ASM.
* I'm not making SecondBASIC portable by any means as that would require rewriting the IDE entirely
|
|
|
Post by nitrofurano1 on Aug 23, 2016 15:40:28 GMT -5
@theloon i see your point, both are significantly different ways of using compilers each other. (and i confess i’m a bit ide-alergic! - i didn’t have Eclipse installed for longer than a week, and VisualStudio (when i attended some training courses) was a huge nightmare for me! (something comparable with Chinese torture methods, i think) ) For using ZX-Basic you really need to get used about how to run Python scripts, and how to compile code to ZX-Spectrum, and get them working. My experiences of extending it to try to compile stuff to all other z80 machines (and still lots of machines are missing, like Bandai-RX78, Bally-Astrocade, Enterprise, etc.) are merely patchwork over that, via creating new libraries (targeting these specific hardware) and Bash scripts for transforming compiled binary files into image-roms, image-tapes, image-disks, etc. (the most laborious are usually for arcade machines, because each rom file arrangement, but it is indeed an exciting experience on analyzing how these machines were made) And you know, these were what my humble efforts were mostly about, experimenting and verifying that such approach is possible, and share the experience as some kind of documentation and examples - and if anyone can find some Columbus’ egg from that and help us packing everything from this into something simpler for a novice, that would be really, really exciting, without any doubt!!! My very humble efforts (i’m saying again because they really are! ) are just a very small part of it! And thanks!!! @elusive i see your point as well, restarting everything would only make meaning if we personally need that, and know exactly what we want to do - i think this is why it is far easier to release a project as software libre, and having a whole development community taking the most of it, from a far wider knowledge and needs range - see examples like how projects like Inkscape started from Sodipodi, and etc.
|
|