[Info-vax] Programming languages on VMS

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 01/26/2018 06:06 PM, DaveFroble wrote:
> Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>> On 01/26/2018 03:36 PM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
>>> On 2018-01-24 18:26, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>>>> Given what it was designed for BASIC was never taken seriously.  Even
>>>> after ANSIfication it was still not overly practical as most versions
>>>> were interpreted and not compiled. What data type of none-integer does
>>>> BASIC support that can do calculations with decimals without the
>>>> cumulative error common to floating point?
>>>
>>> Is that a trick question?
>>> BASIC can actually do arithmetic on strings, with arbitrary precision.
>>> And that's been in several different BASIC dialects I've played with.
>>
>> But the problem with BASIC is every one is different.  Not the kind
>> of language I would be betting my business on today.
>>
>>>
>>>  From the BP2 help:
>>>
>>>    FUNCTIONS
>>>
>>>      BUILT-IN
>>>
>>>        SUM$
>>>
>>>   The SUM$ function returns a string whose value is the sum of two 
>>> numeric
>>>   strings.
>>>
>>>   Format
>>>
>>>       str-vbl = SUM$(str-exp1, str-exp2)
>>>
>>>   Example
>>>
>>>   600    Sigma$ = SUM$("234.444", A$)
>>>
>>>
>>> You also have DIF$, PROD$ and QUO$.
>>
>> Totally unique to DEC.  Later RSTS, RSX and then VMS.  I have
>> worked with a number of versions of BASIC and no others did it.
>>
>> Considering that VMS BASIC has the DECIMAL type makes one wonder
>> why they keep STRING Arithmetic.
>>
>> bill
>>
>>
>> bill
>>
>>
> 
> Once it's in there, it may be more trouble to rip it out, and then there 
> are possible customers using the capability.

Guess that depends on why they added an equivalent feature.  If it
was to become standard compliant than after a suitable time when the
old way was marked "deprecated" it should go away.

> 
> So what if it's DEC specific.  Many DEC specific things were / are 
> better than anything else available.  Why would anyone want to choose 
> lowest common denominator when there is better available.  Your argument 
> makes no sense, unless you expect the DEC stuff to go away, which, was 
> an issue for a while.

I don;t expect the DEC stuff to go away.  I merely pointed out that
the biggest problem with BASIC is that no two are the same.  It isn't
least common denominator.  It's what is in the standard.  There is a
reason people go to so  much trouble to make standards.  Too bad so
few people end out following them.

> 
> Do you choose your cars based upon conformity to a Yugo?

Yugo was never a standard.  Well, maybe a standard for poor
quality.

> 
> Do you do ANYTHING based upon conformity to "lowest common denominator"?

Probably not, but the standard is not "lowest common denominator".
Or, maybe they are and we should just stop writing standards.  How
do you think the automotive industry would be without SAE?  (Or DIN
in Germany!) Cars was your example....

bill