[Info-vax] BASIC (was Re: 64-bit)

[Craig A. Berry]

On 1/15/24 12:50 PM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
> Simon Clubley  <clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP> wrote:
>>
>> I know that Craig is very fond of Perl, but IMHO, the way forward
>> is Python, not Perl. I was a Perl user at one time, but it must be
>> at least 15 years since I have touched it. Other alternatives have
>> taken over from the position Perl once held.
> 
> There is far more new development being done in Python.  But, there is far
> more existing code on VMS systems in Perl.  If the goal is to get x64 VMS
> up to the point of being able to move existing VMS users onto it, then Perl
> is a clear winner.  If the goal is to get new systems and maybe even new
> customers onto x64 VMS, then Python is a clear winner.
> 
> In the end, both are going to be needed but I understand that the primary
> argument now is to get systems ready for existing users with existing code.

Yep, both are essential, and Python has clearly won in the marketplace
so it's an important path to the future.  It wouldn't hurt to have a
Unix shell always available too just because of how many people are
already familiar with them.  I guess that couldn't be bash given the GPL.

> Personally I don't like either one very much and the indentation syntax
> in Python drives me insane.

I admire Python's capabilities and I'm willing to use it if the code I'm
writing is going to be maintained by someone who prefers it, but yeah,
the significant whitespace is really hard to get used to.  I was
traumatized in my youth by some whitespace in column 72 of a Fortran
program that prevented it from compiling and it still freaks me out in
Python that the number of spaces at the beginning of a line changes its
meaning. Millions of people seem to accept it with a shrug, though, so
go figure.

>  Also I think the lack of RDB hooks and general
> hooks into VMS is a problem for both of them, although a problem that can be
> remedied in the future with some effort.

As Arne pointed out, I think there are solutions available, but I
haven't run Rdb in a very long time.