RetroBASIC

Basicprogramming(.org) => General questions and discussions => Topic started by: Richly on October 12, 2018, 11:15:02 PM

Title: Yabasic
Post by: Richly on October 12, 2018, 11:15:02 PM
Why was / is Yabasic so popular amongst BASIC enthusiasts?

I've never tried it out but I know that many of you have.

It was really popular at bp.org

What is it about Yabasic that meant it had / has so many devotees?

http://www.yabasic.de
Title: Re: Yabasic
Post by: n00b on October 12, 2018, 11:51:37 PM
I think a big part of its popularity for me was that sony created an official port of it to PS2. And at the time it was one of the best basi variants available for free.
Title: Re: Yabasic
Post by: jj2007 on October 13, 2018, 07:49:30 AM
I suspect it's popular because it's beginner-friendly...
Title: Re: Yabasic
Post by: Galileo on October 13, 2018, 08:44:51 AM
I find Yabasic to be simple, coherent and well documented. Example source code can be found at http://rosettacode.org/wiki/Category:Yabasic (http://rosettacode.org/wiki/Category:Yabasic) and http://galileano.tripod.com/basic/YabasicCodeCollection.zip (http://galileano.tripod.com/basic/YabasicCodeCollection.zip)
Title: Re: Yabasic
Post by: B+ on October 13, 2018, 01:57:18 PM
Yes Beginner Friendly! but what does that mean?

Well Rosetta's description is good starter:
Quote
Features
Language is interpreted.
Line numbers are not required, but optional.
Support for direct display graphics.
Variables have not to be defined before use.
Support old and modern (structured, modular, but not object oriented) programming style.

And then what Galieo said:
Quote from: Galileo on October 13, 2018, 08:44:51 AM
I find Yabasic to be simple, coherent and well documented. Example source code can be found at http://rosettacode.org/wiki/Category:Yabasic (http://rosettacode.org/wiki/Category:Yabasic) and http://galileano.tripod.com/basic/YabasicCodeCollection.zip (http://galileano.tripod.com/basic/YabasicCodeCollection.zip)

These things were why I liked SmallBASIC so much when I first found it with a normal IDE.

Removing required line numbers made writing code much easier.

So the same goes for required typing of variables by suffix or DIM (but I don't think I would mind making that optional too).

Then there is having a community of like interest for sharing code (probably the main difference of opinion on code being dead or alive after the developer has left it).

Plus it's language was yet another variation of a language we are all familiar.
Title: Re: Yabasic
Post by: Tomaaz on October 13, 2018, 05:45:13 PM
Quote from: Richey on October 12, 2018, 11:15:02 PM
Why was / is Yabasic so popular amongst BASIC enthusiasts?

I would say "was". I don't think it's that popular anymore.
Title: Re: Yabasic
Post by: Richly on October 13, 2018, 10:26:54 PM
Quote from: Tomaaz on October 13, 2018, 05:45:13 PM
Quote from: Richey on October 12, 2018, 11:15:02 PM
Why was / is Yabasic so popular amongst BASIC enthusiasts?

I would say "was". I don't think it's that popular anymore.

Tomaaz, didn't you use Yabasic at one time? Why did you stop, or do you still dabble every now and again?
Title: Re: Yabasic
Post by: Tomaaz on October 14, 2018, 12:49:30 PM
Quote from: Richey on October 13, 2018, 10:26:54 PM
Tomaaz, didn't you use Yabasic at one time? Why did you stop, or do you still dabble every now and again?

I did, but after some time it wasn't enough for me:

Title: Re: Yabasic
Post by: jj2007 on October 14, 2018, 11:38:14 PM
Quote from: B+ on October 13, 2018, 01:57:18 PM
So the same goes for required typing of variables by suffix or DIM

Over the years I find that the ThisIsText$ suffix is really helpful for the readability of code. The C/C++ gang find it unprofessional, and produce lots of buggy code, he he >:(

Dim is OK for arrays, but I find it annoying to dim a simple integer. OTOH it can help to avoid bugs that creep in with typos, like confusing MyVar with My_Var etc.; the old defunct GfaBasic had an excellent solution for this problem: If you typed MyVar=123, it asked if you wanted to create that variable. Sure, I want that. And if some pages further down you typed My_Var=456, it asked you again ... oops! Almost foolproof, and no Dim required.