Re: computer programming *methods*

From: personalpages.tds.net/~rcsilk (dick_silk_at_antispam.gov)
Date: 01/30/05 

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2005 01:25:10 -0600

live chat: http://dicksilk.chatango.com
"AngleWyrm" <no_spam_anglewyrm@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7vOdnewgh89Z-mHcRVn-pA@comcast.com...
silk:
>> the coolest program I ever wrote, mathematically, was one that emulated
>> the Pizza Hut order taking system. I wrote it on a TI-99 4A, using
>> something like 8K of RAM (perhaps 16) and a 360 KB floppy disk (x2 disks,
>> to store the data base).
>>
>> It also kept the till and printed the orders, including half & half
>> orders
>> and non-standard pricing schemes. All based upon a hash algorithm of the
>> customer's phone number.
>
> That's an excellent feat!

thank you (bowing, center stage)... I wrote it in a passion, then went back
one day to review it... could NOT get my brain *back into* all that detail /
those variables... I think that one burned me out... the boss didn't like
it, preferred doing crap by hand, had NO concept of the VALUE of a customer
data base!

Ah! another good program: remember Timex Sinclair ZX-81 machines?
(onboard 8K BASIC with macro-like key functions built into the keyboard)...
I wrote a program that actually *solved* the puzzle where you have a
triangular block of wood with 15 holes and 14 pegs... you have to
continuously jump a peg until only one is left. Sucker came up with around
13 different solutions :-)

> QBASIC is a little, well...dated. However, much of what you learned is
> transferrable. if/then statements, for/next loops, etc. It might be an
> easier learning curve to start with compiling a dos program, then do a
> windows program. The last dos application I wrote converts source files to
> html pages. kinda useful when I update my website with a bug-fix or a new
> feature.

so... what is today's "modern version" of QBASIC (for Windows)?

> Windows has a lot of built in functionality; you can create a message box
> with an ok/cancel button, line of text, and menu-bar title in a single
> line
> of code. It's not all that simple (lots of setup), but it's not as complex
> as it might at first appear.

*right! now this is the kinda stuff that buggs me: does Windows have some
sort of built-in compiler that allows gui programs to run easily with less
overhead or something?

> I got a lot of help learning to code windows apps from several good web
> sites:
> http://www.foosyerdoos.fsnet.co.uk/ for using various windows items
> (buttons, listboxes, etc)
> http://nehe.gamedev.net/ for programming OpenGL graphics
> And of course a bunch of books, some of which can be had through Shareaza

thanks... filed for future reference.

> QBASIC...didn't it have a form of structured programming?

definitely: you could either use line numbers (or not) or paragraph header
labels or use do-while / while-wend statements or such... go-to-less
programming was "new" when I was in college the first go-around. Also, QB
can call subroutines -- a little confusing, as sometimes they seem to be in
totally separate programs (source files) whereas other times they seemed to
be "hidden" somewhere within the text of the main module.

> C++ is sort of like that as well; the program has a main function, and
> then the author can
> add as many sub-functions as desired. It's got some other handy new
> concepts
> as well. classes are a great way to group concepts. You could do your
> pizza
> program with a pizza class.

?? Interesting idea...!
Now... WHERE did I leave all that source-code printout???

Loading