[Mono-list] Good Mono Project
Kenneth Benson
sdhmis@sheratondover.com
Thu, 17 Mar 2005 12:29:24 -0500
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Miguel de Icaza [mailto:miguel@ximian.com]
> Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:07 PM
> To: Jonathan Pryor
> Cc: Ralph Mason; Mono List
> Subject: Re: [Mono-list] Good Mono Project
>
>
> Hey,
>
> > I'm not saying it can't be done -- it obviously can be. I'm just
> > pointing out that this is A LOT of work; don't underestimate it. A
> > Delphi-compatible compiler is trivial in comparison. VB6 language
> > support is easy, the language semantics are easy, it's the
> class library
> > support (and implicit Win32 support) which will be hard, especially
> > since most of that "class library" consists of 3rd party
> components that
> > may not have a Linux equivalent.
>
> The other downside is that it seems that VB6 is a different language
> that VBScript (used on web browsers) and different than VBA (Visual
> Basic for Applications).
>
> Someone who knows that stuff could probably say `this is a subset of
> that' or something along those lines and write a compiler that would
> work for all three.
>
> At least VBscript and VBA would be reusable elsewhere, and the VB6
> support could help move *some* applications from Windows to Linux.
>
I've worked in VB6 for about 8 years. VBA and VBScript might not be too
bad, but VB6 would be a nightmare. VB6 even within itself operates thru
COM for many of the things it does and that includes most of the controls
that you put on a form. Moving applications would require recompiling as
well as getting many vendors to make *nix versions of the needed controls
or creating replacements for them. VB6 is very big on data grids especially.
So I'm not sure that this would happen.
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>> -----Original Message-----</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> From: Miguel de Icaza [<A HREF="mailto:miguel@ximian.com">mailto:miguel@ximian.com</A>]</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:07 PM</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> To: Jonathan Pryor</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> Cc: Ralph Mason; Mono List</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> Subject: Re: [Mono-list] Good Mono Project</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> Hey,</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> > I'm not saying it can't be done -- it obviously can be. I'm just</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> > pointing out that this is A LOT of work; don't underestimate it. A</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> > Delphi-compatible compiler is trivial in comparison. VB6 language</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> > support is easy, the language semantics are easy, it's the </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> class library</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> > support (and implicit Win32 support) which will be hard, especially</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> > since most of that "class library" consists of 3rd party </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> components that</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> > may not have a Linux equivalent.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> The other downside is that it seems that VB6 is a different language</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> that VBScript (used on web browsers) and different than VBA (Visual</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> Basic for Applications).</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> Someone who knows that stuff could probably say `this is a subset of</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> that' or something along those lines and write a compiler that would</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> work for all three.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> At least VBscript and VBA would be reusable elsewhere, and the VB6</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>> support could help move *some* applications from Windows to Linux.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>></FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>I've worked in VB6 for about 8 years. VBA and VBScript might not be too</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>bad, but VB6 would be a nightmare. VB6 even within itself operates thru</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>COM for many of the things it does and that includes most of the controls</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>that you put on a form. Moving applications would require recompiling as</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>well as getting many vendors to make *nix versions of the needed controls</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>or creating replacements for them. VB6 is very big on data grids especially.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>So I'm not sure that this would happen.</FONT>
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