[aprssig] New Open Source APRS Client Project (aprssig: to exclusive)

[Bob Poortinga]

"Joseph M. Durnal" wrote:

>> VB6 probably wasn't the best choice, but that may be
>> what was available.

Jason KE4NYV replies:

> That is exactly the case.  I have been programming off
> and on with VB6 and it's the only language I have any
> kind of grasp on.

"Joseph M. Durnal"  wrote:

>> I suggest looking into Visual Basic 2008 Express
>> Edition.  It is free.

Jason KE4NYV replues:

> I'll look into that.  I actually have a copy of VB.net
> but I have zero time to try to learn it.  From what I
> have read so far, just getting over the "threading" in
> .net is enough to make you pull your hair out.

Based on my personal experience as a developer in Visual Basic and
many other languages,  Visual Basic is about the worst choice you
could make.  It is proprietary, quirky, difficult to document, doesn't
play well with source code control systems, leads to poor programming
habits, is very version dependent, creates installation problems, etc.
You get the picture.

At this point, my recommendation would be Python.  Yes, you would have
to learn a new language, but the time invested would be paid back in
development, debugging, and support time save.  In addition, Python
is a true Open Source language that is supported on both Windows and
Linux.  Imagine a single application running on both OS'es.  For example,
the popular WSJT package is written in Python and is supported on
both  Windows and Linux.

I also think that you would find more good coders willing to work on a
Python project than you would with VB.

I have done a good deal of software over the years and the choices
that you make at the beginning you have to live with or you have to
start over.  Think long term.  VB is likely to become obsolete in the
future, but Python will continue to grow and be supported.

73 de
-- 
Bob Poortinga K9SQL
Bloomington, IN  US