Nick, hi, yeah my current contract is consuming most of my time.
However, I will, for now, give a brief analysis based on my experiences:
PowerBuilder Advantages
* Datawindow is very slick design
* Graphing is built in
* Sybase MARKETS THEIR PRODUCT, UNLIKE MICROSOFT, SO THE UNENLIGHTENED
MANAGERS CHOOSE IT AS THEIR TOOL
PowerBuilder Disadvantages
* If you build rules into the engine level and then create a datawindow
(you will create many datawindows), the rules are COPIED to the datawindow. Then, later you change the rules at the engine leve, guess what, all of your datawindows have THE OLD RULES!!! I had to wind up calling functions from my datawindows I did for a customer just to make everything work without having to "resync" datawindows - a lousy solution sybase proposes.
* It is slow
* Too many GPF's while developing the software, although not as many with PB 3.0 and 4.0.
* If you delete an ancestor class - YOU ARE TOTOALLY HOSED!
* If you build a view comprised of multiple columns from multiple tables, you actually have to write code to "repoint" to the active table, repoint the columns FOR EACH TABLE IN THE VIEW!
* When you bring up these shortcommings at conferences, the presenter tries to sidestep the obvious design flaws.
VFP Disadvantages
* Microsoft does not market VFP - I don't care what anyone says, they are
totally "VB Myopic".
* Graphing is not built in. I use Flipper to compensate for this and it is
quite an enjoyable tool.
* With VFP 5.0, the ability to plug images onto a form and report was dropped.
You have to use ocx's, etc.
VFP Advantages
* When you define rules at the engine level - they work fantastically, no
"resyncing" bullshit.
* When you build views comprising multiple tables/columns, you do not have to
hose with 'repointing'.
* It is fast on data handling.
* It is virtually UNLIMITED in being able to do whatever you can dream up!
* It is superior for building data_driven architectures.
* It is fast.
* It is fast.
* If you delete and ANCESTOR class, VFP gracefully allows you to reattach it!
This is really cool - I tested it. So slick. When I mentioned it at a PowerBuilder conference, the speaker replied "that could never be done". I guess the GREAT VFP authors can laugh at this guy!
I have developed with PowerBuilder, FoxPro Dos, FoxPro Windows 2.01, 2.5, 2.6x,
VFP and my top choice is now either FPW for 16bit development, and VFP for 32bit work. Powerbuilder is OK but it does not have the extreme power of VFP.
Unfortunately, MS is in love with their sorry product VB, and refuses to market
VFP as the "PowerBuilder Killer" that it is.
IMHO. And no, I don't care to hear anyone's opinion about how wonderful the
non-oop, non-inheritance, VB is - I upgraded 3 times and it always left me
wanting.
Of course, I am just one voice.
