>Massey University Computing Services has to support a range of
>equipment. We are looking for multi platform development products that
>could allow us to develop programmes for users in the following
>platforms:
>DOS Either in text or graphics mode.
>WINDOWS
>Macintosh
>Unix As an additional extra.
>If you are using or have used such a product could you please email me
>with answers to the following questions:
>1. What was the vendor support like?
>2. How effective was the product on the DOS platform given its memory
>constraints.
>3. Did the product use C or C++
>4. Was the product used in programmes which communicated on a network?
>If so what network software did you use?
>Stephen Quinn
>Systems Programmer
>Massey University
Hello Stephen,
You might want to consider the Windows API (C or C++) and MFC (C++)
as being multiplatform "frameworks".
Using either MFC or the standard Windows API, you can create an app
for all of your desired platforms. Of course, you can go directly
to Windows. Our user interface library, MEWEL, provides the Windows
API on DOS Text, DOS Graphics, UNIX text, OS/2 Text, and soon, Motif.
Using MEWEL, you can program in either C or C++ using the Windows
API, MFC, OWL, or wxWindows. Bristol Technologies also provides
the WIndows API and MFC on Motif.
Microsoft themselves are just about to release both the Windows APi and
MFC for the Mac. Since they have worked on this product for such a
long time, I would expect it to be pretty good, and for Microsoft to
fully support it.
There is a lot to be said for using "industry standard" APIs as opposed
to proprietary APIs and frameworks. For example, you can tap into the
huge existing knowledge-base for both the Windows APi and MFC (books,
articles, newsgroups, etc). You can also use any one of a number of
tools which generate code and resources for the Windows APi and MFC.
I have e-mailed you some info on MEWEL for your consideration. I'm sure
that Bristol will also do the same. Please keep our products in mind,
Regards,
Marc Adler
Magma Systems
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