# Solved: BASIC or other for Windows XP



## goedel (Aug 9, 2010)

Seeking a high level language for mathematical play, something like the old LOGO or BASIC that will run on Windows XP. I wish to explore iterative graphics leading to fractal generation. I know this is old stuff, but I am reading a wonderful book by Gerald A. Edgar, "Measure, Topology, and Fractal Geometry" and would like to follow some of his programming suggestions. I don't think I need a fully capable program like C++ or other; just something simple. If it has a compiler and linker to produce executable files, that would be handy. A good manual is a must.

I don't with to spend a great deal of money. I have explored some freeware, but much of it is out of date.

Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.2
OS Version: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Service Pack 3, 32 bit
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5200+, x86 Family 15 Model 67 Stepping 2
Processor Count: 2
RAM: 2046 Mb
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GS, 256 Mb
Hard Drives: C: Total - 38154 MB, Free - 21367 MB;
Motherboard: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD, MS-7312
Antivirus: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2012, Updated: Yes, On-Demand Scanner: Enabled


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

Doesn't sound like you Google searched to hard. Plenty of good free compilers out there for Basic and Pascal.

Even Python would be a good option. That is interpreted language but it is fast and ther have been compilers written for them.


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## goedel (Aug 9, 2010)

I searched using Google and "BASIC program windowsXP" The result was:

http://www.search-results.com/web?l...SIC+windows+XP:src=crb:o=100000052:b=Searchqu

I ignored the ads and looked only at the web results. Most were not downloads of a BASIC programming language. They were training, toubleshooting, tips, a DaniWeb reply, a Microsoft Center download (nothing for nothing from Gates), compilers, ....
Nothing encouraging a further click!

If your search is better than mine, let me in on it.


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## goedel (Aug 9, 2010)

Many of the compilers I saw listed on one site, required a DOS shell not available in WinXP. Others were not similar to BASIC, though they use the word BASIC in their names. Can you advise which to select?


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## goedel (Aug 9, 2010)

I tried xblite and found that it was necessary to download 6 files. I downloaded one and saw immeidately that this is a program hardly like QBASIC or Quickbasic. It looked more like an assembler program dealing with registers and addresses. I don't have time to spend on such matters. I am looking for something quick and easy, not something misleading.


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## ckphilli (Apr 29, 2006)

How about this: http://justbasic.com/


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

goedel said:


> I searched using Google and "BASIC program windowsXP" .


That is way to generic of terms. You are not asking for a BASIC compiler or the BASIC programming language. BASIC program could mean anything to any Search engine.
Maybe if you would have searched for some of the terms you talked about in your first post you would have found this as the very first thing Google finds.
Google Search for Free Basic compiler
http://sourceforge.net/projects/fbc/
And Ckphilli's link is the 2nd link Google Finds.


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## goedel (Aug 9, 2010)

Squashman: I followed your kindly supplied link and downloaded successfully Freebasic. I then tried running its initial test, creating an execution file for hello.bas. I used my text editor to create the hello.bas source code. Then I saved it in My Documents. From "Start", I clicked the run command and a DOS emulating window opened. I changed directories to the My Documents directory. I did a DIR command and saw that "hello.bas" was in there. I then issued the command : fbc hello.bas According to the Freebasic documentation, that should have produced "hello.exe". The error mesasge displayed said that the command "fbc" is not recognized.


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## goedel (Aug 9, 2010)

Squashman: PS There was only one link - to Freeware not to Ckphili's link.


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## goedel (Aug 9, 2010)

Neither Freeware nor JustBasic's documentation indicates which Windows it requires. I don't think it's XP.


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## goedel (Aug 9, 2010)

Ckphili: Thanks for your reply. I don't think justbasic works with WinXP.


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## goedel (Aug 9, 2010)

Squashman: You wouldn't have replied that I had not searched hard enough and then directed me to a program that is not usable in XP, especially after I had included all my system info in my first message. You wouldn't have done that and wasted all my time, now would you?

None of the documentation states the Windows system the program was designed for. That makes me a bit suspicious.


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## ckphilli (Apr 29, 2006)

goedel said:


> Neither Freeware nor JustBasic's documentation indicates which Windows it requires. I don't think it's XP.





goedel said:


> Ckphili: Thanks for your reply. I don't think justbasic works with WinXP.


Did you try it? All of the screenshots are XP.


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## ckphilli (Apr 29, 2006)

Are we being messed with here? Googled justbasic and windows XP, got this: http://jbtutorials.wikispaces.com/Welcome+to+Just+BASIC

Good luck, I'm done here.


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## goedel (Aug 9, 2010)

Yes, it seems to work. I tried the "circles" source and it worked. There are so many misleading encouragements that I became discouraged. For example, Freebasic would not work according to its instructions on my system.

Didn't mean to mess with you. Thanks!


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## ckphilli (Apr 29, 2006)

Glad you got it going!


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

goedel said:


> Squashman: You wouldn't have replied that I had not searched hard enough and then directed me to a program that is not usable in XP, especially after I had included all my system info in my first message. You wouldn't have done that and wasted all my time, now would you?
> 
> None of the documentation states the Windows system the program was designed for. That makes me a bit suspicious.


And again you don't bother to do your research.
http://www.freebasic.net/wiki/wikka.php?wakka=CompilerRequirements


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

goedel said:


> Squashman: I followed your kindly supplied link and downloaded successfully Freebasic. I then tried running its initial test, creating an execution file for hello.bas. I used my text editor to create the hello.bas source code. Then I saved it in My Documents. From "Start", I clicked the run command and a DOS emulating window opened. I changed directories to the My Documents directory. I did a DIR command and saw that "hello.bas" was in there. I then issued the command : fbc hello.bas According to the Freebasic documentation, that should have produced "hello.exe". The error mesasge displayed said that the command "fbc" is not recognized.


And again you didn't follow instructions.
http://www.freebasic.net/wiki/wikka.php?wakka=CompilerRunning

And you should also know that FreeBasic is more like Qbasic then JustBasic is. It can run a lot of the native Qbasic programs that you probably wrote a long time ago if you use the correct compiler switch.


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## Anon B (Jun 29, 2008)

Is *SmallBasic* any good to you?


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