NS Basic/CE 5.0 Released [Archive] - Thoughts Media Forums

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Janak Parekh

07-09-2004, 05:00 AM

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.nsbasic.com/ce/' target='_blank'>http://www.nsbasic.com/ce/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"NS BASIC Corporation announced today announced the release of NS Basic/CE 5.0, a major upgrade to the product. It features over 50 new features, enhancements and fixes. It also includes support for Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. 'NS Basic/CE is the easiest way to develop for Windows CE,' said George Henne, President of NS BASIC Corporation. 'The new features add considerably to the ease of use and the power of the applications which can be developed.'"</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20040708-NSBasicCE.jpg" /><br /><br />If you use BASIC programming heavily, you might find this a useful tool for Pocket PC software development. You can download a trial or purchase a copy from <a href="http://www.handango.com/BrainStore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=64595">Handango</a>, among others. Note that this is geared for professional/corporate environments: the product lists for about $150.

PPCRules

07-09-2004, 07:08 PM

What a shame, about the price.

Things would be really interesting in this PPC world if there were decent, low cost, simple development tools. Like an updated eVB for .NET compact framework ...

ghenne

07-09-2004, 08:03 PM

We try to keep the price as low as we can - a lot of our users are not corporate types, or live far away from North America or Europe.

The product comes with a real hard copy 240 page handbook. a reference card and real support. The money we charge gets plowed back into development of future versions.

Software pricing is a bit of a black art. We try to balance the price with the need to stay in business (10 years now, doing nothing but PDA dev tools!).

Bill Gunn

07-09-2004, 10:40 PM

Toshi

07-10-2004, 12:56 AM

Great program. As for the price, I think that the general population has this thought process that says, "It's for a pocket PC and therefore shouldn't cost more than $15-20". This program might be an exception.

ghenne

07-10-2004, 01:33 AM

Keep in mind too, that while developers are a small subset of the overall Pocket PC user base, a devtool is waaaaaay more work to do than your average Pocket PC app.

PPCRules

07-12-2004, 09:13 PM

What a shame, about the price.

Things would be really interesting in this PPC world if there were decent, low cost, simple development tools. Like an updated eVB for .NET compact framework ...

Come on, really! :roll: It's only $150. If you are seriously going to develop software that's not a lot of money. On the other hand, if you are just goofing around you don't really need it anyway.
That's my point. You have to be a "serious" developer to get in the door.

I have lots of ideas of things I'd like to do, but would never have the time to finish them to the point where I'd dare charge for it*, so I would not be able to recoup my costs. But I could make some interesting contributions to the community.

* I know. It's obvious that a lot of other people didn't have the time either.

... you don't really need it anyway.
It's called 'hobby'. It's supposed to be good for you.

What I'd like to see is a sort of NS Basic/CE 'lite' version. Cut out some high end features, documentation is only available online, no support (community supported), even stick a tiny 'NS Basic lite' note on each form (nice advertisement). When people have something they want to commercialize, they would be compelled to buy the 'full' product to add the finishing touches. The ideas generated by the now much larger user base would be plowed back into future development and appear first in the 'full' product.

But I suspect you're right; there are probably not that many potential PPC programming hobbyists. I sense this site does not attract many.