"QB64 has built-in support for all manner of image and sound files. This concerns me. It has relegated image and sound file formats to the domain of magic.

I would have nothing against programmers sharing image and sound file decoders (written in BASIC) amongst themselves, nor such software being distributed with QB64. I even wouldn't mind them being built-in if they were written in BASIC."-Artelius

The problem is QB64's image and sound file decoders are written in C, and not written by a member of the BASIC community. I find this a little tragic.

I find it TRAGIC that you would allow Artelius to DECIDE WHO IS and IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE BASIC COMMUNITY! QB64 WAS WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY FOR QBASIC 4.5! I have used ALL of the old QBASIC PSET, BLOAD, BSAVE, GET, PUT and PCOPY routines IF I WANT to go the HISTORICAL WAY! They all work perfectly in QB64! BUT NOW you can also LOAD 32 BIT COLOR images INSTANTLY and have RELIABLE SOUND!

I think the Galleon has done QBASIC a FAVOR by integrating the OLD with the NEW! You CAN run OLD CODE OUT OF THE BOX normally. Yes, some things like port and Interrupt  access are limited presently, but Artelius COULD have HELPED in development, but has chosen NOT TO! Simply ASKING may have encouraged further development!

When he does come to the QB64 site I smell his bitterness but also his lack of enthusiasm because HE IS NO LONGER NEEDED to help people deal with Interrupts, ASM and other OBSCURE techniques! Recently Galleon has opened up QB64 to DLL access and a FUTURE while Artelius is STUCK in the past!

That WILL NOT WORK to advance BASIC into the 21st Century! That WILL NOT keep the BASIC language ALIVE! Computer technology has FORCED us to move on and move up. I'd rather be able to RUN my code than REMINISCE about it!

Ted Weissgerber

AKA Clippy or Burger2227