REALbasic vs. Revolution

[Matt Denton]

Dear Richard

On Friday, October 11, 2002, at 07:44  AM, Richard Gaskin 
<ambassador at fourthworld.com> wrote:

> Me neither.  But to provide useful advisement to the Rev team to help 
> them
> prioritize, we can get farther once we identify specific differences in
> control appearance and behavior that are a concern.
>
> To date, the list has included only two items (throbbing defaults and
> sheets), but if there are others they should be worth listing.

Although I'm definitely not a big RB developer, I would suggest that 
some of the differences could be articulated as thus:

01 A style for OSX Look: 22 pixel high buttons, Lucinda Grande font, 
blah blah; one for Windows XP; One for Windows <XP (2K etc); one for 
OS9. This relates to background colours, default sizes and fonts.  I 
for one always build new layouts for each environment and don't trust 
the Rev Profile Manager to do the job for me (although it is a 
fantastic concept).

02 Throbbing buttons;

03 Sheets;

04 True Progress Bars: indeterminate progress (ie web actions that 
don't have a duration); chasing arrows;

05 For OSX: Image Well holder; placecard holder (and the others, I 
forget what they are called); relevance indicator (grey vertical lines);

06 Button disclosure Tool (sort of like the Option menu without the 
text, currently in Rev this doesn't mimic without all sorts of pixel 
probs in Mac);


Probably the biggest gripe is that windows apps look terrible without a 
lot of adjustment to 'conform' to a standard look.  I am forever trying 
to get Windows apps to 'look right' and often it is easier to create my 
own interface.  And I agree: the Shareware market is sensitive to 
non-conforming apps: it is a mark of how 'stable' or 'professional' the 
application is.  The more it looks like a real app, the more success it 
has (unless it needs to do something very special and out of the 
standard UI box).

SOME of the above can be mimicked, I've done so.  However others really 
need the helping hand from Rev team.  All too much focus seems to go on 
Sheets and Throbbing buttons, what about getting the basics right?

As I haven't seen the RB list, I'm not sure what was discussed there 
about Rev vs RB, this may be repeating what was there.

Also note that a good example (at least on OSX and OS9) of all the UI 
elements needed is the new release SuperCard 4.0.  Although SC lacks 
many of the lovely functions and commands in Rev, they do attack the 
interface with great elegance and sophistication -- this gives you the 
option to either use standard GUI or 'design your own'.  Best of both 
worlds (as quoted on the List earlier -- make your own GUI or use 
standard), but sadly only in one world -- Mac.

I LOVE Rev but must agree: I spend a lot of time trying to mimic a true 
app.  I have built up my own templates but they only get me part of the 
way.

Cheers,

M@
Matt Denton