# Borland or Microsoft platform?



## MrSeanKon (Nov 26, 2007)

Which one do you prefer guys? 
Of course post the reasons.
Multiple voting is allowed.
Basically I started programming using Borland compilers (Turbo C++) but not I use Visual Studio.
Of course Borland offers platforms for Linux (Kylix is the C++ solution).
And Delphi (object Pascal).
But I don't run Linux on my PC.
Anyway let's talk in depth about advantages and disadvantages.


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## Kreij (Nov 27, 2007)

I too started long ago with Borland products as they were about the only thing around.
Now I use the MS Express editions as they are free and very well done.
The IDE is excellent and the autosense for classes and methods is outstanding.

The integration with SQL Server makes coding DB apps relatively simple at a higher level.
When you get into things like database concurrency things are more complicated, but that is because there is not a "end all" solution for issues like that, and it is really something you want to manage in code on your own.

I use C# almost exclusivley as I write app code as opposed to games, and managed code makes my life easier.
Game code benefits from the deeper level of control that C++ offers, but it is somewhat obscure if you are not familiar with it.

Updating SDKs is easy and straight forward, and since MS was kind enough to offer C#, C++, VB, Web Dev, XNA, Robotic Studio, etc. etc. for free, I can see no reason not to use them.

Their newer compilers seem to optimize code pretty well too.


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## MrSeanKon (Nov 28, 2007)

I also program with C# but there are many times where I am getting  with Micro*$*oft products.
Of course Visual Studio express editions are freeware and this is an advantage.
Borland does not offer something freeware (correct me if I am wrong).


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## Kreij (Nov 28, 2007)

MrSeanKon said:


> I also program with C# but there are many times where I am getting  with Micro*$*oft products.



Are you seeing problems with the express editions?
They have run really well for me.
There are some issues that make life a little more difficult when using the free version, like limited access to certain things. For instance, you cannot use the automated database tools if the database is not on the local machine, but it is relatively easy to code around that. The classes are all there, you just have to code some stuff yourself instead of letting the IDE generate the code for you.

In several instances I have found the generated code to leave a bit to be desired anyway.
Especially with database.


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## Disparia (Nov 28, 2007)

I've scripted for many years and wanted to try my hand at some real programming. Went with MS's C# Studio Express (for use with XNA framework). I'm still very much at the tutorial stage, so I don't really have any basis for comparison.


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## Steevo (Nov 28, 2007)

You used to be able to pick up the last of the delphi for free. It has been a few years back since I used it but I picked up a free version from Borland after regestering. 


Delphi always worked for the small projects I had, and the almost drag and drop workings made GUI programming almost to easy. The projects turned out larger than other similar works done in other languages however. But most of the stuff I was doing was small user driven tools.


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## MrSeanKon (Dec 6, 2007)

Kreij let me explain what I mean.
GKR  for example I am making a card game.
Thus the cards should move in table. But I must create threads to do this otherwise the cards don't move.
Steevo I don't know Pascal so I cannot learn Delphi. 
I am 35 years old not a student anymore.


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## Kreij (Dec 6, 2007)

Since you didn't include the source code I can't comment on your program, but I have never had any problems with animations in a single threaded game engine loop myself.

I can say that you game is done very nicely though. Great card grphics!


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## MrSeanKon (Dec 13, 2007)

Thank you man actually I must create an another thread to explain what I mean.
The game is not opensource 
Anyway I would like more options for MS products for example (I use Visual Studio 2005) there is not option in code inspector to hide/show tab pages.
Borland C++ Builder (I used v6.0) had one.
Thus I must hide the whole tabcontrol instead of specific tabpages and this sucks sometimes.


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## jemiopa (Dec 24, 2007)

Borland is Great for Graphics and Games programming

Microsoft Visual Studio is Great in Windows programming and also in Open GL programming..


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## btarunr (Dec 24, 2007)

If you're in to multi-platform / open-source, Borland is the way to go. Their compilers are built for just about every platform, the even have a Symbian-compliant C++ compiler. Using Borland for Windows programming isn't all that bad as most people think, just that MS-VS again has a lot of things to go with it....and is expensive too.


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## MrSeanKon (Dec 24, 2007)

Actually Borland programs run on more nonWindows platforms.
Honestly I did not encounter any crashes for my previous Borland based software.
But how can I be back to Borland (who has the patience to convert 200000+ lines of C# source code).....


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