[Oberon] Re: Oberon Digest, Vol 30, Issue 24

[jan verhoeven]

 > Since then I've decided to complicate my life further and switch to
 > Linux, which I have no experience with. 

Your life is getting easier. As long as you choose a good flavour...

 >  I would appreciate some input on what YOU would do in this situation.

I am still very fond of Modula-2. With DOS / Windows I use FST. With Linux 
I use Mocka. Both are free of charge and there's an awful lot of examples 
and sourcecode available.
If going for Oberon, consider the OO2C compiler which translates Oberon-2 
to C. With one line of extra commands, you can have gcc produce a good 
executable from that C source. OO2C is available on Sourceforge.

XDS used to be a combination system: Oberon AND Modula-2 for Linux AND 
Windows. But it is not further developed (like Mocka). But it is free to 
use.

 > Which system do YOU think has the best chance of becoming a standard. 

Anything starting with the letter 'C'. 

 >  I would like to try Native Oberon, but, as I mentioned before, I had a
 > lot of trouble figuring out how to do anything with it. 

NO is nice for playing or for study. Period. It cannot be compared to Linux 
or Windows. 

 > I needed to know how to save a file that I had created. 

That can be a problem now and then, I know out of my own experience.

 > I have some experience with computers and programming, but I would be
 > trying to use a programming language new to me with an operating system
 > new to me. I would appreciate your hearing your thoughts.

Linux is built around C, but you can still do a lot with Modula-2 and hence 
also with Oberon, as long as you are able to find a suitable compiler.
I think the OO2C translator would have the best chances. It translates to C 
so it can be recompiled on many other target systems. In fact, one could 
see the intermediate C sourcecode as what P-code was for Pascal.

But then, I am biased.

-- 
Met vriendelijke groeten

Jan Verhoeven
http://fruttenboel.verhoeven272.nl