Heated Debate... Features and Updates and Things...

[Melanie]

bot42:

Whilst string handling is limited within the PICBasic product, a short time searching on this forum will reveal a dozen different ways of manipulating strings. If you pruchased the MeLabs product, you did so in the knowledge of what it was and wasn't capable of doing. If subsequently you now need to manipulate strings, then this forum has shown you how, making you a happy bunny in that you don't have to spend money in buying a competitors product.

This forum is not run or owned by MeLabs. It is a "self-help" forum. That means it is the membership that helps each other. Since practically all of the questions are "How do I do this or that?" (which is a user or applications issue and not something a manufacturer would reply on) rather than "Your product is broke" which is not something that really applies here in the same way as it does with some competitors offerings. MeLabs will always reply to you personally by email if you care to contact them should you have a "broken product" issue. They have mentioned in the past (again if you care to do a search) that it is not their policy to tell people what they might or might-not be developing. The great majority of commercial enterprises follow the same policy.

Nobody is being duped. You KNOW UP-FRONT what you are buying. The specifications and features are CRYSTAL CLEAR, you can even look at the manual on-line, and play with it at compilespot.com. The product works just as advertised. If there is any part of the MeLabs product that does not work as described, then be constructive and let's hear it, because that's something every single user of the MeLabs products (including me) want's to be alterted about. But don't moan that your car hasn't got Air-Con AFTER you've bought it. If they decide to bring out an upgrade kit in the future, then that's a bonus. If they don't, and you really need that Air-Con, then I'm sure you'll chose a diffent manufacturer next time around.

[Demon]

I can't believe it. I never thought I'd ever see a representative of one product come onto a forum dedicated to another product and start bashing.

"I have to say after reading these posts for some time now I can only conclude you all must have more time than money. - OXIMBIT"

"For a company to sell this product for so much that offers so little when there are cheaper products that do more for less I think is ......... - OXIMBIT "

"By "more time than money" means your you prepared to spend all that extra time doing workarounds than spending the money on better product. - OXIMBIT"

"As I know a lot about the way Pbpro works and it's weakness I decided to write a little test code to show the differences between my compiler and Pbpro. - OXIMBIT"

I've worked in businesses for over 20 years now, and I have NEVER seen someone stoop low enough to resort to these most unprofessional tactics.

RULE #1 of business etiquette: NEVER put down the competition, it only makes you appear weaker by resorting to childish behavior.

I have no idea what compiler you have, I don't care if it washes the dishes and serves me beer while it writes my code for me. I will NEVER buy anything from a person like you, EVER. You can also be sure that any business contact that asks for a recommendation in MCUs will be sent your quotes above, as well as what I think of PBP Pro.

"As the last post said if every software company froze there development when it was 100% stable we would not even have got to Ada or one of the really early OS's."

So, where is ADA today?

In business, which you obviously know NOTHING about, stability is the cornerstone to continued business. Banks, credit cards, airline companies, hospitals, the list goes on, CANNOT afford to have a compiler that may or may not work as advertised.

Yes, R&D is important, BUT NEVER AT THE CLIENT'S EXPENSE! Develop your compiler properly, get rid of the tons of bugs and come back once you've done your homework properly. All software has bugs, that is a fact of life. But when someone peddles a compiler by putting down the competition, try approaching any large corporation with this marketting strategy and see how far you'll get. Most likely a swift kick where you need it...

PBP is NOT perfect, but when nearly ALL of the reported bugs are in the user's camp, that is a quality product. Read Mister E's reply, they gurus here have direct access to the power's that be. They get QUICK action on the few bugs they report; it doesn't get much better than that.

As for the lack of appearance from 'official' reps, why should they waste their time here? The gurus filter all the junk requests from those that don't read the darn manual (shut up Mr E. :P I didn't see that spec ok?). They also help out all those that misinterpret the manual, that happens, no big deal. They also go out of their way to help those that want to maximize performance and make PBP do things it was not designed to do. All that triage leaves the power's that be time to address the real issues.

If you are a power that be for another product, what are you doing on this forum? Why are you spending your time improving your product? Why aren't you researching even yet MORE ways to skin a cat? Is your compiler already perfect?

And now the important question: what is your compiler? WAIT! Don'T say it here, that might break a 'anti-bashing' rule against other products, so send it by PM or email.

Robert

[Demon]

Then I wish that BOT204's userID be deleted. He's posted a total of 5 times, never asked for help, never offerred help and does nothing but put down PBP.

While you're at it, the same applies to that other clown.

Robert

[bot402]

How dare you try to curb my freedom of speech!

My opinions are as valid as yours, regardless whether you like it or not.

I simply wished to point out that a blinkered approach to anything is dangerous, and your biggoted response has proven that without a shadow of a doubt.

I wasn't aware that I had to ask for help, or offer help to use this FREE!!!!!!! forum.

[Demon]

A 'guru' recommended to Proton as a very promising new compiler. I haven't really posted anything on their forums, but I have read a lot. I'm really interested on the product, it looks real good.

There's one thing that I find really strange though. I read a lot of posts by a 'Tim' on the Proton forums, someone whom I've eventually found out his full name. I look at the userid Oximbit, and I can't help but 'see' something in there, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Remember pig latin when you interchange letters around? Well, when you unpiglatinize Oximbit, you get a really surprising result.

If I was a power that was on the Proton project, the 1st thing I would do is flush one beta-tester, then I'd delete a Userid, and I'd compare the IP address of that userid with any other in the forum databases.

Totally disgusting behavior. I must say I have a new perspective on Product X and how the TEAM functions. A little bit of housecleaning would go a long way in restoring the integrity of Product X.

Robert

[Demon]

-----------------------------------------------------
How dare you try to curb my freedom of speech!

My opinions are as valid as yours, regardless whether you like it or not.

I simply wished to point out that a blinkered approach to anything is dangerous, and your biggoted response has proven that without a shadow of a doubt.

I wasn't aware that I had to ask for help, or offer help to use this FREE!!!!!!! forum.
-----------------------------------------------------


This isn't a chat forum, nor is it a public forum. It being FREE has nothing to do with your rights, which by the way, you have NONE except one. You have the right to observe the rules and guidelines stipulated when you registered.

Self-help forums work on a simple concept, people helping each other. If a user has absolutely nothing to contribute, then he's wasting disk space. A contribution does not have to be information, it can also be a question, which in turn generates valuable information in the replies.

"Freedom of speech", give me a break...

Robert
:lol:

[Demon]

"Take it on the chin like a man. - OXIMBIT"

I hope you can take it as much as you love to dish it out. I'm really looking forward to that private message about exactly what compiler is 'yours'.

I'm also quite anxious to see what happens when the forum administrators will start comparing IP addresses on userids. You do understand that these forums log this information right?

Robert

[Demon]

"As the last post said if every software company froze there development when it was 100% stable. - OXIMBIT"

Then we'd have nothing but companies as successful as IBM has been with their series of mainframe platforms. Sure, they had bugs, but their platform survives even today. Yes, they evolved them over the years, but they didn't do that overnight, each version lasting years if not decades. Did it have as many features as VAX or the other competition? Nope, probably not, but who cares?

It was built like a rock and that's why IBM platforms have dominated in the big businesses for so many years; dependability, reliability. None of the big businesses appreciate being taken as lab rats. I saw Burroughs win a contract from IBM; 3 months later the students had figured out how to bring the mainframe to a grinding halt. It didn't take long for that contract to be 'alterred' and have IBMs put back in the shop.

The student's needs weren't critical, but the administration also used the mainframe during the night. Having a tech on hand is no help for them to get the schedules, pay cheques and other administrative paperwork done by the next morning.

Robert