Portable Languages

[DasFool]

After making the thread about Python and Pygame I started thinking about what other languages have the ability to be ported over and what they would bring to the handheld. Here's a short list of ones that have come to mind:

• Python - would bring many applications and offer the possibility of other extensions like...Pygame - with python, would bring a small base of games
• PyOpenGL - with python would bring 3d display
• PyGTK - application development

[*]Ruby/RGSS - I'm fairly sure there are games made in Ruby but the only ones I know of are the RPG Maker pc games.
Edit: RPGM script interpreter in the works
[*]Fenix - There are games made in Fenix for the GP2X and would port over to the pandora well I would think
[*]Bennu - Successor to Fenix. Still in development
[*]Mono - .net/C# support for pandora sounds good to me
[*]Java - A lot has been made in this language. Even commercial games like PoxNora. Is this already available?
[*]Lua - I know there are games made from this for the PSP and probably PCs as well.
[*]PHP - Create and update dynamic web pages from your handheld on the go
[*]ASP - Similar to PHP. Is this a closed language?
[*]Perl - Programming language widely used to prgram web applications
If anyone is already working on porting any of these I can add your name so others know. I'm still a beginner with programming so if I have anything wrong here or if you have anything to add please say so!

 

[hal9000]

Don't forget Pandora is an ARM based linux computer, so languages available on linux do not need to be ported, just recompiled (and packages recompiled for ARM are usually already available).

However, in the case of compilers, you don't want to run them on Pandora anyway. You use your computer to write your code and you cross-compile for Pandora.

By the way, Perl is not "Another web scripting language".

 

[DasFool]

By the way, Perl is not "Another web scripting language".

Ok, I changed the Perl description

 

[ldesnogu]

I guess that since you separate pygame and pyopengl from python, your preference goes to python
I think pygame and pyopengl should be mentionned as examples of use of python, not as distinct languages.

 

[Sandman]

Also Fenix' successor, Bennu, will be of interest when completed.

 

[DasFool]

Reformatted and added Bennu.

 

[TaG]

However, in the case of compilers, you don't want to run them on Pandora anyway. You use your computer to write your code and you cross-compile for Pandora.

I'm sure you're right, but can you tell me why?

The reason I ask is that I have just started to have a look at C, and remember reading a while back about a guy that used his pocketpc to code in C whenever he had spare time. That sounded really cool and a way to get something done - a little and often - and thought pandora would be perfect. I know that bigger screen and better keyboard always help when coding, but thought the ability to learn something useful would be better than wasting time.

 

[parag0n]

I'd like PyGTK for application development, its not just a gaming machine!

 

[ldesnogu]

However, in the case of compilers, you don't want to run them on Pandora anyway. You use your computer to write your code and you cross-compile for Pandora.

I'm sure you're right, but can you tell me why?

The reason I ask is that I have just started to have a look at C, and remember reading a while back about a guy that used his pocketpc to code in C whenever he had spare time. That sounded really cool and a way to get something done - a little and often - and thought pandora would be perfect. I know that bigger screen and better keyboard always help when coding, but thought the ability to learn something useful would be better than wasting time.

If it's just for learning purpose and small projects, you could probably do it.
Else:
1. you will have to install development libraries (potentially hundreds of include files)
2. if your source is big and you compile with optimization, gcc won't have enough memory (I have some big C emulator sources that require more than 1 GB to compile).

 

[Sphinxter]

By the way, Perl is not "Another web scripting language".

Ok, I changed the Perl description


I wrote a fax server entirely in perl once, CRD's trading engine back end is entirely in perl, has nothing to do with the web, can be used for it but I think it may even have been around before the internet. The internet was responsible for it's rise in popularity but perl was not created for it. Practical Extensible Reporting Language.

 

[TaG]

Thanks Laurent - nice and clear.

 

[Lobo]

Man, if Mono was ported even I could do some coding!

 

[Sphinxter]

Man, if Mono was ported even I could do some coding!

Just think of C as sort of subset of .Net and you're ready to roll.

 

[Gammenon]

It would be great to see a binding of javascript for SDL o SFML. It would get a lot of curious web developers. There is the Firefox's javascript engine if someone wants to try

 

[paulobecker]

I think portable compilers could be a good idea, if the language is simple enough for learning purposes.

What about Pascal? I think it's a good language for learning considering it's strongly typed and encourages structured programming. And as far as I know, it's light-weight enough to run on a machine such as the Pandora.

I'm sure it would be useful (for some people) and fun (for less than some people) having the possibility of coding on the go with a Pascal compiler running on the Pandora.

 

[days_of_ruin_login]

All the python stuff would be awesome.I wonder if porting Glade 3 would be possible

 

[plopperz]

How about BASIC? (it's the only programming language I know )

 

[the_visualizer]

I know XNA is not a language, but it would be cool to have a standard OO game programming framework where you be productive immediately without going thru tons of documentation and technical details. Even if not XNA, the J2ME looks more simpler than SDL and OpenGL.

 

[Chip]

How about BASIC? (it's the only programming language I know )

A native BASIC compiler would be nice, but there will be so many PC systems emulated on Pandora with BASIC compilers that it probably won't be a priority. Check out AMOS and Blitz BASIC - both were very powerful, games-oriented BASIC languages with compilers for the Amiga platform.

 

[WarmFluffyUK]

Definitely Fenix/Bennu would be of interest for me. I have just re-setup my dev environment, played around and fixed the crashing bug in Myriad. So I feel ready to continue work on Berzerk-2X soon. Or will that end up Berzerk-P?