Feature

Main
Guide
What's new
Products
Downloads
FAQ
Mailing List
Links
[AU 200th Issue CD-ROM] Jaffa Software

WimpWorks v2 vs. WimpBasic

We're often asked why people should buy our own WimpWorks over Clares' WimpBasic. Here are just some of the reasons why we (and many others) feel that WimpWorks is far superior...

  • WimpWorks uses Acorn's own BBC BASIC module, built-in to every RISC OS computer this means that code produced with WimpWorks is fast (the module fits within a StrongArm's cache), it's concise (no new BASIC is bundled), it's easy to learn (no obscure new dialect to learn).

  • WimpWorks applications are totally stand alone - this means that a support directory containing 120K of support modules is not required, making both the memory and disk requirements of your application less.

  • As WimpWorks uses the standard BASIC module it is easy to include ARM Assembler sections for speed critical components of your code, this is not possible at all in WimpBasic.

  • WimpWorks is fully expandible with new commands being added with WEMs and new editors allowing people with knowledge of BBC BASIC to produce plugins for the system.

  • Using the plugin system Draw files can actually be produced as well as displayed using the freeware DrawWEM. This is bundled as standard with the WimpWorks distribution.

  • WimpBasic now costs £110, whereas WimpWorks still costs under £50: the full version costs only £35 (or £15 to upgrade from WimpBasic)

  • WimpBasic stores the graphical content of a window as a sprite - this means that it redraws quickly, however in a large window or a high resolution or lots of colours mode it takes up large amounts of memory. WimpWorks does this the correct way and stores individual graphics objects.

© Jaffa Software 1998.
Last modified: Wed Aug 5 10:26:02 BST 1998 (Now uses MML)