Path: news.daimi.aau.dk!poe From: Wilfried Rupflin Newsgroups: comp.lang.beta Subject: Re: BETA questions Date: 10 Mar 1995 19:24:12 GMT Organization: DAIMI, Computer Science Dept. at Aarhus University Lines: 318 Approved: mailtonews@daimi.aau.dk Message-ID: <3jq90s$ojp@belfort.daimi.aau.dk> NNTP-Posting-Host: daimi.daimi.aau.dk >I am considering the use of the BETA programming language because of it's >elegance and expressiveness but I still have some questions regarding BETA's >maturity. At University Dortmund, CS dept., it was decided to introduce BETA as the main language for teaching starting with the last winter term. The beginner's introductory lecture (called Programming I) was run with BETA. Surprisingly we had neither didactical nor technical problems (with over 300 students!). End of February I had an intensive programming course in BETA, again without any problems. The BETA system is extremely stable, and if there is some problem, you can expect to get an answer within a reasonable time (a few hours is not unusual) even if you you have no hotline support. >How fast is BETA (executable speed)...compared to Eiffel and C++? Compared to Eiffel it is extremely fast (I never felt a need for a comparison). Also with respect to C++ I can't give you any figures but an impression: The compilation of non-trivial C++ programs involving bigger class libraries tends to be a matter of 10, 20 minutes or even 1/2 an hour or more. The BETA compiler (written almost entirely in BETA) takes for compiling and statically linking a BETA program with significantly more than 1000 LOC and including Motif and other libraries less than 3 minutes on an old and slow SparcStation. >I doubt there is a PD compiler yet, but what about personal versions (Kinda > like Personal Eiffel for Windows if you know what I'm talking about). I > think I saw a personal version for Linux advertised for $50. In other word s > how much does it cost to buy a personal/educational version? Yes, exactly $50. I append a Mjolner info on that. >What platforms is BETA available on...are PowerPC and Win32 done yet? A Windows/NT implementation is in alpha test for several month lready (cf. http://www.daimi.aau.dk/~beta/News/volume95/224.txt). I've been told two months ago that it's very stable already. >I have already read (an out of date) FAQ. The up-to-date FAQ is available on WWW: http://www.daimi.aau.dk:80/~beta/FAQ/ >Thanks in advance. >Wolfgang Ziller Wilfried Rupflin *---------------------------------------------------------------* | Wilfried Rupflin | wr@irb.informatik.uni-dortmund.de | | | ___ | | Universitaet Dortmund | //// | | FB Informatik, IRB | UNI DO// | | Postfach 500 500 | Tel.: +49 231 755 2478 ___ //// | | D-44221 Dortmund 50 | Fax.: +49 231 755 2386 \*\\/// | | Germany | Telex: 822465 unido d \\\\/ | *---------------------------------------------------------------* ------- Forwarded Message Date: Thu, 23 Feb 1995 18:09:42 GMT Message-Id: <199502231809.AA06642@niflheim.mjolner.dk> From: Peter.Andersen@mjolner.dk Subject: Mjolner BETA System for teaching To: [...] Dear [...], Object-oriented programming has started to become an integrated part of the curriculum of many educational institutions, and at many places it is currently being discussed whether or not to integrate object-oriented programming and perhaps use object-oriented programming for introductory teaching of programming. [...] The Mjolner BETA System is a programming environment for BETA and in addition to an implementation of BETA it also contains a large collection of libraries and frameworks as well as powerful development tools. The Mjolner BETA system also contains many demo examples of using the language and the libraries. Two excellent books are available from well-know international publishers: 1. O.L. Madsen, B. Moeller-Pedersen, K. Nygaard: Object-Oriented Programming in the BETA Programming Language. ACM Press/Addison Wesley, 1993, ISBN 0-201-62430-3 2. J.L. Knudsen, M. Loefgren, O.L. Madsen, B. Magnusson: Object-Oriented Environments - The Mjolner Approach. Prentice -Hall, 1992, ISBN 0-13-009291-6 There is more to object-orientation than programming. A curriculum integrating object-oriented programming should also consider object-oriented analysis, design, data bases, and distributed computing. The Mjolner BETA System offers an integrated approach to all these aspects of object-orientation. The Mjolner BETA System is not just a system for teaching, but is a professional environment for industrial software development. Mjolner Informatics, however, currently offers high discounts for personal use and for educational institutions. ********************************************************************** *** A personal edition of the Mjolner BETA System is available for *** *** > US$ 50 < *** ********************************************************************** ********************************************************************** *** There is a 45% discount on educational licenses (full systems) *** *** A full educational license includes free copies (without *** *** printed documentation) of the personal edition to all students *** *** attending courses using the system *** ********************************************************************** Please find enclosed additional information about the Mjolner BETA System. Further information is available via * world wide web (WWW) at http://www.mjolner.dk * world wide web (WWW) at http://www.daimi.aau.dk/~beta/info especially the section entitled "Teaching Experiences". * anonymous ftp at ftp.mjolner.dk, directory pub * anonymous ftp at ftp.daimi.aau.dk, directory pub/beta The teaching experiences found on WWW may also be found here in directory pub/beta/teaching. * the internet newsgroup comp.lang.beta * info@mjolner.dk, sales@mjolner.dk, support@mjolner.dk Do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions on the use of the Mjolner BETA System for teaching or if you need further information. Sincerely, Peter Andersen _____________________________________________________________________________ Mjolner Informatics Aps Phone: (+45) 86 20 20 00 ext. 2753 Science Park Aarhus Direct: (+45) 86 20 20 11 - 2753 Gustav Wieds Vej 10 Fax: (+45) 86 20 12 22 DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark Email: peter.andersen@mjolner.dk _____________________________________________________________________________ BETA is better - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- PS. The educational license also includes a special teaching package with a plan for lectures, exercises and examples. In addtion it contains a file with all the examples from the BETA book. - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Mjolner BETA System A software development environment supporting object-oriented programming in the BETA programming language [...] The Implementation of BETA The Mjolner BETA System includes an implementation of the BETA programming language. The implementation has the following characteristics: - - Native code generation The compiler generates assembly code. - - Garbage collection Automatic storage management and garbage collection is used. The techniques used for garbage collection are generation-based scavenging and mark-sweep. - - Separate compilation Programs may be divided into smaller fragments (modules) for separate compilation. The compiler makes an automatic dependency analysis on the fragments structure. When a fragments has been changed, the system keeps track of the dependent fragments that must be recompiled. - - Interface to C and assembly language There is a general interface to C and assembly language. This includes call of C procedures, call-back and parameter transfer of simple types, text and C structures. For Macintosh, there is also a Pascal interface. - - Source-level debugger A source-level debugger for the BETA language is available on the Unix platform. Contains facilities for specifying break- points, single stepping, inspection of object states, inspecting the run-time organization, etc. The debugger uses a graphical interface running under the X Window System. - - Persistent objects Support for saving any kind of object generated by a BETA program execution on secondary storage and restoring them in another BETA program execution. The persistent store is fully typesafe. An object-oriented database for BETA objects is currently under development. - - Distributed objects Support for distribution of objects to support a client-server model. - - Platforms * Sun SPARC, SunOs 4.0 and 4.1 and Solaris 2.2 and 2.3 * HP 9000 series 300,400,700, HP/UX 8 and 9 * Macintosh (at least 68020 and 5 Mbytes) with MPW * Intel 386/486/Pentium based PCs running Linux (a UNIX variant) We are currently porting the Mjolner BETA Systems to the following platforms: * Intel 386/486/Pentium based PCs running Windows NT * Intel 386/486/Pentium based PCs running Windows 4.0 * PowerPC based Macintosh * Silicon Graphics - - Prices To give an impression of the prices some of them are listed below. One user license educational price, i.e. 45 % off (in US $): Basic Package Full Package UNIX 1153 1483 Linux 273 451 Macintosh 163 240 Server licenses are available on request. - - Implementation Language The entire Mjolner BETA System is written in BETA, except for a few run-time routines. - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mjolner BETA System Personal Edition All prices are in US, VAT and shipment not included. Valid from January 1, 1995 until March 31, 1995. For an introductory period, Mjolner Informatics offers the Mjolner BETA System at a special low rate. The system includes a full-blown native compiler with the ability to generate stand-alone applications, and a complete GUI construction toolkit. The Personal Edition contains the following components: * Complete basic system, including full-blown native compiler and basic libraries with text, file, containers, system utilities, etc. * Complete GUI X11 frameworks, including XtEnv and AwEnv (for Unix or Linux) or MacEnv (for Macintosh). * Persistent store * Hard copy manual including an overview of the language and tutorial to the Mjolner BETA System * Complete manuals in PostScript format on floppy disks Introduction price: $ 50 Personal Edition Additional License Agreement: The terms and conditions in the Mjolner BETA License Agreement are valid for the Personal Edition version. In addition to the terms and conditions in the Mjolner BETA License Agreement the Personal Edition System is restricted as follows: * The Personal Edition System is a single user version, personally licensed to the licensee. This license allows the licensee to use the software on a single computer and to print one copy of the associated documentation. * The Personal Edition System may not be used for any commercial purposes. Software developed using the Personal Edition System may not be sold. Software developed using the Personal Edition System may be freely distributed without payment (shareware). For teaching purposes, we recommend purchase of the full Mjolner BETA System. Educational institutions holding an educational license for the Mjolner BETA System on any platform are allowed to distribute the Personal Edition version of the Mjolner BETA System to any students in any course in which the Mjolner BETA System is used as a teaching vehicle. These PE systems will not include printed documentation and discs/tapes. The purchase of the Mjolner BETA System includes access to e-mail support. This support will be open to all questions related to the purchased system (installation, use and error reports). Mjolner Informatics will respond to the questions on the e-mail support as quickly as possible. However, note that this e-mail support is not a hotline. Mjolner Informatics offers consultancy services and training in connection with the Mjolner BETA System, and object-oriented programming in general. Ask for details. - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- [...] - ----- End of Information ----- ------- End of Forwarded Message