4 ms·

Microsoft’s HTA[1] tech is probably their closet thing to HyperCard. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_Application https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_

Microsoft’s HTA[1] tech is probably their closet thing to HyperCard. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_Application https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_Application

tonyedgecombe 9y ago
Now we are using Electron, isn't it funny how these things keep coming around every decade or two.
- seanp2k2 9y ago
  The need for low barrier to entry programming tools will always be there. Now we have stuff like https://developers.google.com/appmaker/ https://developers.google.com/appmaker/ but it's more Crystal Reports than VB5/6. Still, there are alternatives.
  - ZenoArrow 9y ago
    The programming tool with the lowest barrier to entry (that's still actively developed) is probably Scratch: https://scratch.mit.edu/ https://scratch.mit.edu/ There are a few game maker tools with low barriers to entry too.
vidarh 9y ago
I was once hired to update a bunch of Word Basic (pre-Visual BASIC) code that generated HTA files from a bunch of Word documents that was used to maintain the ISO 9001 quality handbook for a major company. It was three weeks of torture, but it worked surprisingly well (and I say that as someone who at the time, in '96 or '97, was a devout Microsoft hater and was not inclined to look for good sides to it). I didn't know Word BASIC or how HTA's worked at all before I got the job - had never touched it at all, and I've never needed it since, but it was simple enough that I did the planned work the first week, and spent the remaining two dragging my feet because I couldn't afford to risk telling the customer they'd severely over-estimated the effort in case they'd want to cut the contract short. I didn't feel too bad about it - I spent the extra time adding additional automation and polish, and they were pleased enough to want me back for more work the next year.

4 ms·

Microsoft’s HTA[1] tech is probably their closet thing to HyperCard. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_Application https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_

by noblethrasher 9y ago

Microsoft’s HTA[1] tech is probably their closet thing to HyperCard. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_Application https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_Application

tonyedgecombe 9y ago
Now we are using Electron, isn't it funny how these things keep coming around every decade or two.
- seanp2k2 9y ago
  The need for low barrier to entry programming tools will always be there. Now we have stuff like https://developers.google.com/appmaker/ https://developers.google.com/appmaker/ but it's more Crystal Reports than VB5/6. Still, there are alternatives.
  - ZenoArrow 9y ago
    The programming tool with the lowest barrier to entry (that's still actively developed) is probably Scratch: https://scratch.mit.edu/ https://scratch.mit.edu/ There are a few game maker tools with low barriers to entry too.
vidarh 9y ago
I was once hired to update a bunch of Word Basic (pre-Visual BASIC) code that generated HTA files from a bunch of Word documents that was used to maintain the ISO 9001 quality handbook for a major company. It was three weeks of torture, but it worked surprisingly well (and I say that as someone who at the time, in '96 or '97, was a devout Microsoft hater and was not inclined to look for good sides to it). I didn't know Word BASIC or how HTA's worked at all before I got the job - had never touched it at all, and I've never needed it since, but it was simple enough that I did the planned work the first week, and spent the remaining two dragging my feet because I couldn't afford to risk telling the customer they'd severely over-estimated the effort in case they'd want to cut the contract short. I didn't feel too bad about it - I spent the extra time adding additional automation and polish, and they were pleased enough to want me back for more work the next year.