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Revisiting Borland Turbo C/C++, A Great IDE back in the 90s – CodeProject

16 points by myth_drannon 4y ago

coderjames 4y ago
The link in the post to NTVDMx64 at Columbia seems to be broken, but the associated GitHub project appears to be at https://github.com/leecher1337/ntvdmx64 https://github.com/leecher1337/ntvdmx64 "What is it? =========== NTVDMx64 is a port of the well-known Windows NTVDM, which is used by windows to run DOS-Applications, to 64bit Windows, so that you can run your DOS-Applications on 64bit Windows too." Something I had wanted and didn't know existed!
- 1letterunixname 4y ago
  https://web.archive.org/web/20230315024557/http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/ntvdmx64.html https://web.archive.org/web/20230315024557/http://www.columb... Or just run dosbox for full and isolated emulation. Full circle, there's also djgpp and openwatcom for semi-modern retro development. https://www.delorie.com/djgpp https://www.delorie.com/djgpp https://openwatcom.org https://openwatcom.org I collect retro compilers, programming books, software, and hardware.
1letterunixname 4y ago
It wasn't "one" IDE. Turbo C existed as a product. Turbo C++ was another product. They weren't the best or the pinnacle. Turbo Pascal and Borland Pascal also existed. Borland C/C++ 3.1 was a better product, arguably the pinnacle of Borland DOS IDEs. It was the largest and heaviest retail software package of all time: 30 lbs / 13 kg roughly. It contained a library of books for C and C++, x86 assembly, assembly instruction quick reference manual, debugging, profiling, text UI programming, OWL 1.0, and the Windows API. Borland C/C++ included Turbo Profiler, Turbo Assembler, and Turbo Debugger. It was the last DOS-based TUI editor as 4.0 switched to mostly Windowsu-centric tooling. Borland C/C++ included, IIRC, a trial DOS extender to develop protected mode programs since most DOS programs were real-mode targets. If you wanted a good DOS extender like Phar Lap or Tenberry DOS/4GW, those were pricey and uncommon to average broke coder enthusiasts. Watcom C/C++ (10.6 was about the best) included a trial of DOS/4GW. Turbo/Borland Pascal had TurboVision for TUI development. Modern Free Pascal arguably has more available compilation targets than GCC or CLang/LLVM has or ever will. https://openwatcom.org https://openwatcom.org https://github.com/magiblot/tvision https://github.com/magiblot/tvision
- pjmlp 4y ago
  You missed the 16 bit Windows versions of them. Turbo Pascal for Windows existed until version 1.5, then replaced with Delphi, used Object Windows Library. Turbo C++ and Borland C++ for Windows existed until version 4.0, then replaced with C++ Builder, also used Object Windows Library. Delphi and C++ Builder introduced the VCL, written in Delphi.
  - 1letterunixname 4y ago
    Purposely. I was talking about DOS-based IDEs. Borland C/C++ >3 and Borland Pascal >7 were Windows based. After Borland jumped on the Windows train, the UX was ruined forever.
W-Stool 4y ago
For people doing embedded development using MSDOS (which plenty of people did back in the day) Borland C/C++ version 3.1 was the gold standard of IDE and compiler tools. Turbo Debugger using two displays (one was a monochrome display - remember those?) was incredible. I still have a copy archived for safe keeping.
favorited 4y ago
From what I gather chatting with coworkers, Turbo C and Turbo C++ are still widely used in schools and universities across India.
- attheshikhar 4y ago
  I can vouch for that. Not in my Uni, but my school did introduced us to programming via Turbo C++.
- desi_ninja 4y ago
  Earlier, yes like 10 years ago. Not now. Kids are learning python as introductory programming language
  - pjmlp 4y ago
    I can assure you there are "modern" uploads of Turbo C++ into You Tube.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

16 points by myth_drannon 4y ago

The link in the post to NTVDMx64 at Columbia seems to be broken, but the associated GitHub project appears to be at https://github.com/leecher1337/ntvdmx64 https://github.com/leecher1337/ntvdmx64 "What is it? =========== NTVDMx64 is a port of the well-known Windows NTVDM, which is used by windows to run DOS-Applications, to 64bit Windows, so that you can run your DOS-Applications on 64bit Windows too." Something I had wanted and didn't know existed!

1letterunixname 4y ago
https://web.archive.org/web/20230315024557/http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/ntvdmx64.html https://web.archive.org/web/20230315024557/http://www.columb... Or just run dosbox for full and isolated emulation. Full circle, there's also djgpp and openwatcom for semi-modern retro development. https://www.delorie.com/djgpp https://www.delorie.com/djgpp https://openwatcom.org https://openwatcom.org I collect retro compilers, programming books, software, and hardware.

1letterunixname 4y ago

It wasn't "one" IDE. Turbo C existed as a product. Turbo C++ was another product. They weren't the best or the pinnacle. Turbo Pascal and Borland Pascal also existed. Borland C/C++ 3.1 was a better product, arguably the pinnacle of Borland DOS IDEs. It was the largest and heaviest retail software package of all time: 30 lbs / 13 kg roughly. It contained a library of books for C and C++, x86 assembly, assembly instruction quick reference manual, debugging, profiling, text UI programming, OWL 1.0, and the Windows API. Borland C/C++ included Turbo Profiler, Turbo Assembler, and Turbo Debugger. It was the last DOS-based TUI editor as 4.0 switched to mostly Windowsu-centric tooling. Borland C/C++ included, IIRC, a trial DOS extender to develop protected mode programs since most DOS programs were real-mode targets. If you wanted a good DOS extender like Phar Lap or Tenberry DOS/4GW, those were pricey and uncommon to average broke coder enthusiasts. Watcom C/C++ (10.6 was about the best) included a trial of DOS/4GW. Turbo/Borland Pascal had TurboVision for TUI development. Modern Free Pascal arguably has more available compilation targets than GCC or CLang/LLVM has or ever will. https://openwatcom.org https://openwatcom.org https://github.com/magiblot/tvision https://github.com/magiblot/tvision

pjmlp 4y ago
You missed the 16 bit Windows versions of them. Turbo Pascal for Windows existed until version 1.5, then replaced with Delphi, used Object Windows Library. Turbo C++ and Borland C++ for Windows existed until version 4.0, then replaced with C++ Builder, also used Object Windows Library. Delphi and C++ Builder introduced the VCL, written in Delphi.
- 1letterunixname 4y ago
  Purposely. I was talking about DOS-based IDEs. Borland C/C++ >3 and Borland Pascal >7 were Windows based. After Borland jumped on the Windows train, the UX was ruined forever.

W-Stool 4y ago

For people doing embedded development using MSDOS (which plenty of people did back in the day) Borland C/C++ version 3.1 was the gold standard of IDE and compiler tools. Turbo Debugger using two displays (one was a monochrome display - remember those?) was incredible. I still have a copy archived for safe keeping.

favorited 4y ago

From what I gather chatting with coworkers, Turbo C and Turbo C++ are still widely used in schools and universities across India.

attheshikhar 4y ago
I can vouch for that. Not in my Uni, but my school did introduced us to programming via Turbo C++.
desi_ninja 4y ago
Earlier, yes like 10 years ago. Not now. Kids are learning python as introductory programming language
- pjmlp 4y ago
  I can assure you there are "modern" uploads of Turbo C++ into You Tube.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]