Native Windows Application Development Options

Question

Long winded title, short question:

If one wants to develop for Windows but not have to rely on any external dependency (no runtime, thus ruling out .net), what supported, alive and fully functioning* alternatives are there?

Visual Basic 6 is dead, Visual C++ is obvious and Delphi seems to be the prime choice for that, but I wonder if there are any other alternatives?

*as in: Being able to use all the Windows Features like putting an icon in the Notification Area, making the Taskbar Icon flash etc.

Answer 1

Have a look at this -

http://www.codegear.com/products/delphi

Glynn

Answer 2

Have a look at this page:

http://dada.perl.it/shootout/

It's a port of the computer language shootout to compile on the Win32 platform. In the chart of languages used, he lists which ones compile to native code (the compiler is listed in bold italics). I did notice that he listed C# and Java as compiling to native code, but that of course is incorrect, so make sure you investigate.

I will list each language separately to allow for individual voting.

Answer 3

Ada compiled with gnat

Answer 4

Awk using awka*

(*note: awka interprets awk, and generates ANSI C, which can be compiled to native code with any C compiler).

Answer 5

C (lots of compilers available)

Answer 6

D using D compiler

Answer 7

PowerBasic

Answer 8

eiffel using SmartEiffel*

(*note SmartEiffel interprets eiffel, and generates ANSI C code, which can be compiled with any standard C compiler. It also generates Java byte code.)

Answer 9

Forth using BigForth compiler

Answer 10

Haskell using ghc

Answer 11

C/C++ with Borland, if you don't want to be entirely beholden to MS.

Answer 12

Mercury using the Mercury compiler (compiles to ANSI C, which can then be compiled to native code)

Answer 13

Modula 2 using modula2 compiler

Answer 14

Modula 3 using Critical Mass *

(*note: compiles to ANSI C, which can compile to native code using any standard C compiler)

Answer 15

OCaml compiled with OCaml compiler

Answer 16

Pascal with FreePascal compiler

Answer 17

Prolog using Visual Prolog

Answer 18

Vala (compiles to ANSI C)

Answer 19

Ubercode using UberCode compiler

Answer 20

Goo using Goo compiler (generates ANSI C)

Answer 21

Haskell using GHC. Compiles via C or direct to native code requiring no special libraries.

Answer 22

REALbasic which gives you the extra benefit of being able to compile for Mac and Linux as well.