FreeBASIC is like Microsoft's QuickBASIC.
More BASIC Languages: https://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/basic.shtml
FreeBASIC gives you the FreeBASIC compiler program (fbc or fbc.exe),
plus the tools and libraries used by it. fbc is a command line program
that takes FreeBASIC source code files (*.bas) and compiles them into
executables. In the combined standalone packages for windows, the main
executable is named fbc32.exe (for 32-bit) and fbc64.exe (for 64-bit)
Ironically Borland gave up competing against Microsoft on BASIC tooling, while Microsoft gave up competing against Borland on Pascal tooling (Quick Pascal).
Both products where short lived, Microsoft killed Quick Pascal quite quickly, while Borland sold Turbo BASIC, which became Power BASIC.
It is a DOS 16-bit program.
Real BASIC seemed the only alternative to VB that was somehow still market relevant.
That's still how vscode works; F5 to debug and Ctrl-[Shift]-P like CtrlP.vim: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/debugtest/debugging
FWICS,
The sorucoder.freebasic vscode extension has syntax highlighting: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=sorucode...
There's also an QB64Official/vscode extension that has syntax highlighting and keyboard shortcuts: https://github.com/QB64Official/vscode
re: how qb64 and C-edit are like EDIT.COM, and GORILLA.BAS: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41410427
But all of them (QBasic, QuickBASIC, Microsoft PDS, and even Visual Basic for DOS which almost nobody remembers sadly) had the editor, interpretative execution, and built-in help.
That's why it always ran slower than Delphi.
P-code was still offered as an option because some wanted the smaller output binary sizes, and the build process was faster⁰.
Some incorrectly assume that the native option wasn't really fully compiled because the main supporting library (msvbvm60.dll) was still used¹, but this was for common library functions³ and the interpreter portion was not touched.
There were unofficial tools that would statically link your exe with the relevant VB runtime (and certain other libraries) but the use of those was rare.
----
[0] Though I don't think the build speed matter was actually significant for many, if any, workflows, even on really slow kit.
[1] Some didn't distribute it after a time, to reduce download sizes, as they were included with Windows so users already had them. Windows 7 (and maybe Vista?) included msvbvm60.dll and friends by default, and most XP and 98 installs² had it too as it came with Internet Explorer updates.
[2] though there was a compatibility break at one point that meant you needed to recompile with VB6sp6 if you hadn't included a local copy in your apps directory
[3] Much like many C programs don't have glibc statically linked into them, but work because it is practically ubiquitous on the systems they target.
Additionally VB devs no longer needed to rely on C++ for ActiveX controls, aka OCX, the VBX replacement.
Both QuickBASIC and the BASIC Professional Development System compiled to full native DOS code, and could make standalone EXE files.
VB finally gained this with VB 6 which could also make native EXE files.
It didn't output p-code. You're confusing it with Visual Basic.
However, the QB64PE project does have an IDE. Some screenshots in this thread:
https://qb64phoenix.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2469&pid=23...
Except that it doesn't emulate Microsoft's QuickBASIC, or ... ?
There's a lot to learn from these old tools and it'd be nice to have this stuff opened up for tinkerers on ancient platforms. It's not like MS is going to make any money off any of this anymore, nor is it viable for use on a modern platform even with substantial effort.
FBC easily compile lots of them. Well, too bad still no macOS support.
I started learning programming in 2002 with VB, so it felt kinda amusing looking at 90s DOS stuffs (Turbo Pascal 7, QB, TASM) etc
Others that do: Gambas, Xojo, RAD BASIC, Twin BASIC.
