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Remember the days before the .NET Framework? Those were the great days to be a developer, in my opinion.
Things were not as easy as it is with the .NET Framework; there were not as many tools, technology was not so advanced, there was no Facebook, no Android, and no real Google. It is strange to think that programmers survived without .NET and today’s technological advancements. We managed.
We actually more than managed.
But how?
With Visual Studio 6, which included Visual Basic 6, Visual C++ 6, Visual J++, Visual InterDev, Visual Fox, Visual FoxPro. Visual Studio 6 was released in June 1998 and is the last version to run on the Windows 9x platform. It still runs on Windows 10 because of backward compatibility. Some Visual Basic 6 code still exists within many enterprise companies, and the language remains in use even though it was discontinued in 2005.
Read: Best IDEs for .NET Developers
What is RAD?
Rapid Application Development (RAD) is an adaptive approach to software development that is based on flexibility and the ability to adapt. This differs from regular, plan-based methods, which require rigid structures with set requirements. RAD emphasizes the design process of applications and the knowledge that could be gained from it.
This means that the end-users get incorporated into the design process, making them part of the entire process rather than only at the beginning and end, delivering a product according to their needs.
RAD Basic IDE and Code Editor
RAD Basic is a Kickstarter project that tries to emulate Visual Basic 6, with 64-Bit support, instead of 32-bit, and includes the most favorite Visual Basic 6 project types, such as standard EXE, an ActiveX EXE, ActiveX DLL, and ActiveX Control.
The IDE (Integrated Development Environment) and code compiler is 100 percent compatible with Visual Basic 6. Another nice thing about the compiler and IDE is that their runtime libraries are open source.
RAD Basic also includes the familiar Visual Basic 6 form designer, source code editor, integrated debugger, modern compiler to native Win32 applications, OCX common controls, and more.
Form Controls in RAD Basic IDE
Familiar VB 6 controls shipped with RAD Basic include those listed in the image below:
The Kickstarter page for the RAD Basic IDE and Compiler for Visual Basic can be found here. RAD Basic, meanwhile, can be found here.
