I have spent many years Computer Programming with the TANDY 1000SL Version of GW-BASIC.

My TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Reference Source is Learning BASIC For TANDY Computers; but, I never acquired the companion book Sounds & Graphics For TANDY Computers; thus, I can't complete my Video Game Project using TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC. Also, I do own a Pre-Y2K Computer System; but, it is currently non-functional; therefore, even if I had Graphics & Sounds For TANDY Computers, I still wouldn't be able to complete my Video Game Project.

In order to learn Y2K Computer Programming Languages, I have acquired the following books from "my" Book Store:

The Game Maker's Apprentice
Build A Program NOW: Microsoft Visual BASIC 2005 Express Edition
3D Game Programming: All In One
SAMS Teach Yourself...Beginning Programming...in 24 Hours
Visual BASIC 2005 Express Edition...FOR DUMMIES
SAMS Teach Yourself...Game Programming...in 24 Hours
SAMS Teach Yourself...C++...in 24 Hours
Beginning Programming...FOR DUMMIES
MICROSOFT VISUAL BASIC: Game Programming...FOR TEENS

I purchased the Visual BASIC 2005 Express Edition books & Compilers because Game Programming FOR TEENS recommended it. However, the author exclusively talks about Visual BASIC .NET for the Computer Programming Examples within the Game Programming FOR TEENS book.

After telling one of my mother's friends about my Computer Programming situation, she gave me Programming With Microsoft...Visual BASIC .NET: AN OBJECT-ORIENTED APPROACH.

Having downloaded some of the Compilers from the above books, I still wasn't able to convert my TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Video Game Project into Y2K Computer Code. The main reason is because, my TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Video Game Project was written for the Command Prompt; whereas, all of the above Reference Books were designed for Windows Programming.

Although two of the books listed above that are about Beginning Programming have Liberty BASIC Compilers, those two books also covered additional Computer Programming Languages; thus, the Code Training for Liberty BASIC isn't as extensive as the Learning BASIC For TANDY Computers book was; therefore, I am unable to use Liberty BASIC for converting my GW-BASIC Video Game Project into a Y2K Computer Video Game Project.

To start writing Code again like I did with the TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC, I purchased VBScript Third Edition as my means for learning about Windows Programming; and, for converting my GW-BASIC Video Game Project into a Y2K Computer Video Game Project.

?Can VBScript be used for Computer Graphics Programming similar to TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC; even though, VBScript Computer Graphics Code will be for Widows Mode instead of being for the Command Prompt?

Trying to learn a Y2K Programming Language is a headache; especially, when one doesn't have any social support for such an activity.

My Computer Programming activities are as a Hobby Programmer for my own Computer Systems only; and, for my own personal entertainment as a Computer Programmer and a Video Gamer.

My primary interest in Computer Programming isn't about sharing my Computer Programs over the Internet; or, isn't about sharing my Computer Programs on other people's Computer Systems with Diskette/CD/DVD Downloads; or, isn't about making a financial profit with my Computer Programs. However, I have entertained these ideas from time to time.

I have been writing TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Computer Programs from 1991 to 2006, transferring the TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Compiler to various non-TANDY Computer Systems that ran on DOS 5.0, DOS 6.0, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, and Windows 98.

As a TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Computer Programmer, I could create Visual Graphics such as a train moving back and forth across the screen by pressing a Key. Actually, that Computer Program was from the TRS-80 COLOR 2 Computer GW-BASIC Instruction Book. When I learned Text Graphics Programming from the book Learning BASIC For TANDY Computers, I was able to convert the TRS-80 COLOR 2 Computer GW-BASIC Program to a TANDY 1000SL Desktop GW-BASIC Program.

In 2006, all of my Computer Systems that could run the TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Compiler ceased to function; and, I tried to use the TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Compiler on a Computer System that ran on Windows XP, and on a Computer System than ran on Windows 2000. The Windows 2000, and Windows XP, Computer Systems wouldn't recognize the TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Compiler.

So...To learn a Y2K Computer Programming Language, I acquired various books with Y2K Computer Progamming Language CD Compilers that covered various Computer Programming Languages.

Of all the Computer Programming Language Compilers that I have acquired, only Liberty BASIC most closely resembles the TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Computer Language in syntax appearance and function. However, the books with the Liberty BASIC Compilers also covered other Computer Programming Languages; and, the accompanying CDs had Introductory/Demo Compilers for other Computer Programming Languages in addition to the Liberty BASIC Compilers. Thus, there is no Text Book instructional detail covering Liberty BASIC syntax as with the TANDY 1000 Series GW-BASIC in the Learning BASIC For TANDY Computers book.

Of all the Computer Programming Language Compilers that I have acquired, only Game Maker allows me to easily create my own Visual Graphics; but, only for Game Maker Programs. However, the book The Game Maker's Apprentice didn't cover the Game Maker Script Language syntax in detail as the book Learning BASIC For TANDY Computers did for TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC; thus, I don't have the Coding Control for the Mathematical Caculations and Text Display that I had, and needed, with my TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Computer Programming projects.

Concerning all of the Y2K Computer Programming Language books mentioned in my previous Posting, with the exception of The Game Maker's Apprentice, none of them were as easy to follow, and to understand, as was the Learning BASIC For TANDY Computers book.

In fact, for me, while trying to understand general Windows programming concepts, I had to abandon my knowledge and experience with GW-BASIC programming. However, there are a few specific Windows Computer Programming concepts that I was able to understand because of my GW-BASIC knowledge and experience.

EXAMPLE: In my Windows "If...End If" Loop arguments with "Old Pedant", I referred to the Windows "If...End If" Loops as Windows "If...Then...Else...Else If" Loops; because, in TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC, there was no "End If" Command Line Statement for the "If...Then...Else" Loops; and, I have had as many years experience writing TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC programs as "Old Pedant" claimed to have experience with creating Visual BASIC Compilers as a Professional Programmer. Thus, my conceptions of the Windows "If...Then...Else...Else If" Loop Options were more of a GW-BASIC concepetual habit; than, due to my lack of undering the Windows "If...End If" Loop Command Line Structure. I tend to relate to the Windows "If...End If" Loop Command Line Structure as being like a Windows & GW-BASIC "For...Next" Loop Command Line Structure.

Modern Day Windows Programming Terminology is vastly different from the Pre-Y2K DOS Programming Terminology. Terms like "Programs", "Codes", "Script", "Routines", "Functions", "Sequences", and "Applications" are incompatible between Pre-Y2K DOS Terminiology and Y2K Windows Terminology.

While looking for books with Programming Language CD Compilers, I looked for terms like "Visual Graphics", "Computer Graphics", "Text Graphics", "Color", "Images", and "Graphics" in the Book Indexes. Most of the books either didn't acknowledge such terms in their Indexes; or, the books directed the Reader to Creating A Window and/or Creating User Interface Buttons. All of the books do mention to the Reader how to Download Existing Graphical Images/Photographs.

Being an American living with, and having daily exposure to, Television, Computers, Motion Pictures, and Radio, I have come to accept certain technological terminologies concerning visual imagery as Law. However, while examining Y2K Computer Programming Books from all publishers (not just Wrox), at my books store, such Terminology Canon was completely "thrown out of the window"; thus, resulting in me being confused as to "?What is the proper terminology for visual imagery in Y2K Computer Programming?".

?How am I supposed to find a Y2K Computer Programming Books concerning creating an image of "a train going back and forth across the screen by pressing a Key" when I don't even know what Y2K Computer Programming Terminologies to look for in Book Indexes?

As for all of the Y2K Computer Programming Books mentioned in my previous Posting, the concept of Creating Windows With Text Graphics & Photos/Computer-Generated Images is different from the concept of Creating Widows With Video Game Graphics.

Although I do have C++ Compilers and a Torque Compiler, my Y2K Computer Progamming activities have been with Game Maker, Liberty BASIC, Visual BASIC 2005 Express Edition, and Visual BASIC Script.

I have decided to avoid learning C++ altogether; because of its buggy nature. I suspect that majority of the Computer Programming Bugs associated with C++ is due to the C++ Black Box Programming Files like <isostream> / <isostream.h> and <windows> / <windows.h> ; as well as, other Black Box Files that must be included into "every" C++ Code.

Y2K Windows Computer Programming is so complex that Computer Programmers have to specialize in specific aspects of Windows Programming.

The Visual BASIC family of Computer Programming Languages exemplifies this fact. There is "Visual BASIC". There is "Visual BASIC For Applications" (VBA). There is "Visual BASIC Script". There is "Visual BASIC .NET".

The Computer Programming Language Books that I have acquired are either devoted solely to Creating A Window & Windows User Interfaces; or, they are devoted to Video Game Graphics Control; or, they are devoted to Windows Text & Text Messages In Windows Applications.

Sure, there was a book titled Sounds & Graphics For TANDY Computers that was devoted to Video Game style of Computer Programming; while, Learning BASIC For TANDY Computers was devoted to Text Messages & Mathematical Calculations. However, Learning BASIC For TANDY Computers opened opportunities for the GW-BASIC Computer Programmer to engage in rudimentary Video Game Programming.

With the Y2K Computer Programming Language Books, there isn't even a remote hint of Visual Graphics Programming with Text Graphics & Mathematical Programming. Except, for the Beginning Programming books for Liberty BASIC; even then, those Beginning Programming books refer to the Source Codes on the accompanying CDs for ideas on how to write Visual Graphics Programming; and, include no instructions, hints, or concepts on how to create Visual Graphics.

I purchased the Visual BASIC 2005 Express Edition Book/CD Compiler because the author of MICROSOFT Visual Basic...Game Programming FOR TEENS Second Edition recommended the Visual BASIC 2005 Express Edition. However, the author almost exclusively mentions Visual BASIC .NET as the Computer Programming Language for writing Game Code.

Another issue that I have with the MICROSOFT Visual Basic...Game Programming FOR TEENS Second Edition book is that there is no definite Begin/End Programming Stages concerning the Game Programming Stages/Lessons.

In order to understand what is going on in the MICROSOFT Visual Basic...Game Programming FOR TEENS Second Edition book, one must be totally versed in Non-Graphics aspects of Windows Programming that the Visual BASIC 2005 Express Edition books (that I have) don't even mention, or cover.

I purchased VBScript Third Edition because it featured Learning BASIC For TANDY Computers GW-BASIC style Coding samples/instructions; and, because Visual BASIC Script was pre-installed on Y2K Computer Systems like GW-BASIC was pre-installed on TANDY 1000SL Desktop Computers.

However, Visual BASIC Script isn't the solution that I am looking for in my Computer Programming activities either. Sure, I got Mathematical Calculation Control again; but, I don't have the Text Graphics Control that I had with TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC. And, Visual BASIC Script is farther from Computer Gaming Visual Graphics Control than the TANDY 1000SL GW-BASIC Compiler ever was.

Also, Visual BASIC Script isn't the same the Computer Programming Language as Visual BASIC (?Where are the GW-BASIC style of Code syntaxes?) and Visual BASIC For Applications.

If I wasn't familiar with GW-BASIC Computer Programming, I would have never even began to attempt learning Windows Programming; at least, not without having someone to talk to, and interact with, in Real Life while doing Y2K Windows Computer Programming.

I have nobody in Real Life with whom to engage in Y2K Computer Programmming activities.

To be honest, I was looking for more advanced Computer Programming Languages than GW-BASIC starting in 1992; but, I had no idea of where to acquire information about Computer Programming Languages like FORTRAN and COBOL; and, I didn't even know how to acquire Computer Programming Language Compilers. It was only in 2005, that I learned about acquiring Computer Programming Books/Compilers from book stores.

Even so, I had acquired no knowledge or information about alternate Computer Programming Languages between 1992 and 2005.

This is the END of my Rant about Y2K Computer Programming Languages in general; and, about the Visual BASIC family of Computer Programming Languages specifically.