[fpc-pascal] Object pascal a "Modern Language"

[Michael Van Canneyt]

On Fri, 3 Mar 2006, Matt Henley wrote:

> I belong to a mailing list for a defunt open source chemical process
> simulator (Sim42).  Members of the list are now showing interest in
> restarting the effort.  It was originally written in python which
> cause some speed issues.  Several of the list members (including me)
> suggested freepascal and lazarus.  The gentleman spearheading the
> effort sent the following and I would like to know what is the best
> way to respond.  I do not know what features define a "modern
> language" and would like to know what points to bring up.
>
> "My personal objective is not just to put out a simulator, but a fast
> and efficient simulator.  Furthermore, personally, I do not consider a
> program portable if it is written in a language which very few can
> understand.  A modern language such as any of the .NET languages will
> meet the efficiency objective but portability remains an issue.  While
> I do have the Visual Studio .NET and I am happy with it, I understand
> that not everybody has it and it is not cheap.  I looked at the
> Lazarus project and (at least at a first glance) it is indeed very
> "Visual" and will likely do the job.  It will however, limit us to
> Pascal which is not really a modern language.  For those of you who
> are in favor of using Lazarus, can you assure the rest of us that
> Pascal has been modernized? "

Most people out there probably think of Pascal as still being in
the state it was in when Niklaus Wirth first designed it.

Object Pascal to date is fully OOP, and misses nothing that C#, C++
or Java has: Interfaces, Exceptions, Classes: you name it, Object
Pascal has it.

Michael.