d56846db   
   From: nt_consulting64@yahoo.net   
      
   On Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:54:44 -0800 (PST), Jinhao   
    wrote:   
   >   
   >> Or what does the following code do, and does it make any sense?   
   >>   
   >>   int main() {   
   >>     form fm;   
   >>     // configure fm;   
   >>     fm.show();   
   >>     // no exec();   
   >>   }   
   >   
   >Yes, it doesn't make sense.   
   >   
      
   Actually, IMHO, it makes more sense that any of that other stuff.    
      
   Arguably the most successful GUI for any development platform in terms   
   of total satisfied users, robustness, ease of use, and simplicity of   
   error/exception handling and resource management, is the 'Forms   
   Engine' (code name Ruby) that served as the main core of the "Visual   
   Basic Windows Development Platform" (VB1-VB 6.0).   
      
   I highly suggest before you go any farther, you obtain a copy of VB   
   and study how it worked. Study it from a purely object/interface view.   
   You will discover that there are excellent reasons for "forms" to   
   exists in several states, and to provide the ability to progress   
   through those states (lifecycle) manually or automatically. (or Bail   
   with cleanup. )   
      
   It can definitely be improved, but not beaten as a starting model of   
   what a superior GUI tool should look like.   
      
   -ralph   
   [Of minor note the engine was initially developed to be "language   
   independent".]   
      
      
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