FutureBasic ( FB) is an extremely high-end procedural programming language combining with an integrated development environment (IDE) to produce cross-platform, fully featured, portable, and quick to use applications for the Mac OS X platform. The product is available for download free from the company's website. The software is very simple to use and includes a large variety of text editor widgets as well as key-and-click control menus for the Mac OS X user interface. The major draw for this product is its support for both Objective-C and Cocoa programming languages and for both Flash and JavaScript programs. In addition, the software allows the user to create a vast number of graphic and image files with several tools, including an Image Manipulation tool, Grayscale Channel palette and thousands of custom effects and animations.
The primary focus of the product is to provide a powerful programming language for those who are experienced in both Cocoa and Objective-C and wish to create cross platform applications with the flexibility and ease of use of Mac OS X. However, it is not necessary to be a professional programmer to be able to use the program effectively. The tutorials provided through the company's website allow users to quickly familiarize themselves with the various features of the software and master the various options and functions easily. The fact that the software is downloadable as a desktop application makes it very convenient for those who wish to utilize it on the go. One only needs to have a laptop with internet access and a printer to be able to take advantage of the product.
Another major draw for the FutureBasic is that it can be used with the Mac OS X Tiger and Leopard operating systems. The application provides a complete working environment for the Mac user, including support for the Carbon interface. Unlike many similar Freeware products, however, the software does not include any graphics or sound. FutureBasic comes with a free trial download and users can download and install the software with a simple click of the mouse. With many similar freeware applications available, this freeware chipmunk has clearly established itself as a leader in the freeware market.
