Microsoft Small Basic vs Microsoft Expression Blend

Struggling to choose between Microsoft Small Basic and Microsoft Expression Blend? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Microsoft Small Basic is a Development solution with tags like beginner, basic, microsoft, windows, free.

It boasts features such as Simple BASIC-like syntax, Built-in math, string, and graphics commands, Turtle graphics, Easy to get started for beginners, Integrated development environment, Supports variables, loops, conditional statements, Can create Windows executables, Object-oriented programming features and pros including Very easy to learn, Great for introducing programming concepts, Fun and interactive environment, Free and open source, Cross-platform.

On the other hand, Microsoft Expression Blend is a Development product tagged with user-interface-design, prototyping, wpf, silverlight.

Its standout features include Graphical user interface design, Prototyping for WPF and Silverlight apps, Code generation and XAML editing, Animation and behavior tools, Visual styling and templating, Integrated with Visual Studio, and it shines with pros like Powerful design and prototyping capabilities, Seamless integration with Visual Studio and .NET, Support for latest Microsoft technologies like WPF and Silverlight, Helps speed up development time, Large user community and availability of learning resources.

Feature	Microsoft Small Basic	Microsoft Expression Blend
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Development

Product Overview

Microsoft Small Basic

Description: Microsoft Small Basic is a free programming language and development environment designed to introduce programming concepts to beginners. It uses a BASIC-like syntax and includes a library of pre-built functions to simplify coding.

Microsoft Expression Blend

Description: Microsoft Expression Blend is a user interface design tool that allows designers and developers to create graphical interfaces and prototypes for Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Silverlight applications. It provides tools for creating design environments and adding interactivity without writing code.

Key Features Comparison

Microsoft Small Basic Features

• Simple BASIC-like syntax
• Built-in math, string, and graphics commands
• Turtle graphics
• Easy to get started for beginners
• Integrated development environment
• Supports variables, loops, conditional statements
• Can create Windows executables
• Object-oriented programming features

Microsoft Expression Blend Features

• Graphical user interface design
• Prototyping for WPF and Silverlight apps
• Code generation and XAML editing
• Animation and behavior tools
• Visual styling and templating
• Integrated with Visual Studio

Pros & Cons Analysis

Microsoft Small Basic

Pros

• Very easy to learn
• Great for introducing programming concepts
• Fun and interactive environment
• Free and open source
• Cross-platform

Cons

• Limited capabilities compared to other languages
• Not suitable for complex or professional software development
• Small user and developer community
• Only runs on Windows

Microsoft Expression Blend

Pros

• Powerful design and prototyping capabilities
• Seamless integration with Visual Studio and .NET
• Support for latest Microsoft technologies like WPF and Silverlight
• Helps speed up development time
• Large user community and availability of learning resources

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Mostly focused on Microsoft platforms
• Limited community and support compared to more general design tools
• Development seems stagnant in recent years

Pricing Comparison

Microsoft Small Basic

• Free
• Open Source

Microsoft Expression Blend

• One-time Purchase