NS Basic/CE Contest 2006 Results

NS Basic/CE Programming Contest 2006 Results

September 26, 2006

Here are the results of NS Basic/CE Programming Contest 2006. Many entries show new ideas, neat tricks and high qualities of overall design. We congratulate the winner and thank all participants for making this contest successful.

You don't need to be a licensed user of NS Basic/CE to try many of these out: downloads are available where indicated.

Winner!

RMRAccounts by Al Richey
A complete personal accounting package which includes integrated bank accounts, expenses, investments and more. This version, released in September 2006, is the first to bring together all of its features in a single integrated program. "There is no doubt now that NSBasic is the match for any SDK for Windows Mobile." -- Al Richey
Judge's Comments: This package is now the equal of many desktop personal accounting packages. It's very comprehensive and works well. With 38 code modules, over 1000 objects and over 40,000 lines of code, it shows how NS Basic/CE works on larger projects.
http://www.rmrsoft.com/

Other Entries (alphabetical order)

		AlphaRain by Barrie Frost Click on the moving letters in order to win. Judge's Comments: While this isn't ready to ship just yet, it shows how easy it is to make a attractive game using sprites with NS Basic/CE. Download (includes source)
		Bahai by Jerry Collier This app is a complete reference to the Baha'i faith, including history, important principles and quotations. Also available for Palm OS, using NS Basic/Palm. Requires at least 25 megs free memory. Judge's Comments: This app makes a staggering amount of information available to someone who needs a quick reference to the Baha'i teachings. It could be improved by taking advantage of Windows Mobile's ability to display text in different sizes and formats. Download
		BlackJack by Ka Chun Lam The classic game of BlackJack. Can be played in English or Chinese on VGA devices. Pre release. Judge's Comments: Wow! Great job on the graphics and animation. Needs a better installer to be a complete product. Download
		CGMG by Dr. Peter Finlay The program uses colour selection to determine emotional states and anxieties and will eventually be tied in with suggesting holistic remedies. Field trials have been started and the feedback from practitioners has so far been very encouraging. We are hoping it will become part of a national program to help children with emotional and behavioural issues. Judge's Comments: This program needs a bit of cleanup on the edges, but it's easy to use and intuitive.
		IPASMOBILE by Johann Mitterhauser This app can be used for data acquisition and analysis for process optimization. It runs on Windows CE devices of various screen size (adjusting automatically) as well as on Windows 2000 and XP using NS Basic/Desktop. Available in English and German. Judge's Comments: Most of the code in this app is shared with the winner of the NS Basic/Desktop category - they are virtually identical programs for different platforms.
		Level Logger by Robert Slack The RMS Level Logger is aimed at Land Surveyors, Civil Engineers, Architects, and anyone else who uses a surveyor's level to establish heights. Most operations including data entry can be carried out with a finger rather than needing a stylus. Does not run on WM5 yet. Judge's Comments: Useful tool for surveyors in the field. Download (time limited beta)
		Quintrix by WZ Sun Puzzle game. Has 10 levels so it gets fairly hard. "I started it less than a week ago, to show what could be done." Judge's Comments: Nice game. Easy to learn and fun to play. Could use a proper installer. Download
		SQLite Simple by Heiko Stolte An easy to use front end to the SQLite database. It's a good way to test or debug SQLite databases. This program also runs on NS Basic/Desktop. Judge's Comments: SQLite is small, efficient and powerful database. Many people are using it as a replacement for ADOCE, which is no longer supported by Windows Mobile. This is a well done and easy to use tool. It includes an excellent Help file.
		StarPlot by Barrie Frost This app shows a real time view of the skies. You can use it to locate your favorite stars and constellations, or see an animated view of how the sky changes hour by hour. Judge's Comments: I'll take this with me on the next clear night. Intuitive and easy to use. Download (for non commercial use, includes source)
		StarTrek Launcher by Atsushi Shimoe The replaces the standard application launcher with one that has clean graphic look and fabulous sound effects. Judge's Comments: This app brought a smile to the judge's faces! It's a simple app, but does it well. Download (includes source)
		ZOrder Demo by Rolf Brandt This program demonstrates how a feature of eMbedded Visual Basic can be easily implemented in NS Basic/CE. Judge's Comments: This will help others who rely on this feature to convert to NS Basic/CE. Download (includes source)