This is easily the best language I've ever used. It has all the modern constructs (Case statements, do until, while, for loops). It also borrows some items from other languages like C incrementors/decrementors ( i++ , i-- etc.) while still providing easy access to traditional BASIC verbs such as MID$, LEFT$, RIGHT$ etc. It is a very open architecture/IDE. There is full toolbox access and anything not defined can be added by the programmer. Did I mention how easy to use the IDE is? WOW! Other competitors are copying it. Code is indented to line up the start/end of Whiles, Ifs, and all other structured constructs just the way you want it. Local functions all support local and global variables and varibles can be passed by address or value. Recursive calls are fully supported. Arrays can be pre-sized or dynamically sized at run time depending on data needs. Want to build your windows in Interface Builder and use them in FB? That is possible too but it is easier to build them with FB and FB tools (see The Window Maker). Staz and this IDE have been around since the beginning of Macs, so everything is solid---unlike some competitors. FB builds small applications with tight fast code. My own application compiles to ~500k and this is 10 integrated functions all of which are complex. Writing even a "hello world" (i.e. does nothing significant) program in the competing BASIC ~ two megabyte applications. Size is not significant for disk space but what is all that other code doing? Support is excellent both from Staz and the listserv. If OOP with Objective C looks overwhelming, and you want something that looks like the procedural C or Pascal you used to use, this is worth a close look.