ncurses VS Microsoft Visual Programming Language

ncurses (new curses) is a programming library that provides an API which allows the programmer to...

Microsoft VPL is an application development environment designed on a graphical dataflow-based...

Portability
ncurses is highly portable and can run on a wide range of Unix-like systems, making it suitable for developing cross-platform terminal applications.
Terminal Control
Provides comprehensive terminal control capabilities, allowing developers to manipulate text, colors, and screen dimensions easily.
Wide Adoption
Being a widely-used library, ncurses has an extensive user base and a wealth of resources and community support available.
Enhanced User Interface
Allows the creation of text user interfaces with features like windows, menus, and forms, improving the interactivity of terminal applications.
Extensive Function Set
Offers a rich set of functions for handling input, output, and special effects in text-mode applications, facilitating complex interface designs.

Learning Curve
Has a steep learning curve, especially for developers who are new to terminal-based UI programming.
C Programming Requirement
Primarily a C library, which might not be appealing to developers more comfortable with modern or higher-level languages.
Limited to Text Mode
Bound by the constraints of text mode, limiting the kinds of interactions and graphical representations possible compared to graphical user interfaces.
Complexity of Code
Complex terminal applications can become unwieldy with a large amount of ncurses code, making maintenance challenging.
Terminal Compatibility
While ncurses is designed to be portable, not all terminal emulators may fully support all its features, leading to potential inconsistencies.

Ease of Use
Microsoft Visual Programming Language (MVPL) is designed to be user-friendly, enabling even those with minimal programming experience to create applications through a visual interface.
Rapid Development
MVPL allows for quick prototyping and development, making it suitable for projects where time to market is critical.
Integration with Robotics
It is particularly useful in robotics applications, working seamlessly with Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio to program and simulate robotic operations.
Visual Debugging
The language provides a visual debugging environment which can make it easier to diagnose and fix issues in an application.

Limited Flexibility
Because it is a visual language, it may lack the flexibility and functionality that more traditional text-based programming languages offer.
Scalability Challenges
As projects grow in complexity, the visual nature of the language can make it difficult to manage and scale applications effectively.
Dependency on Microsoft Ecosystem
MVPL is heavily integrated with Microsoft's tools and platforms, which can be limiting for those who prefer or require multi-platform solutions.
Discontinuation and Support
Being part of Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio, which was phased out, means there might be limited support and updates for the language.