Was BlitzMax A Bad Idea?

No. And it's not an IDEA it's a REAL product!

It works on multiplatform (B3d no hope...), it offers OO programming, it has advanced option (pointers & Co.) like other 'professional' languages, it's modular and it is well supported...

PS: I like both B3d & Bmax (+MaxGUI) and I'm waiting (when it is ready) the 3d Module...
And I hope the 3d Module will use all the Hyper FX of the modern graphics cards: for all the others better use blitz3d (I think...)