Web News: BASIC Turns 40

scapegoat · 30-April-04, 12:56 AM

10 PRINT "In 1963 two Dartmouth College math professors had a radical"

20 PRINT "idea - create a computer language muscular enough to harness"

30 PRINT "the power of the period's computers, yet simple enough that even"

40 PRINT "the school's janitors could use it."

50 END

A year later on May 1, 1964, the BASIC computer programing language (as demonstrated above) was born and for the first time computers were taken out of the lab and brought into the community.

More Here

Monsignor Funkibut · 30-April-04, 12:27 PM

SheWhoMustBeObeyed and I both cut our programming teeth on Applesoft BASIC. The fact that the OS command-line,editor,debugger and programming environment were all available from the ] prompt was an interface so powerful and simple that it has never been [IMHO] surpassed.

Cheers to Kemeny and Kurtz wherever they may be - Ive made a number of dollars with BASIC and I thank them.

-MF

Jonny English · 30-April-04, 04:54 PM

I first used BASIC in 1983/1984 ... imagine my "joy" when I found out that my new employers for 1998 had lied about what my coding job would be & I'd have to use it again

KayinStorm · 30-April-04, 04:59 PM

I remember BASIC too... used to make my little brother cry when I'd rewrite his code, which sucked, to work...

nev_payne · 30-April-04, 05:33 PM

i remember the BASIC programming on BBC computers. Still had all the 10 20 30 line stuff. I was 4 or 5 at the time, and I managed to print files, run games, load programmes, and find files. and the best button on the keyboard was the mighty BREAK - that button should be on every computer - but used to reset - would get you well out of blue screens anyday.

30-April-04, 12:56 AM		#1 (permalink)
scapegoat Apex Tech God	Web News: BASIC Turns 40 10 PRINT "In 1963 two Dartmouth College math professors had a radical" 20 PRINT "idea - create a computer language muscular enough to harness" 30 PRINT "the power of the period's computers, yet simple enough that even" 40 PRINT "the school's janitors could use it." 50 END A year later on May 1, 1964, the BASIC computer programing language (as demonstrated above) was born and for the first time computers were taken out of the lab and brought into the community. More Here

30-April-04, 12:27 PM		#2 (permalink)
Monsignor Funkibut Master VB Pr'hoe'grammer	Ah the memories.... SheWhoMustBeObeyed and I both cut our programming teeth on Applesoft BASIC. The fact that the OS command-line,editor,debugger and programming environment were all available from the ] prompt was an interface so powerful and simple that it has never been [IMHO] surpassed. Cheers to Kemeny and Kurtz wherever they may be - Ive made a number of dollars with BASIC and I thank them. -MF Last edited by Monsignor Funkibut; 30-April-04 at 12:29 PM. Reason: word change

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30-April-04, 04:54 PM		#3 (permalink)
Jonny English Etiquette & English Gentleman	I first used BASIC in 1983/1984 ... imagine my "joy" when I found out that my new employers for 1998 had lied about what my coding job would be & I'd have to use it again

30-April-04, 04:59 PM		#4 (permalink)
KayinStorm Apex Tech God	I remember BASIC too... used to make my little brother cry when I'd rewrite his code, which sucked, to work...

30-April-04, 05:33 PM		#5 (permalink)
nev_payne Apex Tech God	i remember the BASIC programming on BBC computers. Still had all the 10 20 30 line stuff. I was 4 or 5 at the time, and I managed to print files, run games, load programmes, and find files. and the best button on the keyboard was the mighty BREAK - that button should be on every computer - but used to reset - would get you well out of blue screens anyday.