BASIC

Revision as of 13:26, 12 July 2011 (view source)

Nickm (Talk | contribs)

(→BASIC Code in Human Memory)

← Older edit

Revision as of 14:23, 12 July 2011 (view source)

Nickm (Talk | contribs)

(Edits to magazine part)

Newer edit →

Line 176:

== Circulating Programs in Print ==

−

BASIC programs, from the inception of the language, circulated as ink on paper. In 1964 and the years following, there was no Web or even Internet to allow for the digital exchange of programs, and it was often impractical to distribute programs on computer-readable media such as paper tape. Some insights can be gained by considering the specific forms of printed matter that were used to communicate BASIC programs. These show signs of the practices BASIC users developed, the habits they fell into, the culture that developed among them, and the trends they set that continue to inflect the history of computing.

+

BASIC programs, from the inception of the language, circulated as ink on paper. In 1964 and the years following, there was no Web or even Internet to allow for the digital exchange of programs, and it was often impractical to distribute programs on computer-readable media such as paper tape. From the mid-1970s through the early 1980s, BASIC was known in print not only through manuals and books that explicitly taught programming in the language, but also through collections of programs that appeared in magazines and in books. The printed materials that remain today give insight into the practices BASIC users developed, the habits they fell into, the culture that developed among them, and the trends they set that continue to inflect the history of computing.

−

From the mid-1970s through the early 1980s, BASIC was known in print not only through manuals and books that explicitly taught and specified the language, but also through collections of programs that appeared in magazines and in books.

+

There were many computer magazines featuring BASIC programs in addition to the already-mentioned ''Dr. Dobb's.'' Others included ''Byte'', ''Creative Computing'', ''Compute!'', ''RUN'', and ''Rainbow.'' ''Creative Computing'' was a significant early magazine for microcomputer users interested in exploring computing. Founded by David H. Ahl, who also wrote some ground-breaking books, this magazine for the home computer hobbyist was launched in 1974 and published until 1985.

−

Of the many computer magazines featuring BASIC programs, ''Dr. Dobb's,'' has already been discussed. Others that trafficked in BASIC and catered to BASIC learners and aficionados alike included ''Byte'', ''Creative Computing'', ''Compute!'', ''RUN'', and ''Rainbow.'' ''Creative Computing'' was a significant early magazine for microcomputer users. Founded by David H. Ahl, who also wrote some ground-breaking books, ''Creative Computing'' focused on publishing for the home computer hobbyist. It was launched in 1974 and was published until 1985.

+

As ''Creative Computing'' was nearing the end of its run, other magazines were just getting started. One was ''RUN,'' (1984-1992) a monthly magazine published by IDG Communications that is significant in the current context for including a version of 10 PRINT in its pages. Like many later-phase microcomputer magazines, ''RUN'' was platform specific: It focused on the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. A German edition of ''RUN'' was published as well, and ''ReRUN'' disks made programs in the magazine available for purchase in machine-readable format. Another home computer magazine of this era was ''Compute!'' (1979-1994), which began as ''Pet Gazette,'' a 1978 magazine put together by Len Lindsay that was specific to the Commodore PET computer. In July 1983, that magazine launched a spin-off publication, ''COMPUTE!'s Gazette,'' which was for Commodore 64 and VIC-20 owners specifically and included programs for these computers. In the UK there were several other magazines for Commodore users, including ''Zzap! 64'', ''Commodore User'', and ''Commodore Format''. The last of these, which focused on the Commodore 64, did not start publishing until October 1990. This magazine was not about BASIC or learning to program, however. It focused on gaming and offered game news, reviews, and cheats, with its "Powerpack" tape including full games and demos for subscribers to run.

−

''RUN'' was a monthly magazine published by IDG Communications, significant in the current context for including a version of 10 PRINT in its pages. The first issue of ''RUN'' was published not long before the last issue of ''Creative Computing'' came out, in 1984. Like many later-phase microcomputer magazines, ''RUN'' was platform specific: It focused on the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. A German edition of ''RUN'' was published as well, and ''ReRUN'' disks made programs in the magazine available for purchase in machine-readable format. ''Compute!'' was a major home computing magazine, published from 1979 to 1994, which began as ''Pet Gazette,'' a 1978 magazine put together by Len Lindsay that was specific to the Commodore PET computer. In July 1983, the magazine launched a spin-off publication, ''COMPUTE!'s Gazette,'' which was for Commodore 64 and VIC-20 owners specifically and included programs for these computers. In the UK there were several other magazines for Commodore users, including ''Zzap! 64'', ''Commodore User'', and ''Commodore Format''. The last of these, which focused on the Commodore 64, published its first issue on what seems to be a very late date, October 1990. This magazine was not about BASIC or learning to program, however. It focused on gaming and offered game news, reviews, and cheats, with its "Powerpack" tape including full games and demos for subscribers to run.

Almost every book transmitting information on BASIC in the 1970s could be characterized as educational, although few of them were written for use in formal classes. These books explained, illustrated, and provided code for applications that users could enter, test and alter.

From Maze

Revision as of 14:23, 12 July 2011

Views

Personal tools

Navigation

Search

Toolbox

@@ Line 176: / Line 176: @@
 == Circulating Programs in Print ==
-BASIC programs, from the inception of the language, circulated as ink on paper. In 1964 and the years following, there was no Web or even Internet to allow for the digital exchange of programs, and it was often impractical to distribute programs on computer-readable media such as paper tape. Some insights can be gained by considering the specific forms of printed matter that were used to communicate BASIC programs. These show signs of the practices BASIC users developed, the habits they fell into, the culture that developed among them, and the trends they set that continue to inflect the history of computing.
+BASIC programs, from the inception of the language, circulated as ink on paper. In 1964 and the years following, there was no Web or even Internet to allow for the digital exchange of programs, and it was often impractical to distribute programs on computer-readable media such as paper tape. From the mid-1970s through the early 1980s, BASIC was known in print not only through manuals and books that explicitly taught programming in the language, but also through collections of programs that appeared in magazines and in books. The printed materials that remain today give insight into the practices BASIC users developed, the habits they fell into, the culture that developed among them, and the trends they set that continue to inflect the history of computing.
-From the mid-1970s through the early 1980s, BASIC was known in print not only through manuals and books that explicitly taught and specified the language, but also through collections of programs that appeared in magazines and in books.
+There were many computer magazines featuring BASIC programs in addition to the already-mentioned ''Dr. Dobb's.'' Others included ''Byte'', ''Creative Computing'', ''Compute!'', ''RUN'', and ''Rainbow.'' ''Creative Computing'' was a significant early magazine for microcomputer users interested in exploring computing. Founded by David H. Ahl, who also wrote some ground-breaking books, this magazine for the home computer hobbyist was launched in 1974 and published until 1985.
-Of the many computer magazines featuring BASIC programs, ''Dr. Dobb's,'' has already been discussed. Others that trafficked in BASIC and catered to BASIC learners and aficionados alike included ''Byte'', ''Creative Computing'', ''Compute!'', ''RUN'', and ''Rainbow.'' ''Creative Computing'' was a significant early magazine for microcomputer users. Founded by David H. Ahl, who also wrote some ground-breaking books, ''Creative Computing'' focused on publishing for the home computer hobbyist. It was launched in 1974 and was published until 1985.
+As ''Creative Computing'' was nearing the end of its run, other magazines were just getting started. One was ''RUN,'' (1984-1992) a monthly magazine published by IDG Communications that is significant in the current context for including a version of 10 PRINT in its pages. Like many later-phase microcomputer magazines, ''RUN'' was platform specific: It focused on the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. A German edition of ''RUN'' was published as well, and ''ReRUN'' disks made programs in the magazine available for purchase in machine-readable format. Another home computer magazine of this era was ''Compute!'' (1979-1994), which began as ''Pet Gazette,'' a 1978 magazine put together by Len Lindsay that was specific to the Commodore PET computer. In July 1983, that magazine launched a spin-off publication, ''COMPUTE!'s Gazette,'' which was for Commodore 64 and VIC-20 owners specifically and included programs for these computers. In the UK there were several other magazines for Commodore users, including ''Zzap! 64'', ''Commodore User'', and ''Commodore Format''. The last of these, which focused on the Commodore 64, did not start publishing until October 1990. This magazine was not about BASIC or learning to program, however. It focused on gaming and offered game news, reviews, and cheats, with its "Powerpack" tape including full games and demos for subscribers to run.
-''RUN'' was a monthly magazine published by IDG Communications, significant in the current context for including a version of 10 PRINT in its pages. The first issue of ''RUN'' was published not long before the last issue of ''Creative Computing'' came out, in 1984. Like many later-phase microcomputer magazines, ''RUN'' was platform specific: It focused on the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. A German edition of ''RUN'' was published as well, and ''ReRUN'' disks made programs in the magazine available for purchase in machine-readable format. ''Compute!'' was a major home computing magazine, published from 1979 to 1994, which began as ''Pet Gazette,'' a 1978 magazine put together by Len Lindsay that was specific to the Commodore PET computer. In July 1983, the magazine launched a spin-off publication, ''COMPUTE!'s Gazette,'' which was for Commodore 64 and VIC-20 owners specifically and included programs for these computers. In the UK there were several other magazines for Commodore users, including ''Zzap! 64'', ''Commodore User'', and ''Commodore Format''. The last of these, which focused on the Commodore 64, published its first issue on what seems to be a very late date, October 1990. This magazine was not about BASIC or learning to program, however. It focused on gaming and offered game news, reviews, and cheats, with its "Powerpack" tape including full games and demos for subscribers to run.
 Almost every book transmitting information on BASIC in the 1970s could be characterized as educational, although few of them were written for use in formal classes. These books explained, illustrated, and provided code for applications that users could enter, test and alter.