Review of BASIC by John
From Maze
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| − | == Proposed Chapter Overview == | + | = Proposed Chapter Overview = |
| − | (in progress) | + | == Goals == |
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| − | === Goals === | ||
This chapter tracks BASIC as a language that has mirrored the development of computing, both technologically and socially. The main focus is on the C64/TRS-80/Early DOS era, but the meat of the chapter is sandwiched between two sections describing where BASIC came from before then and where it has gone since. While the chapter does talk about some aspects of the language itself, it is usually in the context of explaining why changes were introduced to BASIC over time in response to changes in development expectations and computing. | This chapter tracks BASIC as a language that has mirrored the development of computing, both technologically and socially. The main focus is on the C64/TRS-80/Early DOS era, but the meat of the chapter is sandwiched between two sections describing where BASIC came from before then and where it has gone since. While the chapter does talk about some aspects of the language itself, it is usually in the context of explaining why changes were introduced to BASIC over time in response to changes in development expectations and computing. | ||
| − | === Structure === | + | == Structure == |
History: This section starts with Dartmouth BASIC and covers the pre-home computing era. While there is a description of the technological development of the language, the emphasis is really on how it became a widely implemented language (free compilers, pushes in education, etc.) Ends with 8080s and M BASIC. Introduces the early Byte magazines as a means of code distribution. | History: This section starts with Dartmouth BASIC and covers the pre-home computing era. While there is a description of the technological development of the language, the emphasis is really on how it became a widely implemented language (free compilers, pushes in education, etc.) Ends with 8080s and M BASIC. Introduces the early Byte magazines as a means of code distribution. | ||
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Legacy: Tracks where the language has gone since its heyday at the dawn of home computing. VB is strongly mentioned (along with a discussion of introducing objects, visual IDEs, etc.) but put into contrast with Mono and various niche implementations to pose the question of which version is the true legacy of C64 era BASIC usage and ethos. Suggests another type of successor in learning languages like Scratch, but also talks about the difference in using a language to learn programming and learning programming by using a language (ie, learning with intent vs. learning due to hands on use because the user wants to run a program). | Legacy: Tracks where the language has gone since its heyday at the dawn of home computing. VB is strongly mentioned (along with a discussion of introducing objects, visual IDEs, etc.) but put into contrast with Mono and various niche implementations to pose the question of which version is the true legacy of C64 era BASIC usage and ethos. Suggests another type of successor in learning languages like Scratch, but also talks about the difference in using a language to learn programming and learning programming by using a language (ie, learning with intent vs. learning due to hands on use because the user wants to run a program). | ||
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| + | = Comments on Existing Material = | ||
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| + | == 10 Print in Memory == | ||
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| + | While I find this discussion to be fascinating, I think fitting it into the context of the chapter proposed above requires a bit of tweaking. I'd like to see it integrated into the narrative of BASIC as the introduction to programming for the 70s/80s generation. A few ideas: | ||
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| + | - The discussion of Doctorow's story combined with the subject at hand made me think also of an idea Vernor Vinge has used repeatedly in his writing, that effective programming is based in memorization of the domain as opposed to memorization of the language - that is, it is useful to know syntax, but more important to know that somebody else wrote the function you need five years ago and all you have to do is call it from the library. I wonder how that relates to memorization of 10 Print? As is mentioned in the text, the functionality of 10 Print is more social than computational, but (particularly at the time of the C64) it is useful to have a quick trick on hand when you want to show somebody what you can do by programming a computer. 10 Print's entire code isn't any longer than a function call in most languages; is memorizing it essentially a function call to a social library? | ||
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| + | - While the memorization studies are interesting, I think they need to be related a bit more to 10 Print specifically since there are some fundamental differences between it and the code in the studies (as is mentioned). Right now the text is "This type of memorization will have certain things in common with the type done in these memorization studies..." - it would be useful to expand on "certain things" a bit more than is done in the sentence after that one. | ||
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| + | - There is an introduction here to the idea of transmitting code via print; memorization should certainly be tied to print, but a larger discussion of print transmission should take place elsewhere. | ||
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| + | - I've not read the study, but was Schneiderman looking at memorization character by character or functionally? The text says the focus is on "comprehension", which seems like a different context than 10 Print - but it may be an opportunity to discuss the variations in 10 Print that different people have remembered. | ||
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| + | == Typography and Basic == | ||
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| + | - Interesting bit of teletype history that I hadn't come across before; is this also where CSV files came from? If so, it might be nice to mention that as well since at least some people are still familiar with them today. This could fit in the history section suggested above as showing one of the ways that BASIC has changed over time to fit its environment. I'd put it in with a discussion on where line numbers were introduced because line editors were used at the time. | ||
= Original Review = | = Original Review = | ||
