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BASIC: History and Characteristics of Beginners’ All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code
What is BASIC?
BASIC, which stands for Beginners’ All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, is a high-level programming language that was developed to provide a simple and accessible way for beginners to learn programming. It was created in the mid-1960s by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz at Dartmouth College in the United States. BASIC was designed to be easy to understand and use, with a syntax that resembled everyday English-like statements.
History of BASIC
The origins of BASIC can be traced back to the Dartmouth Time-Sharing System (DTSS), a computer system developed at Dartmouth College. Kemeny and Kurtz saw the need for a programming language that could be easily learned by students with little or no programming experience. Their vision was to create a language that would enable beginners to write their own programs and explore the world of computer programming.
In 1964, Kemeny and Kurtz developed the initial version of BASIC, known as Dartmouth BASIC, which became the foundation for all other dialects of BASIC. It quickly gained popularity among educators and computer enthusiasts, spreading to different computer systems and becoming one of the most widely used programming languages of the time.
Characteristics of BASIC
1. Simplicity: One of the key characteristics of BASIC is its simplicity. The language was designed to be accessible to beginners, with a straightforward syntax and a limited set of commands. This simplicity allowed novices to quickly grasp the basics of programming.
2. Interactivity: BASIC was one of the first programming languages to offer an interactive programming environment. This meant that users could immediately see the results of their code as they typed it, making it easier to debug and learn from mistakes.
3. Platform Portability: BASIC was designed to be portable across different computer systems. This meant that programs written in BASIC could be easily transferred and run on different machines without significant modifications.
4. Extensibility: While BASIC started with a limited set of features, it evolved over time to include more advanced capabilities. Different dialects of BASIC introduced additional functions, libraries, and tools, allowing programmers to tackle more complex problems.
5. Educational Value: BASIC played a crucial role in introducing a generation of students to the world of programming. Its simplicity and accessibility helped to demystify the process of writing code, empowering individuals to explore and create their own programs.
Overall, BASIC played a significant role in the early years of personal computing, shaping the way programming was taught and providing a foundation for many other programming languages that followed. While its popularity has waned over the years, its legacy as a beginner-friendly language continues to inspire programmers to this day.
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