BASIC

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ESO Hewlett Packard 2116 minicomputer

BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) is a high-level programming language that was developed in 1964 by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz at Dartmouth College with the aim of providing students in fields other than science and mathematics with a means to use computers. At the time of its introduction, computing was primarily the domain of scientists and engineers, and the complexity of existing programming languages like FORTRAN and ALGOL made them inaccessible to novices. BASIC was designed to be simple to learn and use, embodying the principle that it should be possible for anyone to program a computer.

History

The development of BASIC was part of a larger project at Dartmouth College to make computing accessible to a wider audience. The language was first implemented on a General Electric GE-225 computer, using a time-sharing system that allowed multiple users to work on the computer simultaneously. This was a significant innovation, as it reduced the cost of providing computing access and allowed for the interactive use of computers, which was a departure from the batch processing methods common at the time.

BASIC's simplicity and ease of use quickly made it popular in educational settings. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, it had become a standard feature on minicomputers and mainframe computers in colleges and universities. The introduction of the first microcomputers in the mid-1970s saw BASIC becoming the first programming language for many home computer users. Notably, Microsoft's first product was a version of BASIC for the Altair 8800, a development that played a significant role in the company's early success.

Features

BASIC is characterized by its straightforward syntax and commands that are easy to understand and remember. It was designed for interactive use, although it can also be used to write stand-alone programs. Key features of the language include:

- Simplicity of syntax - Line-numbered program instructions - Use of GOTO statements for control flow - Built-in support for simple data types, including integers, floating-point numbers, and strings - Easy input and output, including the PRINT and INPUT commands

Over the years, many dialects of BASIC have been developed, introducing various extensions and improvements to the original language. These include Visual Basic, which adds object-oriented features and a graphical user interface builder, and BASIC Stamp, a version designed for microcontroller programming.

Impact

BASIC played a crucial role in the democratization of computing, making it accessible to a broad audience with no prior experience in programming. Its introduction into the curriculum of many educational institutions helped to spark interest in computing among students of all ages and backgrounds. The language's simplicity also made it a popular choice for personal computing in the 1970s and 1980s, contributing to the growth of the software industry and the proliferation of computers in homes and schools.

Legacy

While BASIC is not as widely used today as it once was, its influence on the development of programming and computing culture cannot be overstated. It laid the groundwork for the development of more advanced programming languages and helped to establish the idea that computing should be accessible to everyone. Many of today's programmers and computer scientists received their first introduction to programming through BASIC, and its principles of simplicity and accessibility continue to inform the design of educational programming languages.