Basic (Was:Re: Why is Ada NOT ... )

[sk <sk@noname.com>]

sk <sk@noname.com> writes:
 >> Basic is a very valuable learning tool to get a
 >> feel for what programming is.
 >
 >I disagree.  Basic is a poor language to learn first.
 >Much better would be Ada or some dialect of ML.
 >
 >- Bob

I am not arguing that Basic is a good language (nor
bad). My point is that for beginners, who have little
concept of fundamental programming concepts (loops
arrays etc), Basic provides a frame of reference so
that these concepts have some solidity/meaning when
one runs across them later.

Without formal/structured environment (school, uni etc)
Basic is as good as any language to gain an understanding
of what programming is and why loops and arrays are
significant (or the pitfalls of implicit variables).

Given that QBasic shipped with the last MS OS I owned,
this seems to be a better introduction to programming
than spending money or time on downloading or purchasing
a complete GUI/IDE or GNAT to only find that it does not
meet ones needs.

(Replace Basic by any programming environment already
available => MS-DOS batch, or bash/sh scripting etc)

-- 
--
-- Merge vertically for real address
--
------------------------------------
-- s n p @ t . o
--  k i e k c c m
------------------------------------