Introduction of BASIC Programming Language

The Basic Programming Language

History

BASIC

 in full Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code Computer programming language developed by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz (b. 1928) at Dartmouth College in the mid 1960's. One of the simplest high-level languages, with commands similar to English, it can be learned with relative ease even by schoolchildren and novice programmers. Since c. 1980, BASIC has been popular for use on personal computers.Basic is a very powerful language as a tool for the novice programmer. Basic allows for a wide range of applications, and it has many versions. However, as long as the emphasis is on the techniques of programming and problem solving, the specific syntax is easy to follow.Before the mid-1960s, computers were extremely expensive and used only for special-purpose tasks. A simple batch processing arrangement ran only a single "job" at a time, one after another. But during the 1960s faster and more affordable computers became available, and as prices decreased newer computer systems supported time-sharing, a system which allows multiple users or processes to use the CPU and memory. In such a system the operating system alternates between running processes, giving each one running time on the CPU before switching to another. The machines had become fast enough that most users could feel they had the machine all to themselves.

By this point the problem of interacting with the computer was a concern. In the batch processing model, users never interacted with the machine directly, instead they tendered their jobs to the computer operators. Under the time-sharing model the users were given individual computer terminals and interacted directly. The need for a system to simplify this experience, from command line interpreters to programming languages was an area of intense research during the 1960s and 70s.

Origin

Main article: Dartmouth BASIC

The original BASIC language was designed in 1964 by John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz and implemented by a team of Dartmouth students under their direction. The acronym is tied to the name of an unpublished paper by Thomas Kurtz and is not a backronym. BASIC was designed to allow students to write programs for the Dartmouth Time-Sharing System. It was intended specifically for the new class of users that time-sharing systems allowed—that is, a less technical user who did not have the mathematical background of the more traditional users and was not interested in acquiring it. Being able to use a computer to support teaching and research was quite novel at the time.

The language was based on FORTRAN II, with some influences from ALGOL 60 and with additions to make it suitable for timesharing. Initially, BASIC concentrated on supporting straightforward mathematical work, with matrix arithmetic support from its initial implementation as a batch language and full string functionality being added by 1965.

The designers of the language decided to make the compiler available free of charge so that the language would become widespread. They also made it available to high schools in the Hanover area and put a considerable amount of effort into promoting the language. In the following years, as other dialects of BASIC appeared, Kemeny and Kurtz's original BASIC dialect became known as Dartmouth BASIC.

Significant Language Features

Basic is a multi-platform language because many basic compilers use the same types of routines. Basic allows:

• Loops
• Input from the keyboard
• Menu Driven Applications
• System Commands - These are words that make the system perform a specific task immediately.
• Structured Programming
• Subroutines
• Built-In Functions
• User-Defined Functions
• Arrays, sorting, and searches

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Areas of Application

Basic has many strong points, such as:

• Easy to learn for beginners
• Adds powerful additional features for the advanced user
• Is designed for interactive use rather than batch work
• Lends itself to learning by hands-on practical use

and is therefore suitable for both the professional and non-professional.