BASIC vs Python

[Mike Meyer]

Andrew Dalke <dalke at dalkescientific.com> writes:

> Adam DePrince
> Given the hardware constraints of the early 1980s, which
> language do you think should have been used instead of BASIC?

Logo. It was invented in 1968, when mainframes weren't much more
powerfull than those '80s microcomputers. It had standard graphics
primitives that are *much* saner than hacking at a bitmapped
display. It was designed specifically to teach children how to think
logically.

You can find out more - including a list of current implementations
and example code - at <URL:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo_programming_language >.

BASIC as implented by Microsoft for the Apple II and the TRS 80 (among
others) is simply the worst programming language I have ever
encountered. Assembler was better - at least you had recursion with
assembler.

        <mike
-- 
Mike Meyer <mwm at mired.org>			http://www.mired.org/home/mwm/
Independent WWW/Perforce/FreeBSD/Unix consultant, email for more information.