The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source Learning the BASICs (Interview)
Jul 16, 2019
In this intriguing discussion, guests reflect on the revolutionary birth of the BASIC programming language in 1965, which democratized coding for everyone. They explore how educational methods have evolved, encouraging inclusivity for all learners. The conversation shifts to how gaming, particularly Minecraft, is inspiring a new wave of young coders. With personal stories, they highlight the community-building aspect of gaming in coding education and ponder the ongoing evolution of programming languages in today’s tech landscape.
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BASIC at Dartmouth
- John McGeechie, class of '65, recalls the transformative impact of BASIC and timesharing at Dartmouth.
- It allowed 30 students to use a computer simultaneously, offering unprecedented immediacy and simplicity.
BASIC's Democratization of Computing
- Professor Tom Cormen highlights how BASIC democratized computing, making it accessible to non-computer science students.
- People used BASIC for various purposes, including game development and incorporating computer graphics into their work, fostering a new interest in computing.
Interactive Programming with BASIC
- Denise Dumas recalls the excitement of immediate feedback from CRTs when programming in BASIC.
- This interactivity made programming more engaging and approachable, even for those who preferred lower-level languages like Assembler.