The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source

Learning the BASICs (Interview)

Jul 16, 2019

26:16

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The podcast discusses the impact of BASIC on coding accessibility, tips for picking a first language, and how video games are helping the next generation of coders. It explores the creative drive behind learning programming basics and emphasizes output over tools in programming.

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Quick takeaways

BASIC revolutionized programming accessibility by simplifying commands, making coding accessible to diverse users.

Today's programming landscape offers various beginner-friendly languages and tools, including gaming and visual coding platforms.

Deep dives

The Birth of BASIC Programming Language

In 1965, amidst significant historical events in America, a revolution in computer programming was taking place at Dartmouth University. Professor John Kemeny and his team created BASIC (Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) to democratize programming. BASIC's simplicity and immediacy, with commands like hello and goodbye, made coding accessible to undergraduate students and people from various disciplines, fueling interest in computing on campus.

Introduction

3min

Democratizing Computing with BASIC

12min

Emphasizing Output over Tools in Programming

2min

Coding Education Through Minecraft

8min

Exploring the Creative Drive Behind Programming Basics

2min

We partnered with Red Hat to promote Season 3 of Command Line Heroes — an original podcast from Red Hat, hosted by Saron Yitbarek, about the people who transform technology from the command line up. It’s an awesome show and we’re huge fans of Saron and the team behind the podcast, so we wanted to share it with you.

Learn more and subscribe at redhat.com/commandlineheroes.

Join the discussion

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Sponsors:

Command Line Heroes – A podcast from Red Hat about the people who transform technology from the command line up. Head to redhat.com/commandlineheroes to learn more and subscribe.

Featuring:

Tom Cormen – Twitter, Website
Denise Dumas – LinkedIn
Avi Flombaum – Twitter, GitHub, LinkedIn
Femi Owolade-Coombes – Twitter, Website
Saron Yitbarek – Twitter, GitHub, Website

Show Notes:

Check the show notes and transcript for more details.

Becoming a programmer used to require a PhD and having access to some serious hardware. Then, in 1965, a couple of engineers had a radical idea: make it easier for people to get started.

Beginner languages, like BASIC, burst the doors to coding wide open. Tom Cormen and Denise Dumas recall how BASIC changed everything. Avi Flombaum and Saron share tips on picking a first language in this new era of software development. And we hear from Femi Owolade-Coombes and Robyn Bergeron about how the next generation of coders are getting their start with video games.

Beginner languages give everyone an opportunity to get their foot in the door. And that helps the industry as a whole.

Something missing or broken? PRs welcome!

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