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  • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

    If today, you had a computer like C64, would you love it to start with BASIC or there is an other language you would prefer for the prompt?

    "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

    R Offline
    R Offline
    Rage
    wrote on last edited by
    #10

    BASIC for sure ! These were cool times !

    Do not escape reality : improve reality !

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    • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

      If today, you had a computer like C64, would you love it to start with BASIC or there is an other language you would prefer for the prompt?

      "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

      D Offline
      D Offline
      Daniel Pfeffer
      wrote on last edited by
      #11

      The main point of those early computers was that Basic was integrated into the shell. This allowed the programmer to start programming without the intermediate steps of opening an editor, saving and then either compiling & running, or interpreting the program. As far as programming languages are concerned, I would prefer something more structured, for example Pascal. I'm not sure how you'd integrate that with the shell, though.

      Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.

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      • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

        Of course, not. But I think the generation that started without the luxury of IDEs gained something the youngers have not. The fact that you had only assembly for serious use and BASIC for playing around forced you to learn (and not event internet :sigh:)... So if you had the same experience today (as being beginner) would BASIC do it or maybe another language we have today would work better?

        "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

        OriginalGriffO Offline
        OriginalGriffO Offline
        OriginalGriff
        wrote on last edited by
        #12

        No, because Basic teaches you bad habits that become engrained. Go with a strongly typed language if you want to develop seriously, weakly typed if you want to play at it (and don't mind the computer getting it wrong in annoying ways from time to time). C# is a good starter language for people who want to do this for a living! :-D

        "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

        "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
        "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

        Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK C 2 Replies Last reply
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        • D Daniel Pfeffer

          The main point of those early computers was that Basic was integrated into the shell. This allowed the programmer to start programming without the intermediate steps of opening an editor, saving and then either compiling & running, or interpreting the program. As far as programming languages are concerned, I would prefer something more structured, for example Pascal. I'm not sure how you'd integrate that with the shell, though.

          Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.

          F Offline
          F Offline
          F ES Sitecore
          wrote on last edited by
          #13

          BASIC came on built-in ROM chips, there's nothing stopping them do PASCAL or any other language.

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          • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

            If today, you had a computer like C64, would you love it to start with BASIC or there is an other language you would prefer for the prompt?

            "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

            K Offline
            K Offline
            Kris Lantz
            wrote on last edited by
            #14

            I have a C64 and an equally aged BASIC manual... both a few years older than I. :^) But to answer the question: BASIC.

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            • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

              If today, you had a computer like C64, would you love it to start with BASIC or there is an other language you would prefer for the prompt?

              "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

              W Offline
              W Offline
              W Balboos GHB
              wrote on last edited by
              #15

              I never really programmed in BASIC - my soul is clean and unfettered by guilt. That long ago, the only real language I knew was FORTRAN.

              Ravings en masse^

              "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

              "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

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              • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

                If today, you had a computer like C64, would you love it to start with BASIC or there is an other language you would prefer for the prompt?

                "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

                M Offline
                M Offline
                Member 12982558
                wrote on last edited by
                #16

                UCSD Pascal was an integrated system, running on a variety of Z80 and 6502 based system. Pretty good system! Not too fast, using a P-code as "VM". So, one could do better than Basic

                Greg UtasG 1 Reply Last reply
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                • F F ES Sitecore

                  VB6

                  N Offline
                  N Offline
                  Nelek
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #17

                  Then this[^] might be for you :rolleyes: :)

                  M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

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                  • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

                    If today, you had a computer like C64, would you love it to start with BASIC or there is an other language you would prefer for the prompt?

                    "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

                    R Offline
                    R Offline
                    rnbergren
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #18

                    saw this for sale on an auction site the other day. If you want to bid on it. I will pick it up and ship it to you. or you can pay them to ship it to you. You have to pay for it either way. Commodre 64 Okimate | West Central Sales and Auction Co[^] Then you can find out what you would want.

                    To err is human to really mess up you need a computer

                    Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                      No, because Basic teaches you bad habits that become engrained. Go with a strongly typed language if you want to develop seriously, weakly typed if you want to play at it (and don't mind the computer getting it wrong in annoying ways from time to time). C# is a good starter language for people who want to do this for a living! :-D

                      "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                      Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
                      Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
                      Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #19

                      OriginalGriff wrote:

                      C# is a good starter language for people who want to do this for a living! :-D

                      But did we knew that we will do it for a living (if that's what you call it)? We all were playing around... and showing off...

                      "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

                      "It never ceases to amaze me that a spacecraft launched in 1977 can be fixed remotely from Earth." ― Brian Cox

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                      • R rnbergren

                        saw this for sale on an auction site the other day. If you want to bid on it. I will pick it up and ship it to you. or you can pay them to ship it to you. You have to pay for it either way. Commodre 64 Okimate | West Central Sales and Auction Co[^] Then you can find out what you would want.

                        To err is human to really mess up you need a computer

                        Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
                        Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
                        Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #20

                        I had several year of intimate life with C64 - including burning chips and banging my head on it... Today I user emulators when feel the urge...

                        "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

                        "It never ceases to amaze me that a spacecraft launched in 1977 can be fixed remotely from Earth." ― Brian Cox

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                        • M Member 12982558

                          UCSD Pascal was an integrated system, running on a variety of Z80 and 6502 based system. Pretty good system! Not too fast, using a P-code as "VM". So, one could do better than Basic

                          Greg UtasG Offline
                          Greg UtasG Offline
                          Greg Utas
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #21

                          Far, far better. I had it for my Apple ][+.

                          Robust Services Core | Software Techniques for Lemmings | Articles
                          The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.

                          <p><a href="https://github.com/GregUtas/robust-services-core/blob/master/README.md">Robust Services Core</a>
                          <em>The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.</em></p>

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                          • F F ES Sitecore

                            BASIC came on built-in ROM chips, there's nothing stopping them do PASCAL or any other language.

                            D Offline
                            D Offline
                            Daniel Pfeffer
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #22

                            The issue isn't the implementation of the language, but the integration with the shell. Pascal, for example, requires much more in the way of preliminary definitions that BASIC does (e.g. PRINT "Hello, World" is a legal BASIC statement, but Writeln("Hello, World"); requires all kinds of boilerplate).

                            Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.

                            F 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

                              I had several year of intimate life with C64 - including burning chips and banging my head on it... Today I user emulators when feel the urge...

                              "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

                              D Offline
                              D Offline
                              dandy72
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #23

                              Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter wrote:

                              Today I user emulators when feel the urge...

                              That's probably what I should have stuck with. A few years ago I bought the C64 Mini. Thought it was neat, played with it for a few hours (total), but it's currently gathering dust. Then I bought an actual working C64 off of some eBay-like site. Works fine, the guy I bought it from threw in a few game disks, but my problem is the display. I can hook it up to my main monitor, but don't have the room on my desk to dedicate to it. And I'd have to buy some other display or adapter if I wanted to set it up elsewhere. So it's also gathering dust. Then the company that made the C64 Mini made a full-sized one, with a working keyboard. I've been tempted to get it (it would solve the display connectivity issue, as it's using HDMI, like the Mini) but I suspect it'll gather dust as well.

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                              • D Daniel Pfeffer

                                The issue isn't the implementation of the language, but the integration with the shell. Pascal, for example, requires much more in the way of preliminary definitions that BASIC does (e.g. PRINT "Hello, World" is a legal BASIC statement, but Writeln("Hello, World"); requires all kinds of boilerplate).

                                Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.

                                F Offline
                                F Offline
                                F ES Sitecore
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #24

                                Not sure what boilerplate you're referring to, the examples I see online don't have any, but regardless in BASIC you constructed programs using lines so 10 print "Hello" 20 goto 10 That doesn't preclude having boilerplate code.

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                                • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

                                  If today, you had a computer like C64, would you love it to start with BASIC or there is an other language you would prefer for the prompt?

                                  "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

                                  L Offline
                                  L Offline
                                  Lost User
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #25

                                  Patient zero: assembler.

                                  It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it. ― Confucian Analects: Rules of Confucius about his food

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                                  • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

                                    If today, you had a computer like C64, would you love it to start with BASIC or there is an other language you would prefer for the prompt?

                                    "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

                                    P Offline
                                    P Offline
                                    Private Dobbs
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #26

                                    Assembler - and I did way back then!

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                                    • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

                                      If today, you had a computer like C64, would you love it to start with BASIC or there is an other language you would prefer for the prompt?

                                      "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

                                      C Offline
                                      C Offline
                                      Chris Grove
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #27

                                      I grew up on Input magazine [^] , spent countless hours typing hex assembly into ZX81, ZX Spectrum and C64. it certainly teaches you attention to detail. ;P

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                                      • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                        No, because Basic teaches you bad habits that become engrained. Go with a strongly typed language if you want to develop seriously, weakly typed if you want to play at it (and don't mind the computer getting it wrong in annoying ways from time to time). C# is a good starter language for people who want to do this for a living! :-D

                                        "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                                        C Offline
                                        C Offline
                                        Clumpco
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #28

                                        Sorry to disagree... The BASIC that came on the C64, TRS-80, Sinclair etc. had only one bad habit, the GOTO instruction! I can't swear to the others, but you HAD to type variables in TRS-80 BASIC, and there was so little memory available that the size of every variable was important. You had to do your own memory management too, e.g. re-use variables rather than just declaring new ones etc. All in all it taught me a more good practice than bad. I seem to remember that sloppy typing and variants only appeared very much later in VB?

                                        So old that I did my first coding in octal via switches on a DEC PDP 8

                                        U 1 Reply Last reply
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                                        • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

                                          If today, you had a computer like C64, would you love it to start with BASIC or there is an other language you would prefer for the prompt?

                                          "The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012

                                          G Offline
                                          G Offline
                                          Gaston Verelst
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #29

                                          If I remember well it would also run Turbo Pascal.

                                          Check out my blog at http://msdev.pro/

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