 Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me. |
Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Why Johnny can’t code
| Author | Message | ||||
donmck Guru  Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Here is an interesting read I just picked up on. It is rather long, so I'll basically introduce it, and give the URL: Why Johnny can't code BASIC used to be on every computer a child touched -- but today there's no easy way for kids to get hooked on programming. For three years -- ever since my son Ben was in fifth grade -- he and I have engaged in a quixotic but determined quest: We've searched for a simple and straightforward way to get the introductory programming language BASIC to run on either my Mac or my PC. Why on Earth would we want to do that, in an era of glossy animation-rendering engines, game-design ogres and sophisticated avatar worlds? Because if you want to give young students a grounding in how computers actually work, there's still nothing better than a little experience at line-by-line programming. Reade the full story at: http://www.salon.com/technology/feature/2006/09/14/basic/ind ex.html Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
elproducts Senior Member  Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 282 |
Don, I saw that article not long after he wrote it and it hit home with me. We're not alone in our belief that BASIC is a great way to learn programming. One thing has changed though since he wrote it. Just as BASIC Stamp allowed people to create embedded designs much easier, Arduino C code is actually so simple that many kids are learning to program with these modules and it's launched a whole new generation of electronic hobbyists. Because many professionals think BASIC is a joke and C is real, they also took to Arduino and created all these great projects using Arduino which kids just learned to plug and play and then modify. Not many kids are writing elaborate C code from scratch but they can get LEDs to blink and motors to turn and more. Having the Olimex boards and your expansion boards connect the BASIC world of Maximite and the C world Arduino/chipKIT is so exciting to me. I really think these are the tools that will expand this growing new generation of hackers/hobbyists. www.elproducts.com |
||||
Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
We're in the generation of hair gel and shaved chests. They don't make programmers like they use to. :) |
||||
Xiongmao Regular Member  Joined: 25/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 48 |
Ahh,yes. The ol' "REAL programmers..." quotes... |
||||
vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Microsoft Small Basic. Ready to be downloaded and get started the beginners. The meaning of "Basic" word today is different for the young generations. You can re-adapt and not, but you at least can try. You want to get inside Arduino's amazing and fresh world? Learn the "Basic Language" of Arduino (ironically, the nephew can be of much help - quite reversed). Don't start with "Driving International Space Station" huge project, but blinking a LED to learn the basics of the language. Get rid of "C programming" fear, don't think Arduino language mean C because is only a surrogate, something we all can digest. Right after "the Romanian revolution", teachers started to teach (pirated) Turbo Pascal 7 (Basic language was used in primary schools where we had Spectrum 48K around 1985 year, and was considered too primitive) in high schools but today only C++ . So, kids don't wait for us to be "upgraded". Vasi BTW, why you need to memorize all the language commands and functions of one language? I learned the basic principles of structured programming and always used small reference books (or cards, or the incorporated help system for the functions syntax) for the language I used. This way, I was able to adapt in short time and use new languages. Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
||||
CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
RobotBASIC http://www.robotbasic.org Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
||||
| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Tsvetan of Olimex has his version of why people use basic today: http://www.olimex.com/dev/duinomite-prog.html Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
But that is the "charm" of any interpreted language: the immediate feedback of your success or failure. I did that in Basic long time ago, then in dBase 2.0 on CP/M, then dBase IV and FoxPro 2 (I wanted a Clipper 5 so much in that time - I have it now from "Abandonware" but I do nothing with it) on a PC (never wanted CP/M again). All pirated. Later, it was PHP and it was interesting. After Basic "required" era, I see Pascal (the same easiness in string manipulation) as the best language for structured programming to be learned in schools. Then learned how to use Turbo Vision, the best TUI (textual user interface) ever. [quote="Why Johnny can't..."]Web access for the poor would be great.[/quote] Definitely, being able to access such a huge "Alexandria library" is fantastic. [quote="Why Johnny can't..."]But machines that kids out there can understand and program themselves? [/quote] Well, maybe one of the reasons (if not the main) Arduino phenomena exploded at that magnitude - is the successful replacement of the vintage computers, granting more fun than ever (and obsoleting the "Why Johnny can't..." article). BTW, send to that author a link to Maximite computer (maybe better idea to send a Maximite computer as that guy knows how to write articles)  .
Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
||||
| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Sounds like a plan Vasi, I may leave it till we actually have a computer in a box. Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
| elproducts Senior Member Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 282 |
I've already contacted him. I emailed him and let him know about the Maximite. He said he was going to check it out. www.elproducts.com |
||||
powerednut Senior Member Joined: 09/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 221 |
What, locating visual studio express is really that complex? free, handles Basic fine. whats the problem? Or any of the wonderful free compilers that are available (gnu etc)... Or if you really really want an intepreter then newbasic or yabasic or a number of others are freely available. The real reason Johnny can't program: hes too stupid to use a web search engine. |
||||
| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
OK, thanks Vasi, Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Hi Don, That was @elproducts, not me. You said to wait and I understood why. I think @elproducts, contacted the author before my post. Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
||||
| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
 I think my age is showing, sorry Vasi, and thanks Chuck.
See where it all heads. Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Why Johnny Can’t Code Someone decided to remove the original well known link on this one, so I posted it to my blog site: http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/why-johnny-cant-code/ Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
They removed the entire "Technology" category. Probably it was a thick layer of dust on that... Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
||||
| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Yes dust, maybe so, but there was a zillion links to it, and it had good running comments which attracted a lot of traffic over the years I'm sure. I hate destroying old web links, especially when they may still have some value to many people. Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
And you are also interested in comments? You can get them from the cache but isa hard work as there are more than 40 pages and you can't access them directly, you need to copy the link and search for it on google. Comment pages Regarding to traffic, maybe is worthy ... Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
||||
| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
They actually put that article back in the last few days, so I think someone there had some finger trouble. Anyway, we now have the original copy, and a copy on my blog, so either can be quoted. Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
 Print this page |
