Subj : Re: Four Programming Questions To : comp.programming From : gswork Date : Thu Jul 14 2005 02:47 am Gerry Quinn wrote: > In article <1121181554.878999.143020@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>, > jimmaureenrogers@worldnet.att.net says... > > Gerry Quinn wrote: > > > In article , ballensr@adelphia.net > > > says... > > > > > Question one: Which language (basic, C++, java, etc) is easiest for learning > > > > computer programming? > > > > > > Probably a traditional Basic. > > > > Basic is certainly easy to learn. It also supports and somewhat > > encourages bad programming practices. Modularity is very difficult > > in traditional Basic. Compound data types, other than arrays, > > are not allowed in traditional Basic. The dreaded "goto" is almost > > required in traditional Basic. > > When I say 'traditional' I don't mean 'archaic'. I mean Basics dating > from the mid '80s onward, which took a lot of concepts from C. Such > Basics have types (similar to C structs), C-like loop structures that > make goto redundant, and C-like functions. Really, they are quite > similar to C without pointers. I think of it more as an easy going pascal! Anyway, you are quite right. the basic syntax of BASIC has lent itself well to structured, even OO, programming. I've seen some very well put together source for VB & QB for instance, but also very bad. > "10 GOTO 10" is a strawman that doesn't apply any more. but some folks did have fun in early 80's computer shops with it! .