2006-10-24 09:47:24 · 8 answers · asked by MrGin 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Programming & Design
As a programmer I will give you my take on this. I began programming with a Commodore 64 in the early 80's. What made it fairly easy (for me) was the use of english language that made "sense", for example if you want to print you use the "Print" command, this made the language rather easy to learn quickly. As you learned the easy stuff you got involved with the higher commands and functions and you realized quickly that you could write almost any program within the capacity of the machine. It also allowed "amateurs" like me at the time to get into something really exciting and new, where learning Cobol and other more complex languages was not easy, not readily available and the machines on which the languages were used were HIGHLY expensive mainframes that you and I could not buy. So you can imagine that almost anyone with a little bit of money could "play" with a computer, design, write applications from his home where a few years before computers were only on TV or movies and out of reach of individuals like you and me. Basic is what "transformed" the computer (PC) world.
2006-10-24 09:53:26 · answer #1 · answered by argeesoftware 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ease of learning made it extremely popular for users of some ot the first home and business computers. I created a lot of data collection and crunching programs for some applications at my work.
My first home computer was a tiny kit build Sinclair. Cost me 50 bucks.
Basic was great, for me, because it used plain English and some very basic logic functions. I'm not a math whiz, so this was perfect for me.
I don't know if basic is even used any more. The functions and applications people expected out of their computers has far outgrown, in complexity, what Basic was capable of.
I also remember using a random number generating function to create some simple games, like submarine races.
2006-10-24 09:57:52 · answer #2 · answered by Vince M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It became very popular because it was one of the first programming languages that was more user oriented "english like" than the other "machine level" programming languages that were at that time being used.
Ease of use always makes something popular, and it was very versatile in most applications ranging from science to accounting.
2006-10-24 09:50:46 · answer #3 · answered by scrotumchewingmonster 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It came with most every personal computer at the time : Apples, TRS-80 cocos, Commodore 64s, etc.
It was relatively easy to learn. It was universal. Most of the basic commands on one computer worked on another.
It gaves schools an easy langauge to teach students.
2006-10-24 09:55:44 · answer #4 · answered by Funchy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think a lot of the reason was microsoft promoting the language at that time as well as the proliferation of the micro computer
2006-10-24 10:30:09 · answer #5 · answered by Nick F 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it was easy to use. personally i loved it. i had a ti99-4a and three radio shack color computer 2 computers. i sold several programs to rainbow magazine in louisville kentucky
but there is no way i could program in machine language :(
2006-10-24 09:50:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
y not? its a fun language.... u could do more things than u can imagine at that time...it was simple staright forward
2006-10-24 09:50:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it was pretty basic.
2006-10-24 09:50:10 · answer #8 · answered by Trollbuster 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋