Codepad – The ClassHelper.org™ Blog

My first introduction to computers and the world of programming was through languages like GW-BASIC, QuickBASIC, and ANSI C. As a kid, I inherited an 8086-based PC from my father, along with a few operating system manuals and programming references. Later on, I spend endless hours playing with Apple II computers in elementary school. This was probably the single biggest influence on my future professional life, as it taught me that I could easily make a computer do exactly what I wanted.

These days, there aren’t a whole lot of programming environments designed for beginners. There’s a lot of debate on which languages are best for those new to programming, with different groups advocating Java, C++, various dialects of BASIC, and even Perl (my personal preference for high school kids interested in web development). Perhaps owing to my early influences, I still consider a lightweight BASIC environment to be an excellent way to introduce kids to software development. This article focuses on BASIC-256 (previously known as KidBASIC), an easy to use interpreter for young children.

The BASIC-256 Programming Environment

The application’s design is quite straightforward; there’s a code editor with syntax highlighting, a text output pane, and a graphics output pane. In this screenshot, I’ve turned on the “Variable Watch” dialog, which allows the user to see how variable values change when a program is stepped through in debug mode.

BASIC-256 supports a small subset of the language features found in dialects like DOS-BASIC, but there are enough supported statements to allow for surprisingly capable programs. Subroutines are supported, and the core commands are easy to learn. While documentation isn’t built into the application, it’s easily accessible online on the BASIC-256 reference page. I recommend printing out a copy of the reference to make quick lookups easier.

I’ve enjoyed playing with this simple interpreter, and I’m impressed with the effort that’s been put into it. It’s the kind of project that could get a child interested in using a computer for more than games or chatting with friends, and that’s a worthy goal in my book.