Finally teaching real programming

[steve30]

I use BBC BASIC sometimes, though most of the programming I have done over the last year or two was in Microsoft QuickBasic.

Its good to see that they are using BBCs in education. Although I am not much older than those featured in the video, I would be rather baffled by Visual Basic. In fact, the entire lesson would probably have baffled me, as I was never taught anything about computers/programming/related stuff. I learned most of it by starting with a black (or blue) screen and using reference books and trial and error.

 

[buddha]

I learnt to programme in basic. Though on a VIC20, at the tender age of 10 years old. To get anything running at a reasonable pace you had to write it in assembly. Surprisingly (on such simple machines/environments) it was pretty easy - with only 2 manuals and no internet for support.

I'm ashamed to admit it now, but there was a time when I could write assembly code in hex - i.e. not using the mnemonic instructions (LDA, STA etc) and then translate them to hex. Sad eh

 

[palinurus]

Learned my basic on a ZX81 at home, used an RML380Z at school (It was the only computer in the school, you could connect to the PDP11/70 at Hatfield Poly using an acoustic coupler). Did a bit of 6502 assembly language on the BBC micro, learned Pascal on the Sirius machines at Portsmouth Poly. I remember sometimes roughing out my programs onto bits of paper at the weekend when I didn't have access to the computers.

Then I didn't use computers at all until they gave me one at work (except the odd computer that was interfaced with a lab instrument). I had to go on a course to figure out how to use Windows 3.1.1 and Word.

 

[vernon]

I quite like assembly language. Similar to what is said in the BBC article, it allowed you to actually understand what was going on in the box. Wouldn't fancy writing Office 2010 in it though.......

I remember when Microsoft Word would fit onto a 3.5" 720k floppy and still leave room for documents.

 

[beanzontoast]

I remember when Microsoft Word would fit onto a 3.5" 720k floppy and still leave room for documents.

IIRC, the floppy-based edition of Windows 95 I bought to install on a Thinkpad many moons ago came on 20+ floppies. Took flippin' ages!