Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!mcvax!unido!ztivax!david
From: david@ztivax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.lang
Subject: No Braindamage
Message-ID: <7900004@ztivax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 1-Apr-86 11:24:00 EST
Article-I.D.: ztivax.7900004
Posted: Tue Apr  1 11:24:00 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 6-Apr-86 01:23:26 EST
Sender: notes@unido.UUCP
Lines: 30
Nf-ID: #N:ztivax:7900004:000:1165
Nf-From: ztivax!david    Apr  1 17:24:00 1986

OK.  We all agree (if we are reasonable) that BASIC really does suck.

And, if you are making a structured assembler, you give it the things
which make a useful language, like real control structures, parameter
passing mechanisms, data structures, etc.

Someone mentioned that BASIC is good for instruction because of its
interactive environment.  I think using an interpretive form of C for
example, would be a much better approach.  And C is easy enough to
parse that an interpretor would be reasonably efficient.

Oh.  One other thing.

When was the last (or even first) time you saw a piece of software
which is either useful enough to adapt to a new application, or
useless enough to need to be fixed?

Therefore, I still hold that the language should be natural and not
brain damaged, because sometimes even us programmers with advanced
degrees, over 10 years professional experience, and IQs well over 150
need to think at the keyboard from time to time.

I hate BASIC because it wasn't the first or last language I learned,
but simply the worst, by far.

real programmers invent new 4th generation languages, too!
David E. Smyth

seismo!unido!ztivax!david