From its origins in 1964 to its peak popularity in the early PC era to its gradual decline, the BASIC programming language made a huge impact in democratizing software development. As a fellow programming enthusiast, I‘d love to walk you through the major milestones that shaped this quintessential language of my childhood!
BASIC is born to make computing more accessible
It all started at Dartmouth College when mathematicians John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz wanted to open up programming to more than just scientists. Here was their vision:
- Simple syntax – using English words and mathematical operators
- Interpreted – code executed on the fly without compiling
- Interactive – results shown immediately to empower exploration
- Approachable – designed specifically for teaching novices
They called their new language "Beginner‘s All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code"–BASIC–and it certainly lived up to that name!
Let me show you just how easy those first BASIC programs were:
10 PRINT "Hello world!"
20 GOTO 10With just a PRINT and GOTO loop, any beginner could make their own endless "Hello world" in minutes!
Hobbyists embrace BASIC as the PC revolution begins
But BASIC didn‘t stay an academic curiosity for long. As personal computers exploded in popularity in the 1970s/80s, BASIC rapidly became the language of choice for early adopters across many platforms.
Basic shipments exploded in the early 1980s PC revolution. [Source: BYTE Magazine Reporting on BASIC in 1981]
And these weren‘t just any personal computers, but iconic machines that changed the industry:
- Altair 8800 – The first PC hobbyists could own powered by BASIC
- Apple II – Launched an empire with Applesoft BASIC in ROM
- Commodore PET – Shipped with Commodore BASIC built-in
- IBM PC – Booted up to PC-BASIC from a young Bill Gates
With BASIC bundled everywhere, it became the common tongue for an entire generation of computing enthusiasts. We traded code, tinkered late into the night, and immersed ourselves in this new frontier – BASIC made it possible.
New flavors extend BASIC‘s reach even further
As innovative companies kept pushing hardware capabilities forward, computer scientists extended BASIC as well with new forms:
- Structured BASIC (1969) – Added subroutines, named variables
- Compiled BASIC (1973) – Translated to machine language for speed
- Microsoft BASIC (1975) – Young Bill Gates‘ first product
- Visual BASIC (1991) – Revolutionized GUI app development
Let‘s see an example of how much richer BASIC got:
| 1967 BASIC | 1991 Visual BASIC |
|---|---|
10 LET A = 5 |
DIM A AS INTEGER = 5 |
20 PRINT A |
MSGBOX STR$(A) |
With additional syntax for modern features like variable typing, UI controls and true modularization, the BASIC family flourished by adapting to what programmers needed.
The decline of BASIC
But by the late 1990s, BASIC started falling out of favor compared to other languages :[. Why did the popularity wane despite all the advances made over 30+ years of evolution?
The Pros
- Simple and approachable for beginners
- Interactive development style
- Mathematical heritage suited scientific work
- Ubiquitous on early personal computers
The Cons
- Performance limitations
- Lacked modern software engineering features
- Fragmentation into platform-specific dialects
- Perception that it wasn‘t "professional grade"
As the software industry matured, developers demanded tighter control, more structure and faster performance from their languages. And while modern BASIC variants addressed many limitations, too much divergence from the original vision caused dilution.
By trading simplicity for capability over decades of growth, BASIC outgrew its own name. Newer languages like C++ and Java offered a precision that "Beginner‘s" languages couldn‘t.
But that doesn‘t diminish the pivotal role BASIC played in the computing revolution!
BASIC‘s legacy – launching millions of dreams
While few new software projects start out in BASIC today, its shadow is long and impact undeniable. The access it enabled inspired a generation of hackers, tinkerers and technologists.
Who knows how many young minds first discovered the magic of programming by poking a BASIC terminal late at night? BASIC sparked the latent creativity inside millions that drove the PC revolution forward in astonishing ways.
I have such fond memories staying up way too late typing BASIC programs into my beloved Apple II. And those early explorations nurtured a lifelong love of coding that became my career today!
So here‘s to BASIC – may we always remember its simplicity, not as a flaw, but as proof of the power of demystifying technology. By clearing away the barriers keeping newcomers out, entire new worlds can unfold!
Let me know if you have any other favorite memories, crazy hacks or obscure BASIC stories from your own past. I‘d absolutely love to hear them! This language binds all of us who grew up in the early personal computing era. Now those were some pioneering days, my friend!
