Comments on: Learn Programming with Microsoft Small Basic

By: Dan

Dan — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:18:33 +0000

Small Basic sure does bring the fun back to programming. So easy that a monkey could learn it well.

By: Michiel

Michiel — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:51:13 +0000

Where are the reactions on this great post? Thanks for this article!

By: Rahul G

Rahul G — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:19:50 +0000

Kojo also seems like a good way to get your kids started with programming.

http://www.kogics.net/sf:kojo

By: Rahul G

Rahul G — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:19:23 +0000

Kojo also seems like a good way to get your kids started with programming.

http://www.kogics.net/sf:kojo

By: stephan

stephan — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:49:13 +0000

@gorlok: The problem with Python, it’s not easy to grasp concecpts like IF, FOR, procedures, and how to divide problems into smaller problems. LOGO is much better for this. There is also no easy UI and an “execute” button. People might need to understand the command line.

When I was teaching for some years around 2000, my prefered setup was:

LOGO (Basics on commands, control structures, data structures)
-> Python (for the reasons you’ve mentioned)
-> Java (To make them employable)

Worked very well for me.

I will take a look at pynguin (still think repeat 4 [forward 100]) is easier to grasp than for i in …)

By: gorlok

gorlok — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:35:38 +0000

Perhaps some decades ago, BASIC was an option, with pros and cons, but an option.

Now, I will recomend Python. It’s like psuedocode. It’s clean. It teach good programming skills. It’s multiparadigm. It’s a very good thing.

I started with BASIC at the 80s, using home computers like Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum. But I think that Python is a better option.

Today I found this project http://code.google.com/p/pynguin/ that seems nice.

Anyways, MS Small Basic looks like a nice thing.