[Info-vax] Better languages than BASIC

[Simon Clubley]

On 2024-01-11, Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> wrote:
> On 1/10/2024 9:28 PM, bill wrote:
>> On 1/10/2024 7:02 PM, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>
>>> The world has evolved.
>>
>> Exactly.  BASIC also evolved, but better languages have passed it by.
>>
>
> I confess to curiosity.  In what ways has other languages passed by Basic?
>

There are multiple languages that have left BASIC in the dust.

If you want an initial teaching language, Python is _absolutely_ the
language you start people off with these days. BASIC is absolutely
dead here, and for very good reason.

If you want to write business applications, then either Java or a
subset of C++. C++ subset to be chosen based on programmer skillsets
and the problem to be solved.

If you want to write modern-day CUSPs, then either C or C++.

If you want a safety-critical language (for completion only, as BASIC
was never suitable here), then something like Ada.

There are other areas that BASIC was never suitable for, such as
number crunching. Depending on your requirements, knowledge, mindset,
etc, then either stay with Fortran, or drive an analysis package from
something like Python. There are also higher-level languages such as
MATLAB or Octave that can be used here as well.

BTW, Octave is available here if you want to look:

https://octave.org/

Simon.

-- 
Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.