As far as programming languages go, BASIC (“All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code for Beginners”) is… not a language I would choose today. True, when it was originally developed in the 60s, line numbers and single character identifiers were a development. But in its heyday (which I will admit, without evidence, in the late 70s and early 80s), there were better options (Pascal, Lisp, Forth, even C!). however, BASIC is everywhere! it is the interface for many older computers, such as the Commodore 64. Why? I would say (again, without evidence) this is because BASIC was designed to be used by anyone–not just experienced programmers.
Now, you have one VARIETY language with ugly historical baggage that has a strong following, especially among people who are not known programmers. That language is Python.
Python is the new BASIC.
Background
BASIC was developed at Dartmouth College in 1963 by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz (see In Memoriam: Thomas E. Kurtz, 1928–2024). If you want a historical account, you have one Coming to the Computing podcast episode about BASIC which is really good (as is the whole podcast).
Commodore BASIC
My personal history with BASIC goes back to the first computer I ever used, the Commodore 64. That computer boots directly into BASIC. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, to launch programs, you had to type BASIC code. Every user is secretly a programmer! I don’t think I wrote any programs ahead 10 PRINT "HAHA"; 20 GOTO 10but I think I at least learned about commands and quotation marks.
QBasic
At some point, I decided that I wanted a computer to do whatever I wanted, so I had to learn how to program. Fortunately, my MS-DOS The computer incorporates a development environment–impression that is fully displayed, in repetition–called QBasic. Yes, BASIC (specifically QBasic) was the first programming language I tried to learn. I don’t think I’ve ever discovered subroutines in QBasic, but at least I know about conditionals, loops, and arrays.
However, BASIC serves its purpose. I, a non-programmer at the time, learned how to write some simple programs without throwing up my hands in despair and swearing off computers forever. Maybe I’m a BASIC success story!
On the other hand, I recently found an old box of floppy disks, including a “double density” disk with my name written on the label. That disk contains several programs that I wrote using QBasic, circa 1997. The code is … not good – again, I haven’t discovered the subroutines yet.
Advantages and disadvantages
I don’t really like Python. Despite its “elegant” indentation-based blocks, I find the syntax ugly (format strings, overloading of asterisks, ternary operators with conditional insertions, etc.). Python ruins compatibility more than I expected (or maybe allowed). The package ecosystem, though vast, gives me supply chain nightmares.
Despite my complaints, however, Python has a lot going for it:
- it JAS hir & evrywer
- It has “batteries included”ie a comprehensive standard library
- It’s simple (or, at least, you can pretend it is, for casual use)
Python is far from perfect, but it’s usually good enough.
Why Python is the new BASIC
But why is Python the new BASIC? The answer is simple: Python is the new BASIC because Python is the language most used by non-programmers. It has reached critical mass. Python wins!
Of course, that’s more of an observation than a reason. I honestly don’t know why people are initially attracted to Python (sorry to imply that it isn’t), but if I had to guess it’s a combination of the following:
- Python emerged when the world desperately needed a scripting language that was less ugly and error-prone than Perl
- Python uses indentation instead of braces to define blocks, and this is considered by the masses to be “elegant” – not a good reason in my opinion but, well, I use Lisp, so I’m clearly an outlier
- Python always includes everything you need, right in the standard library
- Python is math-friendly enough to gain a foothold in physics, finance, etc. research, thus expanding the ecosystem and its influence
- Python cleverly borrows simple features from more complex languages, while remaining simple itself.
- Python is never owned by a litigious corporation
In other words: some combination of smart design, community management, and events.
Definite proof of Python’s dominance
Despite deliberately avoiding Python throughout my adult life, I recently commissioned and wrote a personal utility program in Python because I know that Python has everything I need and I have confidence that Python is rooted enough that I can still use my program for the foreseeable future.
If even a Python-hater like me doesn’t use Python, then I think it’s pretty clear that Python is taking over the world, just like BASIC used to.
A parting thought: how long will Python’s reign last?
2025-01-11 12:31:00
