What is the BASIC language used for?

Question

I know BASIC is old, but i recently started taking Computer Science and the teacher is making us use BASIC. I just wanted to know if BASIC is useful anymore. I had downloaded a BASIC compiler to make console applications (EXE files). I mainly use C++ most of the time but the teacher is teaching us how to use BASIC.
do people still use BASIC? tell me what you think, thanks in advance.

Answer 1

BASIC (NOT Visual Basic) is taught in college still because it is a very easy language to learn. While it has no real value in the real world of programming any longer, there is an old saying that I've found to be very true: It's easier to learn your second programming language than it is to learn your first.



There is another old saying: Those who can't do, teach. Some of these college programming instructors have been teaching for a LONG time. Once you become a teacher and stop working in the world of software development, you tend to fall out of the loop on what is current.



Having said all of that, if you never programmed a computer in your life before you went to college, once you graduate and get that first programming job, no matter what languages you learned, no matter how good you did, that 1st "real" program is probably going to knock you flat on your butt. So go with the flow, learn what they are trying to teach you regardless of if you'll ever use the language or not. At least you are learning the concepts (logical program design, program flow, input/output operations) that you will need to know/understand no matter what language you end up programming in for a living.

Answer 2

Visual BASIC is a language that makes use of English phrases to symbolize pc instructions. BASIC is an acronym that stands for "Beginner's All-intent Symbolic Instructions Code".

Answer 3

Visual Basic is still popular. Many companies use it to create Windows applications.

Answer 4

no... it's useless... & people don't use BASIC anymore... it's too old for god's sake!!!



Microsoft developed it for Windows, resulted in creating a new programming language called "Visual Basic" which is NOT EXACTLY LIKE BASIC but is based on it...

Answer 5

teaching small children how to program.