This is the basic problem with learning how to program computers these days:

public class Hello
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        System.out.println("Hello World!");
    }
}

The above is the Hello World program for Java, arguably one of the most popular programming languages. Encapsulated in the above three lines are several different concepts ranging from static functions to return types to stdout and to the entirety of object oriented programming in general.

Below is the Hello World program for BASIC:

10 PRINT “Hello World!”

One line. Simple. Back in the days of the Commodore 64, simple software was forgivable, it was expected. The expectation that computer programming is achievable by kids and mere mortals still existed. And BASIC came with most home PCs as well. Writing simple programs and games was a large part (or at least, larger part) of owning a computer.

These days, with physics engines, 3D graphics, MMORPGs, and professional artwork, that expectation is gone. Text-only games with ASCII art are considered obsolete, and the replacement for BASIC has mostly been game creation kits that offer drag-and-drop, point-and-click interfaces to tie together multimedia elements into games that mostly follow fit the same genre. Behind all the graphics and menus and wizards, the art of programming is lost.

The replacement for BASIC has been clumsy at best. How do we introduce fancy GUIs, graphical animation, and ‘splosions to beginner programmers? Visual Basic? HTML/Javascript? Some random, closed source “4 kidz” programming language whose company will fold in three years? NO!!! You can’t be serious!!! (more…)