Encyclopedia Of Physical Science And Technology - Computer Software

P1: FPP Revised Pages Qu: 00, 00, 00, 00 Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology EN002-838 May 17, 2001 20:12 BASIC Programming Language Thomas E. Kurtz Dartmouth College I. II. III. IV. V. VI. Brief Description Early History of BASIC Growth of BASIC Standardization and its Failure The Microcomputer Revolution Present and Future GLOSSARY BASIC Name of any of a large number of simple programming languages that are similar and ultimately derived from the original Dartmouth BASIC of 1964. Keyword Word in a computer language that has a special meaning. (Keywords in BASIC include, for instance, LET, PRINT, FOR, NEXT, TO, and STEP.) Language In computing, a programming language. Programming languages like human languages, consist of words and symbols together with grammatical rules that govern how they can be put together. Line Same as a line of text, beginning with a line number in original BASIC. Line number Integer (whole number) that begins each line of a BASIC program and serves as a kind of “serial number” for that line. Line numbers also serve as “targets” for GOTO statements. List A list of a program is a “printout” on the screen of a computer or on a hard-copy printer, of the text of the program (i.e., its lines). Program Collection of statements, formed according to the rules of the language and with the purpose of carrying out a particular computing task. Run Actual carrying out of the instructions of the program by the computer. Statement Instruction to the computer. In BASIC, statements are virtually synonymous with lines and usually begin with a keyword. Subroutine Portion of a program, usually set off from the rest of the program, that carries out some specific task. Subroutines are usually invoked by special instructions, such as GOSUB and RETURN in original BASIC, or CALL in modern versions