BASIC vs Python

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  • abisofile

    #1

    BASIC vs Python


    hi

    I'm new to programming.I'v e try a little BASIC so I want ask since
    Python is also interpreted lang if it's similar to BASIC.



  • It's me

    #2
    Re: BASIC vs Python


    "abisofile" <gman@op.pl> wrote in message
    news:mailman.78 79.1103222183.5 135.python-list@python.org ...[color=blue]
    >
    > hi
    >
    > I'm new to programming.I'v e try a little BASIC so I want ask since
    > Python is also interpreted lang if it's similar to BASIC.
    >
    >
    >[/color]

    Is a Ferrari similar to a horse-wagon? Yes, they both have 4 wheels.

    :=)


    Comment

    • Doug Holton

      #3
      Re: BASIC vs Python

      abisofile wrote:[color=blue]
      > hi
      >
      > I'm new to programming.I'v e try a little BASIC so I want ask since
      > Python is also interpreted lang if it's similar to BASIC.[/color]

      Which BASIC did you try? Realbasic? Visual Basic?

      You should check out some of these beginner's python tutorials:




      and then if you have any questions at all about anything, people on the
      python-tutor list would be glad to help:


      If you want to make applications with a graphical user interface (GUI),
      check out wxpython, although they haven't yet released a version that
      works with the new python 2.4 however: http://wxpython.org/

      Comment

      • Jeff Shannon

        #4
        Re: BASIC vs Python

        Doug Holton wrote:
        [color=blue]
        > If you want to make applications with a graphical user interface
        > (GUI), check out wxpython, although they haven't yet released a
        > version that works with the new python 2.4 however: http://wxpython.org/[/color]


        Actually, Robin *has* released 2.4 binaries, he just hasn't updated the
        website yet. ;) But Windows installers for 2.4 are available on
        Sourceforge...

        Jeff Shannon
        Technician/Programmer
        Credit International

        Comment

        • Thomas Bartkus

          #5
          Re: BASIC vs Python

          The "interprete d" nature of the existing Python language has little to do
          with how it compares to other languages. Most languages, including BASIC,
          are available in either flavor - interpreted or compiled. And either way,
          it's still the same language. That being said, one would expect an
          interpreted language (like Python!) to be a bit more approachable for
          beginners. The mechanics of producing a working program are just simpler
          when the language is interpreted, no matter what that language might be.

          It would be quite a stretch to call Python similar to any of the very many
          flavors of BASIC that exist. So - the answer is no, Python is not similar
          to BASIC.

          Python is, however, an excellent beginners language. In fact, a serious
          programmer with several languages under his belt might actually be at a
          disadvantage when learning Python. At least that is my personal experience.

          So

          Similar to BASIC - no!
          Great language for beginning programmers - yes!

          Thomas Bartkus

          "abisofile" <gman@op.pl> wrote in message
          news:mailman.78 79.1103222183.5 135.python-list@python.org ...[color=blue]
          >
          > hi
          >
          > I'm new to programming.I'v e try a little BASIC so I want ask since
          > Python is also interpreted lang if it's similar to BASIC.
          >
          >
          >[/color]


          Comment

          • Mike Meyer

            #6
            Re: BASIC vs Python

            "Thomas Bartkus" <tom@dtsam.co m> writes:
            [color=blue]
            > The "interprete d" nature of the existing Python language has little to do
            > with how it compares to other languages. Most languages, including BASIC,
            > are available in either flavor - interpreted or compiled. And either way,
            > it's still the same language. That being said, one would expect an
            > interpreted language (like Python!) to be a bit more approachable for
            > beginners. The mechanics of producing a working program are just simpler
            > when the language is interpreted, no matter what that language might be.[/color]

            On what basis do you think the mechanics of producing a working
            language are easier because the language is interpreted? My experience
            is that interpreted C (yes, I really did work with a C interpreter -
            and it was the only interpreter I've ever used that had no compilation
            phase whatsoever) is no easier to deal with than compiled C. Ditto for
            the various flavors of LISP I've worked with.

            Now, having an interactive environment with a REPL makes learning the
            language and checking things a lot easier. Those tend to be rare for
            compiled languages. But interpreted languages don't necessarily have
            them, as witnessed by Java and Perl. You have to get your REPL as a
            third party package for those languages.

            <mike
            --
            Mike Meyer <mwm@mired.or g> http://www.mired.org/home/mwm/
            Independent WWW/Perforce/FreeBSD/Unix consultant, email for more information.

            Comment

            • Adam DePrince

              #7
              Re: BASIC vs Python

              On Thu, 2004-12-16 at 13:42, It's me wrote:[color=blue]
              > "abisofile" <gman@op.pl> wrote in message
              > news:mailman.78 79.1103222183.5 135.python-list@python.org ...[color=green]
              > >
              > > hi
              > >
              > > I'm new to programming.I'v e try a little BASIC so I want ask since
              > > Python is also interpreted lang if it's similar to BASIC.
              > >
              > >
              > >[/color]
              >
              > Is a Ferrari similar to a horse-wagon? Yes, they both have 4 wheels.[/color]

              No, it is not better than a horse. The horse is more reliable and on
              any given day you can count on it going further before it needs service.

              Or were you comparing a Ferrari to a Mustang ... in which case, yes,
              good analogy.

              - Adam

              Adam DePrince


              Comment

              • Thomas Bartkus

                #8
                Re: BASIC vs Python

                "Mike Meyer" <mwm@mired.or g> wrote in message
                news:86r7lp3h9m .fsf@guru.mired .org...[color=blue]
                > "Thomas Bartkus" <tom@dtsam.co m> writes:
                >[color=green]
                > > The "interprete d" nature of the existing Python language has little to[/color][/color]
                do[color=blue][color=green]
                > > with how it compares to other languages. Most languages, including[/color][/color]
                BASIC,[color=blue][color=green]
                > > are available in either flavor - interpreted or compiled. And either[/color][/color]
                way,[color=blue][color=green]
                > > it's still the same language. That being said, one would expect an
                > > interpreted language (like Python!) to be a bit more approachable for
                > > beginners. The mechanics of producing a working program are just[/color][/color]
                simpler[color=blue][color=green]
                > > when the language is interpreted, no matter what that language might be.[/color][/color]
                [color=blue]
                > On what basis do you think the mechanics of producing a working
                > language are easier because the language is interpreted. <snip>[/color]

                Because:
                Type code
                Run code.

                Is easier to explain to the uninitiated than
                Type Code,
                compile code,
                make executable,
                run executable.

                And - if a beginner is asking the question, there is no point getting mired
                in an arcane discussion about all the in between mix and match flavors that
                are constantly at play in the programming world.

                As I said -
                "Interprete d languages are bit more approachable for beginners"
                Thomas Bartkus



                Comment

                • Gregor Horvath

                  #9
                  Re: BASIC vs Python

                  Thomas Bartkus wrote:[color=blue][color=green]
                  > > On what basis do you think the mechanics of producing a working
                  > > language are easier because the language is interpreted. <snip>[/color]
                  >
                  > Because:
                  > Type code
                  > Run code.
                  >[/color]

                  VB6 goes a step further:

                  Run Code
                  Type Code

                  That means that you can set a breakpoint. While the debugger stops you
                  can edit the sourcecode (to some extent) without stopping program
                  execution and let the interpreter run this new code without restarting
                  the program.
                  Essentially you can code inside the debugger. That gives you the
                  possibilty to fix a bug on the fly since on an exception the debugger
                  stops at the wrong line. Try different possibilities and see the result
                  immediatly in the given context.

                  That would be an nice feature for python (debugger), because this is
                  true interactive development.

                  Or is it already there and I missed it?

                  --
                  Greg

                  Comment

                  • Alan Gauld

                    #10
                    Re: BASIC vs Python

                    On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 08:41:46 +0100, Gregor Horvath
                    <g.horvath@gmx. at> wrote:
                    [color=blue]
                    > That means that you can set a breakpoint. While the debugger stops you
                    > can edit the sourcecode (to some extent) without stopping program
                    > execution and let the interpreter run this new code without restarting
                    > the program.[/color]

                    You can do that in C/C++ in some environments (within limits).
                    About 11 years ago I used a C++ IDE called ObjectCenter which
                    included a C/C++ interpreter and ran on my Sun workstation. It
                    was pretty cool for the time and worked quite happily on my
                    350Kloc C program...

                    If C can do it I'm sure it must be feasible in python!

                    Alan G.
                    Author of the Learn to Program website

                    Comment

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