Date   : Sun, 02 Apr 2006 15:02:21 +0200
From   : "Mark Usher" <mu.list@...>
Subject: Re: Basic & BBC Basic

At college, instead of using BBC BASIC we were taught COMAL, a variant on
BBC BASIC with a lot more structure.

Personally, I wouldn't go down the BBC BASIC route to teach new people. Find
them things that will spark there imagination and give them graphical
results quickly. 
Plenty of basic programming techniques can be taught with HTML, VBA within
Word / Excel and Access. Python and PERL also spring to mind. Otherwise VB
and C# are highly recommended. This is what the IT industry is looking for.
If an employer sees BBC BASIC on a CV it won't cut any ice, if he sees HTML,
VBA then he will be aware immediately that the person has a knowledge of MS
Office and the internet. Exactly the sort of things they are looking for.


-Mark