are there anyBasic like langauges for Linux ?

mrpixels0 · 11-21-2006, 01:43 AM

I know the question is a strange one but i really would like to know, my son wants to learn how to write software but i do not know if he is ready for C, C++.

He is 10 yrs old and since his mother and I got Divorced i am trying to spend a lot more time with him on things that interest him, he is always asking how Tux Racer works and i just simply tell him a programmer wrote the game and that Langs like basic, C, Pascal can be used to create games with so now he wants to learn to program but i can't find anything that i understand so i can help him learn and at the same time i get to learn too

because i am not a programmer at all.

so if anyone else here has had the same Experince please let me know what you use and where you found it.

Kind Reguards

Mr.pixels

Tinkster · 11-21-2006, 02:56 AM

Hi, welcome to LQ,

And where have you looked? :}

A few very valuable resources for hunting down linux software are
the following:
http://sourceforge.net
http://freshmeat.net

Try a search on either of them, looking for Basic

But if he's eager to learn and a bright cookie C may be the right thing for him.
One of my favourite quotes:

Code:

"It is practically impossible to teach good programming to students that
have had a prior exposure to BASIC: as potential programmers they are
mentally mutilated beyond hope of regeneration.
                -- Edsger W. Dijkstra, SIGPLAN Notices, Volume 17, Number 5"

Cheers,
Tink

oneandoneis2 · 11-21-2006, 04:02 AM

I'm learning C right now - oddly enough, I'd label it one of the friendliest languages I've come across for a new programmer: I never actually managed to get anywhere with Basic, and I grew up with an Amstrad CPC. But I've been working my way through the K&R book on C and boring the people who read my blog with all my coding-related posts

I'd recommend "The absolute beginner's guide to C" by Greg Perry as a good starting book. It won't teach your son to be a C guru by any means, but it'll give him a thorough grounding in the basics. He can decide from there if he fancies learning in any greater depth.

Failing that, Python's a good "easy" language, and Java's probably going to be getting even bigger still now that Sun have opened the source. . .

vharishankar · 11-21-2006, 04:08 AM

Gambas is a basic-like language and development environment for Linux:

http://gambas.sourceforge.net/

vharishankar · 11-21-2006, 04:10 AM

Just to clarify I agree with learning other languages than BASIC although I disagree that learning BASIC impedes the learning capability of the student.

astropirhana · 11-21-2006, 08:09 AM

I think realBasic is appealing:

http://www.realbasic.com/

Cross Plaform compatible! Windows, MAC, Linux!

twilli227 · 11-21-2006, 12:45 PM

Not sure if this will help him or be of interest, but:
KTurtle

Quote:

Description
KTurtle is an educational programming environment for the KDE Desktop. KTurtle aims to make programming as easy and touchable as possible, and therefore can be used to teach kids the basics of math, geometry and... programming.
The programming language used in KTurtle is loosly based on Logo.

http://edu.kde.org/kturtle/

Dox Systems - Brian · 11-21-2006, 03:45 PM

Here's another option... Still used by a surprising number of businesses. http://www.basis.com/