The basic principle

BASIC was introduced as a powerful and yet easily learned programming language for those who intend to use a computer as an aid in solving problems - without the need for extensive knowledge about how the computer actually works. This `language` was developed at the Dartmouth College in the USA in the early sixties, and since then has become one of the most important programming languages. Increasing interest in computers as a hobby has helped to make BASIC highly popular. The name BASIC (Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) may give the impression that BASIC is an unsophis-ticated and over-simplified programming aid. However, quite to the contrary: BASIC may be a simple language, but it is very expressive and truly `All-purpose`. At the same time, it is a good language for beginners, as the name suggests: programs can be written in BASIC without any prior knowledge of or experience with computers.