[Edu-sig] BASIC?

[Jason Cunliffe]

Kevin Driscoll wrote:
> The loss of an easily accessible programming environment on every PC
> is truly sad.  However, I found Brin's swipe at the Media Lab unfair.
> The oft-derided OLPC project proposes a platform designed for
> exploration and experimentation; a far cry from the Dell PCs in my
> classroom - seemingly designed for little more than
> "content-delivery."
>   

I can't understand this mourning "lack of programming language" meme.

What has changed radically from the 'golden oldie' early days of BASIC 
on C64, RadioShack Model 100 etc is the advent of the Internet.
A rich univers of great free programming languages,  examples, people 
and help.
Plus monthly magazines full of complete distros, tools, examples and how-to.

But what I do not yet see alas are very CHEAP concise books [booklets] 
to encourage kids to take up programmming >> a sort of omnibus Python, 
REBOL, PHP, Processing, picBASIC etc
An non-partisan intro cookbook, with CD. Perhaps sold for under $10. 
Would include an overview of each, a series of over the shoulder 
screencasts [in flash] on the disc showing how set-by-step how to 
install and get going, Some useful interesting programs..

Plus some screencasts perhaps offering some direct comparisons about 
what each language does and its characteristics, links to examples of 
real-world uses

[Python >> Google + Google Earth]
[PHP >> most web sites]
REBOL >> tiny internet applications
Processing >> Art and experiemntal
picBASIC >> Industrial controls [actually *show* a few eaxmples of where 
it is used. For example take the lid off a talking robot in a toystore, 
ditto the washing machine, the telephone, the subay/bus/credit cared 
reader] and Experimental Arts [dorkbots/artbots/  robots/toys]

[Maybe a liitle dsktop GUI to select a set of images and upload them to 
a website as an album page ?]
[insert your preferred tasks here]
------------------
CP4E EDITIONS
"presents  Toolkit Book One"

An embarassment of riches we have today

Jason