Computer programming has its own language, and that’s just the beginning of the software adventure. There are many different languages in computer programming, and all of them have their own purposes. In order to understand the importance of computer programming languages, knowing them, and tweaking them, one has to understand the importance of computer programming. Computer programming produces software packages, among other things, to meet our needs. We may need software for accounting, making photos bigger or smaller, or editing our home videos. Behind all these software packages are the computer programmers who use their individual languages in order to create the software.
One such computer programming language is the Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, or BASIC. BASIC is actually composed of many different kinds of programming languages that are actually higher level than most other languages. This BASIC family of computer programming languages was first designed in the 1960’s, and was originally made for non-science people to gain better access to computers. During that time, using a computer required that a person write customized software, a task that only mathematicians and scientists were equipped to do. The BASIC language was therefore a bridge for people of other professions to take advantage of the power of computers.
When the 1970’s came, the BASIC language, whether in its original form or a variant of it, spread onto microcomputers; and by the 1980’s, even home computers could be run in BASIC. Today, BASIC remains popular, as it serves as the basis for many of the more modern programming languages that have been developed in the wake of advanced operating systems and the Internet.
When it was originally conceived, BASIC was meant for beginners: it was a language that people could use easily, whether or not they were educated in mathematics and the sciences. The language also had to be a general purpose one, in that it had to serve many different needs, and not only those that mathematicians and scientists required. The root language of BASIC also had to allow for advanced features to be plugged on as experts grew more and more adept in it, and as the language found further use in many other fields. BASIC was also meant to be interactive, and was designed to show error messages that were clear and friendly; that is, these error messages had to completely explain what the problem was, which would hopefully allow the user to fix it faster and easier.
When it was first released, moreover, BASIC was free of charge, which allowed the language to spread much faster. Once the language spread much faster, it was also easy to modify it and correct errors. BASIC was also distributed to a few high schools in order to promote it faster. Thanks to this widespread use of the language, BASIC was soon implemented on several microcomputers, and by several software manufacturers.
Despite its success, BASIC has had its dissenters. For instance, some programmers find that its scripts do not show proper programming practices, and the language itself is too slow, or sometimes even too simple. Despite all these, however, BASIC has continued to thrive, succeed, and evolve, and has thus become a good tool to introduce beginner programmers to the concept of coding and computer programming.
These are only a few facts about the BASIC language. For more information on BASIC, read and do your own research through several key pages online, or using computer programming books.
Have you ever wondered what your child was rambling on about at the dinner table when he or she started saying things like “VR” or “RPG”? If so, you’re not alone. “VR” and “RPG” aren’t new text messaging acronyms – they’re acronyms for gaming and this article is going to introduce you to some of the more common forms.
If you at least thought of the Internet when you heard “VR” or “RPG” however, you’re on the right track. Exclusive to the online environment, “VR” or “RPG” – which consequently stands for virtual reality gaming and role playing games – are just two aspects of a gaming world gone wild. The days of playing scrabble in front of the fireplace are over in today’s generation, but we don’t believe you’ll hear too many people complaining about it. Today’s generation is fascinated with online gaming – an opportunity to play games over the Internet with hundreds of people at a time.
Available to anyone with a computer and fast Internet connection, there are thousands of online games available to play by anyone… sometimes free and sometimes for a fee. They range from the familiar family board games to strange and more complicated games which require a hundred page manual to understand. One thing that they all have in common however is that they’re fun to play.
The most common type of online game you’ll probably run into is the Flash game – usually located on educational sites or Yahoo! for Kids for example. These games may or may not involve other players, but they’re always full of color, they’re fast to download, and they’re fun to play. Since they run inside the web browser, no special equipment is needed. These are the simple games – more intriguing than checkers, but no more difficult to play than chess.
Another type of online gaming is more violent than the ones we described above and it’s similar to the “shoot-em-up” type games found on the first Nintendo and Playstation systems. Designed from the first person’s point of view, the player typically maneuvers around the screen as a weapon-clad hand – periodically changing weapons as the game’s scenario permits. The violence in these games vary from mild to offensive, and as a parent, you’re cautioned to monitor your children’s access to them – especially since these games are played online with other people.
Next, in terms of complication or violence, comes the virtual reality gaming and role playing games that we introduced earlier. These types of games require an extensive amount of time spent online since players assume the role of a game character in play. Players work hard to build up an inventory of weapons or skills – none of which can be accomplished in a period of thirty minutes or less. They then go on to interact with other characters which extends game time even longer (if it even stops). Both virtual reality gaming and role playing games require and encourage strategic thinking, but as parents, you may not be comfortable with the violence that’s prominent in some of these games. Nor may you be comfortable with the amount of time that playing these kinds of games can consume. Depending on the complexity of the game, any one person could spend at least six months at a game and having access to thousands of other players simultaneously doesn’t exactly make them easy to walk away from.
Our best advice is to learn about these games right along with your child and make the decision to play them (or not play them) together. You can find some helpful advice about making computer decisions with children in our article entitled, “Protecting Children Online.”
There are a variety of things you can learn about computers. Some people go to school just to learn how to give other people advice about their computers. This person would be considered a computer consultant. Computer consultant training is becoming as popular as some of the other types of computer training that is out there. The primary reason for this is that computer consultants are in demand, helping people decide on what type of system and / or software is needed for their personal or business use.
Becoming a computer consultant is not exactly easy, as this is a field that is under constant change. Computer consultant training is something that a consultant should undergo at least once a year. While there is no ‘official’ industry standardized test or certification, there are several certifications that come to mind based on a manufacturers recommendations. For example, if you are primarily concerned with working with Microsoft software products and machines that are compatible with them, you might consider becoming a MCSE, or Miscrosoft Certified Systems Engineer. On the other hand, if you are a Dell man (or woman), then you would be more interested in getting Dell certified as a DCSE, or Dell Certified Systems Engineer. Basically both of these titles mean that you know how to tear down a system and put it back together again. Ideally, you would have some overall knowledge and idea of what type of functionality a system would be capable of, or what it can be used for.
Computer consultant training can be accomplished in a variety of ways. If you are looking for an actual certification program such as one of those mentioned in the preceding paragraph, you can go online and do a search. Simply go to one of the major search engines, such as Google, and do a search for ‘computer consultant training’ or the actual name of one of the certifications you are seeking. There are a couple of things you should know about certifications with big names, however. Most of these certifications are done in a strict testing environment at a local facility. However, the payment for the tests is usually done online. Shop around. Don’t buy the voucher, or payment coupon, from the actual site itself. A lot of times if you take the time to shop around you will be able to find computer consultant training at a discounted rate, through a third-party vendor.
Computer consultant training can also be accomplished by the tried and true method of internship, or learning from someone else. If you are serious about becoming a computer consultant, but are short on cash and don’t really feel like going through an official training program, consider taking a job in a local computer shop. You will be pleasantly surprised how much you can learn in a short period of time working in a shop where you have a computer consulting training mentor. Computer consulting can be a very lucrative field to get into, but you have to know your stuff. Taking a class or mentoring under someone are the best methods available to go from novice newbie to avid computer consultant in the shortest period of time.