Anyone that has taken an introductory programming class will tell you that at the very least, it helped them understand basic programming logic, structure and design.

BASIC was perfect for beginners. The structure was inherent in the language – each line was numbered – and the commands encouraged linear thinking.

When Dartmouth College launched the Basic language 50 years ago, it enabled ordinary users to write code. Millions did. But we've gone backwards since then, and most users now seem unable or ...

John G. Kemeny (left) and Thomas E. Kurtz made a truly Basic contribution to computer science in 1964. Courtesy Dartmouth Library 1964: In the predawn hours of May Day, two professors at Dartmouth ...