QBASIC Programming for Dummies

HeavyJay writes "When I purchased QBASIC Programming for Dummies, I expected a clear, concise tutorial on how to construct programs in QBASIC. I'm new to the world of programming, and, having had luck with the Dummies series before, thought this the best place to start off. How very wrong I was." Read on for more; readers with recommendations for better (newer?) QBASIC books are encouraged to contribute.

QBASIC Programming for Dummies
author	Douglas Hergert
pages	399
publisher	IDG Books Worldwide, Inc
rating	5 out of 10
reviewer	HeavyJay
ISBN	1568840934
summary	"The Fun and Easy Way to Learn QBasic Programming."

I've read countless books and online tutorials on QBASIC, C++, PHP, and other various languages. I'm sure all you wise programmers can tell me the first sample program that comes to mind with any language, can't you? The classic 'Hello, world!' example. This easy app starts off would-be programmers with a level of confidence and understanding. To my surprise, Douglas Hergert decided not to use the ever-popular example program. So, you might be wondering, what did he use in it's place? A four-page-long currency converter.

This was Mistake #1.

The book started off making me feel stupider than I actually am. This oftentimes discourages readers from pursuing, and the book takes to the shelf, perhaps never to be picked up again. I've noticed that the best way to capture a reader's attention (and explain the most) is to start off with PRINT, INPUT, IF...THEN and GOTO. Then move on to loops, and get technical from there. It best prepares the reader for everything in store, rather than making them feel like idiots. The book didn't do this at all. It started off making in such a way that anyone without experience would be completely lost. IF...THEN doesn't even come in until the eleventh chapter, despite being one of the most important tools in the language!

So, what good can I say about the book? Not much, except that it came with some practical applications. This brings up another grievance I have with it, that being the lack of an accompanying disc. I feel every book on programming with long examples ought to come with a disc containing all example programs, so that the reader can tweak and observe them as he sees fit, without typing in five pages of code. The best way to learn is often by example, and discouraging lazy people doesn't help the learning process along.

Alas, the book does contain some humour, as it's other brothers and sisters from IDG often do. With chapter titles such as Text, Lies, and Videotape and How to Manage Arguments and Influence People, a book can't be completely bad.

Although I suggest beginners steer clear of this book, it can be useful to experienced programmers (supposing they don't think QBASIC a waste of time). It goes deeply into data structures, arrays, and databases. There are many helpful features, but it's definitely not a book to learn from.

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Redundant???

[(54)T-Dub]

Isn't "QBASIC Programming for Dummies" a bit redundant?

Chapter Summary

[Prince_Ali]

Chapter 1: That game where the snake eats the numbers.
Chapter 2: That game where the monkeys throw bananas at each other.
Chapter 3: That game..

Who realy is the Dummy?

[Anonymous Coward]

You bought the book so im starting to wonder who realy is the dummy?

Actualy I have read several of those books, the one on linux was a decent read for a noobie.

Q-what?

[jabbadabbadoo]

"The book started off making me feel stupider than I actually am."

I would feel pretty stupid actually reading a QBASIC book in 2003. Modern programming languages are easier to learn than QBASIC.

In short:
10 PRINT "QBASIC SUCKS"
20 GOTO 10

Coming up next on Slashdot Book Reviews...

[ecc0]

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Re:Redundant???

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm recommending "PERL for Dummies" or in the worst case "WTF are you using QBASIC for, Dummy!"

Re:go ahead and laugh

[SuperBanana]

Go ahead and laugh, but I work for a company that still writes/maintains qbasic software and sells it to unsuspecting clients for $50,000 bucks a pop. I think we need a "software purchasing for dummies" book.

More like a "leaving your cave for dummies" book.

Dummies books are for... Dummies!

[graveyhead]

graveyhead writes "When I purchased World Domination for Dummies, I expected a clear, concise tutorial on how to take over the world. I'm new to the world of world domination, and, having had luck with the Dummies series before, thought this the best place to start off. How very wrong I was."

Try the O'Reilly's QBasic Book

[Gabe Garza]

Just look for the book with a black & white line drawing of a quarter-length bus on the front. (Apologies to anyone forced to learn QBasic for employment reasons...)

Wow!

[meringuoid]

You know, I've seen many a troll in the comments, but never before have I seen one actually posted as an article.

Re:Redundant???

[jcast]

You got to start in QBasic? You don't know how lucky you are. Back when I started, we had to line-number our programs. And we were grateful!

Re:Q-what?

[jcast]

That's GWBasic.

What, you mean you don't have your obsolete useless languages memorized? Shame on you.

Re:Redundant???

[Anonvmous Coward]

"Isn't "QBASIC Programming for Dummies" a bit redundant?"

Q.) What'd the farmer say when he couldn't find his tractor?

A.) He said: "Where's my tractor?"

Man, I hope whoever modded the previous post gets around to mine. I should be at +5 in no time!

Re:Q-what?

[Tablizer]

I would feel pretty stupid actually reading a QBASIC book in 2003. Modern programming languages are easier to learn than QBASIC.

They are? By what reconning? These days they turn this:

print(a + b)

Into this:

am = new math.ArithmeticManager()
opA = new math.Operand((float) a)
opB = new math.Operand((float) b)
am.addOperand(opA)
am.addOperand(opB)
am.operator = new math.operators.Addition()
am.executeMathOperation()
system.io.output.print(am.mathOperationResult())

Re:Redundant???

[Z0mb1eman]

Isn't "QBASIC Programming for Dummies" a bit redundant?

Apparently not, didn't you read the review? You need to be a dummy with a PhD!

QBASIC :D

[Munden]

I enjoyed the wonderful QBASIC language on my 33mhz AST laptop while listening to my 50kb midi on Windows 3.1 What exactly did you want to accomplish? I would rather program on my TI-83 Plus making programs like clocks that went through loops adding one to the milli seconds then to seconds ect for a time length of 3 min before i killed my batteries. Thats just me.

Re:go ahead and laugh

[nicomen]

Cool, you work at Microsoft? How's the salary? I'm considering applying for a job there.

Avoiding BASIC...

[WIAKywbfatw]

Stay faaaaaar away from anything with the word 'BASIC' in it. You've been warned.

Where were you when I was 10 years old in my hobby shop buying my first Dungeons and Dragons set?

Re:Coming soon

[Elwood P Dowd]

You italicized grok because it is a Martian word?

Re:Redundant???

[Joey7F]

Funny story for ya. When I was in high school (way back in 1999) we used VB. My father asked if we were going to learn PASCAL (as that is what he grew up on) I looked at him dumbfounded. Realizing how far behind the times he was, he asked "What is PASCAL passe?"

To which I said, "More like blasé"

--Joey

Re:Page 1

[Hornsby]

Please stay as far away from PERL as possible! Perl, on the other hand is a useful programming language. If you're confused, Perl is the language proper, perl is the interpreter, and PERL is that god-forsaken language that Matt writes all his scripts in.

If you want to learn to program, I would suggest starting with something a little more structured like Python or Ruby. Both of those languages are near to my heart.

Re:Who realy is the Dummy?

[mhesseltine]

You bought the book so im starting to wonder

who realy is the dummy?

The person who misspelled "really"

Twice!

Re:Q-what?

[metamatic]

Ah, but at least you know your code to add two numbers and print the result will be reuseable and extensible. Imagine if you had to reinvent that piece of code every time you needed it? *cough*

Engineers paradise more like.

[sg_oneill]

It most certainly is not redundant.

One line.........

10 OPEN "COM1:" as #1

explains it all. For RS232 work, QBASIC is gold standard for me.... For exerything else.. Forth baby!!!!

Forgot the comma...

[PetoskeyGuy]

QBASIC, Programming for Dummies