Project Elysion

OOP is un-necessary complexity. A (very) long time ago, I had posted some questions in a group somewhere about why BASIC isn't as popular as it once was and why people aren't more willing to write their own games and applications.  At this point I did not keep accurate notes. If I did, they were lost to time. As part of my protoBASIC project I went back through my notes and pieced together what I thought were some of the best reasons put forward about why we need protoBASIC. There is a concerning trend in the world of software development - a decline in personal software creation. This shift can be attributed to various factors. While pre-packaged software has undoubtedly made life easier, it often fails to meet specific requirements, leaving numerous untapped possibilities. Relying solely on existing software limits innovation and customization. Unfortunately, many individuals are unaware of the power and potential of creating their own software. Engaging in programming activi...

Much of the 8-bit era and some of the 16-bit era had been defined by the proliferation and utilization of the BASIC programming language and simple Disk Operating Systems. Think CP/M. Think Dartmouth BASIC. Donald E. Knuth defined protoprogramming as a method of exploring and developing algorithms by working with a simplified version of a problem. The idea is to start with a small, basic version of a problem and to build a quick and dirty implementation of a potential solution. This allows the programmer to experiment and iterate rapidly, testing different approaches and refining the algorithm until it works effectively.  Knuth emphasizes that protoprogramming is an iterative process, and that it should be used as a way of exploring ideas and testing different approaches to a problem. He also notes that protoprogramming can be combined with literate programming techniques to create well-documented, readable programs that are easy to understand and maintain.  Prototyping is oft...