Topic: Development Strategy

February 4, 2016

Computer programs and Programming Language
    A program inside the computer is just the series of numbers representing the commands that activate the computer's circuits.
    A programming language such as C, BASIC, FORTRAN, or COBOL lets a human write the logic of an algorithm in a format that is easier to understand than just a series of numbers.

Writing and compiling a program
    A program is written in simple text, the same as you use to text on a smart phone. It is saved in a text file on the programmer's computer.
    The written program is then processed by another program called a "compiler" that creates the equivalent 1's and 0's usable by the computer.

Integrated Development Environments and QuickBasic
    An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a program that is both a text editor and compiler making the whole process easier for the programmer.
    QuickBasic is a mid-1980's Integrated Programming Environment for writing programs in the BASIC computer language.
    BASIC was created in the mid-1960's at Dartmouth to teach beginning programming. It is very simple and clear.
    Both Apple and Microsoft featured BASIC on their earliest personal computers.

Stepwise Development
    Start by writing a program as the smallest possible program that will run, usually a "Hello World" program.
    Develop the program by adding small chunks of code, always running and testing the program as you expand it.

Adding Debugging Code
    Debugging code is temporary output code that shows the progression of the program and the values in the variables.