I learned programming in Basiic on Apple IIs…

I have programmed in Basic on those too, for one created a simple graphic character assembly routine from a need to implement a lower case character set as only upper case were available by default.

Having learned BASIC on Acorn BBC B and Acorn Electron computers I found Apple Basic primitive with only a GOSUB available for subroutines whereas BBC Basic had powerful Procedures and Functions. Also a powerful ability to call the inbuilt assembler a feature also lacking on the Apple ][e I was working with.

I might just resurrect some of these early computers I still have around here.

For over a decade now I’ve been writing in a templating language for test equipment – Fluke’s Metcal. Metcal only recently became nearly as powerful as Basic. Only a few years ago did they add IF, WHILE, or DO loop structures!