BEGINNING MICROSOFT SMALL BASIC
PROGRAMMING TUTORIAL
The BEGINNING MICROSOFT SMALL BASIC programming tutorial (Table of Contents) is an interactive self-paced tutorial explaining in depth the new Small Basic programming environment using many Small Basic program examples. This course is written for the absolute beginner programmer and can be used by kids (10+) as well as adults.
The BEGINNING MICROSOFT SMALL BASIC programming tutorial consists of 11 chapters (Sample Chapter) explaining (in simple, easy-to-follow terms) how to build Small Basic applications and then compare them to other programming languages. You will learn about program design, text window applications, graphics window applications and many elements of the Small Basic language. Numerous examples are used to demonstrate every step in the building process. The tutorial also includes several detailed computer programs to illustrate the fun of Small Basic programming. These programs include a savings calculator, a number guessing game, a card game, a state capitals game, Tic-Tac-Toe, a simple drawing program, fun logic games and a basic video game (Project Screen Shots). Finished programs can even be published on-line to share programs with others.
The 11th chapter of the tutorial shows you the source code for four of David H. Ahl’s classic Small Basic Computer Games ported into several different computer programming languages including Visual Basic, Visual C#, and Java. These classic games include Acey-Ducey, Even Wins, Mugwump, and Lunar Lander. The final chapter helps the beginning Small Basic programmer see how each of these Small Basic games could be further enhanced in another programming language. If you have previous programming experience in either BASIC, Visual Basic, Visual C#, and Java, you can compare and contrast the Small Basic source code against any of these more complex programming languages.
The BEGINNING MICROSOFT SMALL BASIC programming tutorial is presented using a combination of over 500 pages of course notes and actual Small Basic examples. No programming experience is necessary, but familiarity with doing common tasks using a computer operating system (simple editing, file maintenance, understanding directory structures, working on the Internet) is expected.
The course requires XP-SP2, Vista, or Windows 7, ability to view and print documents saved in Microsoft Word format, and the Microsoft Small Basic development environment (Version 1.0 or higher).
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You have the option of ordering this tutorial in a paperback textbook format which includes a free E-Tutorial E-Book Internet download OR you can save printing costs and order just a E-Tutorial E-Book Internet download. All of our tutorials are available in an inexpensive Instant Internet Downloadable Microsoft Word (v97+) E-Book format. The entire E-Book and/or selected chapters can be printed on your local printer and/or viewed on your computer screen. The E-Books can be downloaded from our website immediately after purchase . We compress all these files using a .zip format to help reduce the size for faster downloading.
If you are a full time school teacher, we also sell this E-Book Tutorial in an Annual Unlimited User Site License Teacher Edition. Our Teacher Edition allows you to distribute the tutorial and source code to any of the students who attend your computer science class. You can customize and personalize the tutorial and the associated source code to fit your unique teaching style whether the class is self study or instructor led. Since this Tutorial is distributed in an editable Microsoft Word format you can add your own teaching text and/or notes around our teaching text. You can add your own diagrams and/or personalize the E-Book tutorial to fit your specific teaching needs. Unlike other Tutorials that are Paper or PDF based, you can modify our teaching narrative and source code inside the tutorial and reprint as needed. This unique flexibility sets us apart from all other tutorials on the market. We also sell special large scale multi-teacher site license agreements for School Districts and Online Schools. Please contact us directly if you are interested in a large scale license agreement via the Contact Us tab above. These special large scale licenses are not sold via this webpage.
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What others have been saying about our Computer Bible Games Programming Books and Tutorials:
“I was very pleased with my purchase of the Beginning Microsoft Small Basic tutorial. I have been using the activities provided with my GCSE Computing students and they have served me well. The tutorials have given my students a good insight into computer programming in a very engaging manner.”
“I enjoyed both books. I liked the format, Word & PDF, that way I can teach on my iPad. I’ll be back for more next year.”
“My 12 year old son, Cole, has never programmed before so we bought this book not knowing what to expect. Surprisingly, my son easiy learned how to program his home computer with just this book alone (without any help from us). All he did was keep showing us the fun games he was writing every few days. He had a lot of fun creating the game projects and took a lot of pride in. Great for beginners. Highly Recommended!”
“Great Book for Kids, My son Loved it!!!! My son loved the books ever since he started reading the first chapter. He was very inquisitive, learning and understanding more about computer programming. He is 11 years and I am really excited he loves it so much…..thanks for making this books so easy to understand for the kids, ITS A MUST BUY!!!!!”
“Your Small Basic books are great!”
“I have had plenty of fun reading your books about programming for hours. They were clearly written and very understandable. I think your books are worth distributing in classes at schools to inspire kids, teachers and other people in their leisure, too. Your Small Basic and Visual Basic books are easily able to enthuse our kids during their lessons at school. Programming lessons can be so interesting, including those important aha moments, too.”
“Dartmouth College professors John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz invented the BASIC programming language in 1964 so that non-engineering students could get some valuable experience with these new things called computers. That version of BASIC was wildly successful, spawning uncountable successors. Programming in that first BASIC was really fun, and it was amazing what could be done with those 15 statements and 10 functions. As computers and their programming languages became more complex, a lot of the fun in programming went away. So Microsoft decided to invent (and make freely available, not insignificantly for them) a simple new version of Basic, Small Basic, to put the fun back into programming and possibly attract a new generation of programmers. This book is an excellent guide to getting started with this language. The book is large, with more than 400 8 ½ by 11 inch pages. There are plenty of excellent illustrations and example snippets of code for the student to enter and try out. The first couple of chapters provide an excellent introduction for a student who knows the essentials of Windows and the PC but has no prior programming experience. New concepts are introduced in a logical way. First, the standard text window is discussed, then simple looping and subroutines are covered, and this leads to the graphics window and how events, like clicking the mouse or pressing a key, are handled. Techniques of animation are covered, because most kids are in love with games. By reading the text and following the coding examples, students will be able to create their own simple games. What better way for kids to learn programming than to use it to create something they love! One chapter contains the code for 9 interactive programs to show how all of these programming structures and features can be combined to create really interesting programs, and the final chapter takes three sample programs (Even Wins, Mugwumps, and Lunar Lander) and shows the code for these programs in five popular programming languages: Small Basic, Visual Basic, Visual C#, Java, and a generic Basic. The book covers it all, from a great introduction to what programming is all about to the specific syntax and structure of a Small Basic program. This is good because, currently, proper documentation for Small Basic is somewhat lacking; it does exist, but Microsoft doesn’t make it very easy to find. The advice and suggestions given in the book are spot on. I think this book is valuable in two ways. For a self-motivated student who wants to learn a nice beginning programming language, the book provides an excellent tutorial. Everything the student will need to create and run text window or graphics window programs is here. Secondly, this book can be used as a complete curriculum for teaching students about introductory programming. I currently am using the book to teach programming to middle-school students (ages 11-14), and the book is also excellent in that regard. Microsoft does make freely available a “curriculum” consisting of a series of PowerPoint slides, but I don’t believe that using these slides would be as effective as using this book. All teachers know that kids learn best when they are having fun. This book helps put the fun in this new language from Microsoft, and it is an excellent and valuable resource.”
“Hayden (age 13) was excited to try out this course! Hayden was able to sit right down and begin the first lesson without any help from me whatsoever. Hayden was so excited that he actually made something work! He came running downstairs jumping up and down and couldn’t wait to show me! His enthusiasm and interest in the course began to skyrocket. He thought that was pretty cool. He has not encountered any difficulties or problems in completing the first 4 chapters, and he told me it has been really easy to use and follow. I love that he can complete this course independently. I think the cost of the downloadable course is very reasonable, and with the enjoyment he’s gotten from using it so far I can definitely envision purchasing the next semester course when he finishes with this one. I would definitely recommend this course to others!”
“So far we have found working in the Small Basic environment easy and that ease relates right back to the straight forward and uncomplicated methods that are taught in Beginning Microsoft Small Basic. Each concept is thoroughly explained and examples are given throughout the material. From the download of the material to working with the material we have had no problems, glitches, etc. So far I would have to say our favorite lesson has been 5, Debugging, Decisions, Random Numbers. This chapter has taught us what causes Syntax, Run-Time, and Logic Errors. Off and on I will get Run-Time Errors on my computer. Now we know the basics of why that might happen. I think Beginning Microsoft Small Basic is a great product that students can learn much from and the economical price helps too.”
Having the chance to test drive Beginning Microsoft Small Basic has been one of the highlights of our spring semester. This is a super easy to use, easy to succeed at, beginning programming course for your homeschool student! I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time and was not disappointed! Both Feeche (12th grade)and Cub (7th grade), with no previous programming experience have spent hours delving into this curriculum. If your kids are like mine, go ahead and purchase both at once; they’ll love it, cruise through it, and beg for more! A must have for any conscientious homeschooling family. Content- excellent, Organization – excellent, Presentation – excellent.”
“I used this tutorial with my ten year old son. This tutorial was very easy to use and very easy to follow. Computers can be intimidating, especially if you have no programming experience, but the Beginning Microsoft Small Basic tutorial made it quite joyful to learn. My son and I really enjoyed using the Beginning Microsoft Small Basic tutorial together; this was our mother/son time in the evenings. Even though my son was on the younger end of the age spectrum for this product, I feel he did really well with it.. I feel that this is an excellent, thorough, beginner’s course for computer programming. We plan to continue this course and then look into other courses that Computer Science For Kids offers.”
“I knew Charles (my 12 year old) would have an interest in learning basic programming. He took off through the lessons. There were times when he did even more than two lessons for the week. The lessons were easy for him to comprehend for the most part. He worked through entirely self-directed. Despite the amount of reading, he has had only good things to say about the program. He’s very excited about all he’s learning. And he often chooses to do the program even if I haven’t assigned it for the day. This has definitely been successful for us, and I’m glad we’ve had the opportunity to use it.”
“Liz quickly became very comfortable with the lessons and completed them all by herself and called me {constantly} to come see her fun little creations. I was impressed with this narrative. She likes the “games.” She likes the control and learning how changing just one letter or character can change the whole program. Her analytical mind at work! I love that she is learning about computers. It’s great help to her in math since she has to calculate the size of shapes or borders within the graphics. She was all proud of herself and showing me all these little “games” she wrote. It’s like a new toy!”
“It is easy to use and takes you step by step through writing a code for different applications. I loved how much fun my girls were having and I loved how much they were enjoying learning. They enjoyed this program so much that during non-school hours they would be in the Small Basic application trying to write new programs based on the coding they had previously learned. Sometimes they would go back to an older lesson and expand the program to include coding ideas from their current lesson. Thoughts from Tailorbear (14 Years Old, 8th grade): I have… wondered about computer programming for a long time, but I never found the materials needed for doing it. I liked this curriculum. It taught me how to do cool programs that make it like you’re actually “talking to” something! Put your name into a paragraph, or sentence, (input) and the computer responds! Over all this program teaches me the basic computer programming language! Thoughts from daughter Turtlegirl (15 Years Old, 10th Grade), “ I have really wanted to try computer programming, so I was thrilled when we got this. The Classes were easy to understand (except for some typos) and I really enjoyed doing this. I like how they encourage you to play around with the programs and experiment. I enjoyed typing the code and seeing what it would do as a program. I had a lot of fun using this program. For the most part, it’s simple and easy. They start you off with the most basic of the basics and then start introducing more difficult concepts. I highly recommend this for those who wish to begin their study of computer programming.” Thoughts from Boobear (17 Years Old, 12th Grade): “ I enjoy giving the computer commands and seeing them followed. It is very satisfying to see that I made that. This curriculum makes it very easy to understand how this particular computer language works. It is also interesting to know the history behind it as well. I like creating things and seeing that they are successful, and work. It is fascinating to create programs and this curriculum makes it easy to do.” “I was afraid this program would have been too simplistic or young for my teenagers; however, it has been an excellent fit. Challenging enough because it’s new material but simple enough that they are having fun and building their confidence. Each of them has stated that they want to learn more about computer programming and learn more computer programming languages!”
“If you have been thinking about adding programming to your lessons this year, I would highly recommend that you check out all the courses that Computer Science For Kids offers.”
“Captain C is 13 and this is perfect for him. I don’t have to sit with him and do it all, but he does it at the kitchen table so I can be close by to help if needed. C is really enjoying it and I’m glad we got to review this. I think the price is very fair considering the quality of the lessons. Kids these days have such a bend towards video games and computers so I’m thrilled to have found this where he can still have that outlet, but be learning and building too.”
“My son is 10.5 and he is interested in computers and anything “techie”. He is right at the beginning target market for this tutorial, which is ages 10 and up. The tutorial is self-paced which is great for a child just entering into the programming world. Just when I would think he was going to complain or be confused, he’d amaze me with his understanding.”
“We recently were able to use the Beginning Microsoft Small Basic program (recommended ages 10 plus) for our 11 year old son with great success. I really like this hands-on approach as it speaks to my learning style and I think my son was able to grasp the material without having too much further instruction. All in all we enjoyed using Computer Science For Kids and discovering what Microsoft Small Basic could do. I would recommend using this program to get your youngster started as a computer programmer or at least give them the exposure and knowledge that there’s more to that pretty little icon that sits on your desktop.”
“Like many children today, Luke has a strong interest in programming. He’s had some experience with different programming languages, and seems to have a knack for it. Luke enjoyed working through the program and I was glad to have him work through a systematic course, since much of what he has learned in the realm of computer programming is self-taught.”
“When he finished any programs he wrote, he was very quick to show me. He was super excited that he was able to do it all by himself. A few times, him and daddy had a great time playing around to see what different options she could come up with! Lessons are not super long, so he usually does a couple at a time. He is almost completed with the whole book. He just has so much fun, he sometimes plays with certain lessons more than others! This was a great program for him to do, and get to see a bit more inside look of what a computer programmer does. Monkey Man really enjoyed the program. He had lots of fun creating things, and showing off his work. He also liked that it was not long and drawn out. I think that was one of the main things that kept his attention. I have been reading the e-book when he is not using it. I must tell you just browsing over that I have learned a lot. I actually have considered giving myself a shot at it, see how bad I do. It’s a pretty neat program!!!”
“This curriculum has been super easy to implement and has required almost no effort from me. Yay! I’ve been impressed with his ability to learn the concepts being taught and immediately implement them into his own programs. He hasn’t been copying the sample programs, but synthesizing the new information and creating something purely his own. We like Beginning Microsoft Small Basic and recommend it (without reservation) for kids (and adults) ages 10 and up who want to learn about programming.”
“I must to confess, I was very nervous prior to this review as I have no programming experience and was unsure how well I would cope with overseeing this program. I am glad to say it was much easier than I imagined : ) Don’t let the fear of programming put you off – this is a wonderfully easy curriculum to use and it has given Lilly great confidence and encouraged her to experiment more with our computer.”
“For us the books were very easy to follow. Yes, I say us. I couldn’t help but do this along with my son. Learning like this is so fun that it doesn’t even feel like learning. Isn’t that how it should be?”
“I know, you are thinking WHAT, computer programming??? Don’t despair, this curriculum isn’t as complicated as the name lets on. In fact, you don’t even need to have any previous computer programming experience. One of the biggest things he was impressed with was the ease of use. He said everything was clearly laid out and not once did he ever become confused on what he was to do.”
“Beginning Microsoft Small Basic is a computer programming course that starts right at the very beginning. It is intended for kids aged 10 and up, but my nine-year old had no problem sitting down and working it on his own without any instruction or help or previous experience in programming. He just opened both the lesson file and the Small Basic program and worked through the lesson. It was so simple and easy to use this program that he did it completely and totally on his own. He would spend 30 minutes to an hour (as long as I would let him, really) and would do from half a lesson to a lesson in a sitting. I am not a techie person, but Nate had many a conversation with his dad about what he was learning and my husband was quite impressed. Nate had so much fun with this program! He loved learning what to type to make things happen: background colors changing; a turtle drawing shapes; writing words; making fractals; and then watching them happen. Nate loved this program well enough that he asked to use it several times a day. And I always had to wrestle him back off of it. He was quick to remind me that he needed to do it, because it was, after all, school, and not just playing on the computer. He has not completely finished the program, but rest assured, he will make sure that he does complete it. I loved that his dad and I were able to relax and let him work on Small Basic because he is not just playing around, but is learning a useful and even vital skill that he can use the rest of his life. We are pleased with the start that Small Basic gave him into the programming world.”
“Beginning Microsoft Small Basic is a computer programming course that teaches the basics of computer programming codes and language. There is no prior computer programming experience needed to begin this course! Which I was happy to find out because I have none:) The first lesson really got her engaged in learning about the history of computers. One of the things that she commented about was how she loved the author’s style of writing. It surprised her that it was written in a lively way. Michelle had a preconceived notion that learning the codes of programming would be boring and to the point, just letters and numbers. Which was one of the reasons that delayed her interest in the world of computer programming. When it got time to learning the codes and playing the games I haven’t seen her off of the computer since. Michelle has made it through seven chapters during the review period and if life was just about computer programming I am sure she would have completed it all the way. DJ and Ken have also had a blast and can’t wait to get their turn to participant in this independent study of computer programming since they have watched alongside Michelle coding games. Some of the things I like about this course is that it can be done independently, each lesson builds on the previous lesson, and the program promotes self correcting. As soon as I can I will also start to do this course myself too, I’ll be sure to update you all when that time comes.”
“I was pleasantly surprised that it was simple enough for my 11 year old daughter to use AND simple enough for me to use! My daughter is a lot like me (not really interested in techie stuff) so we were both starting from the absolute beginning which is where this program starts. I believe short daily lessons of this (rather than trying to rush through) would be the best way to use this when you are starting at the beginning like my daughter and I did. I would recommend this curriculum to others interested in learning about computer science because it really is easy to use. The suggested age is 10 and up and that would be my recommendation also.”
“My son had programmed in Visual Basic, which is a similar language, before. So he found parts of the program easy, especially at the beginning. He enjoyed using the program and found it very user friendly. I like the fact that the curriculum covers more than just simple concepts. It introduces arrays and looping, which are crucial for more complicated programs. It also covers graphics, which of course is fun for the kids. We both thought this curriculum provides an excellent introduction to computer programming that isn’t overly difficult for a beginner, but still provides plenty of challenge.”
“I often say that I have a love/hate relationship with technology. As stated above I am not a techy girl, I had no trouble understand the lessons and even found them to be engaging instead of dull. I was able to write my first program using the lessons provided and I was so excited that I did it all by myself! My poor husband had no idea what I was talking about, but he got that I was pretty excited! The price of the Beginning Small Basic Tutorial is very reasonable, I feel for a course this detailed. “
“The program is written in easy to follow terms. My son that used this program is a high school Junior so he worked on his own. He has enjoyed working through the program and getting to learn how to do some Basic programming. It has been very well explained and he didn’t have any trouble following the directions. He has come and told me numerous times that he thinks this program is really cool. He is looking forward to getting through the rest of the program.”
“I was very impressed with the amount of information packed into each chapter. I like that the instructions are mixed within the reading, making the reading more interesting and keep Joey’s focus. I am definitely leaving this program as part of Joey’s weekly schoolwork. Who knows what he may start creating? The price also makes it a very affordable option for families to use.”
“She had a blast & every little bit she would holler at everyone to see what she had done. Beginning Microsoft Small Basic programming tutorial teaches very basic programming and is written for children ages 10 and up or adults who have never tried their hand at computer programming. The directions were very easy for her to understand. Amber loves working with the small basic program and she is already asking for more. This is a great program for a beginner programmer. It was easy enough for her to use & she was very excited with the results of her work.”
“Joshua worked completely independently on this program. Joshua says he loved the program. He can’t wait to finish up and to move on to bigger programs and projects. I loved the idea that working with the basic program would afford him the effort to work on practical logic when he ran into a problem. It also helps to encourage him to work carefully and how to proof-read before he runs the program to avoid errors to begin with. Additionally, the simple and easy to use programs helped Joshua to think about how those programs could be used in everyday life. Perhaps these simple programs may inspire him to explore money-making projects or a personal saving program. The fact that Joshua could work through the material on his own was helpful to me because it gave me time to work one-on-one with Hannah on other school material. Also, it help him discover the need to plan his own work time effectively. It was really interesting to hear about how working through the program is leading to an interest in further programming instruction.”
“I have to say, I have been pleasantly surprised. Microsoft Small Basic is a computer programming course; but, it is more like a guided road map through computer programming. The kids have been enjoying it because they like being able to tell the computer how to ‘do math’ for them. For my high school age kids, this course is going to be listed as Computer Programming on their transcripts. Until now, I just had them go through basic keyboarding skills. This takes their computer knowledge to an entirely new level. I recommend Microsoft Small Basic for anyone, pre-teen through adult, who wants to learn about how computer programs are put together and how to create basic computer programs. It is easy to follow, although, as with most computer things, there is a learning curve. You will learn terminology and skills that are incredibly useful in our computerized world.”
“My daughter has been doing this program 3 days a week. She is really enjoying herself. I haven’t had to step in and help her at all. The one time she asked for help I leaned over her shoulder to see what she was doing and she figured it out before I was even able to read two lines of what she typed. she works on her lessons and then calls me over when she is finished so I can watch what she has accomplished. I do recommend this program. With the dependency on computers it would be beneficial for your children to have an understanding of basic computer language and programming.”
“River is enjoying working through the tutorial. The logic of computer programming – you get what you code – is such a great concept for him to learn. When creating the few programs he already has, he sees the importance of taking the time to decide exactly what he wants the program to do before coding it, because What you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG). Although the concentration is in the Small Basic environment, the course is presented in such an easy to understand manner that removes the fear of learning some stronger and more advanced programming languages, like Visual Basic and Java, which are introduced in the last chapter. I think that this is going to be a great springboard for him as he moves into some of those other languages. Computer Science for Kids also offers tutorials in those areas. Conrod and Tylee have created a curriculum that has opened the doors to programming for the young programmer.”
“The Beginning Microsoft Small Basic Programming Tutorial by Philip Conrod and Lou Tylee is a fun read and covers all the fundamentals of Small Basic programming. I would recommend it to all my friends who want to learn Small Basic. They do a great job explaining Small Basic programming in an easy to read self-paced tutorial. I liked it so much, I got one for myself!”
“Terrific product; terrific service. I have never had customer service that good! The people who run this company really care about whether you are a satisfied customer. And the product is good. I’m a high school teacher, and I’m teaching a first-ever computer programming class in our district. Small Basic is a great program for high school students, but the Microsoft provided tutorial is not enough. This book fills the gaps, and provides the information you need to learn Small Basic and to teach Small Basic. I am a very satisfied customer.”
