Review

Apart from functional details, the book makes two general points. The first refers to the growing usefulness of BASIC as a programming language for beginners. The author points to the increase in availability of micro‐computers and their almost universal use of BASIC as the user language. This indicates, he assumes, that BASIC will become even more widely used by non‐professional programmers. The second point is an inferental one leading from the first. That is, if BASIC has a continuing or even increasing usefulness for non‐professionals who want to have some grasp of a complete language, then it is probably suitable for students of librarianship who are in just that category. At advanced levels of appreciation it may be that BASIC has its limitations for use with library applications, but where time to teach this subject is short and the need is specific, BASIC is ideal. This is the general argument of the author.