# Basically, I need some basic help with BASIC **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basically-i-need-some-basic-help-with-basic/99944 "2002-03-25T03:17:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Karallen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@Karallen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karallen)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basically-i-need-some-basic-help-with-basic/99944/1 "2002-03-25T03:17:23Z")
Where can I find an application that allows me to create programs in BASIC, not Visual Basic? Is there a difference between the two? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basically-i-need-some-basic-help-with-basic/99944/2 "2002-03-25T04:17:43Z")
Goto 10! Print “Hello World!” The Run Stop button on a Commodore Vic-20! Awww. I’m all a-flutter. Sorry I’m useless for your question. Have you tried searching for “BASIC interpreter?” ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basically-i-need-some-basic-help-with-basic/99944/3 "2002-03-25T04:30:58Z")
Yeah, I’d say there’s a pretty huge difference between the two… But if you are determined to program in BASIC, I’d suggest looking up the terms “BASICA”, “GWBASIC”, and “QBASIC” on Google. Some of these packages may still be under copyright…dunno. -David ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basically-i-need-some-basic-help-with-basic/99944/4 "2002-03-25T06:38:11Z")
yes, there is a difference between BASIC and Visual Basic. gwbasic info is available here: [http://www.geocities.com/rhinorc/gwbasic.html](http://www.geocities.com/rhinorc/gwbasic.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basically-i-need-some-basic-help-with-basic/99944/5 "2002-03-25T09:27:41Z")
There is a difference between BASIC and Visual Basic, but there are also many similarities; you may not find it hard to move up from BASIC to VB at some point in the future. There was a good thread about other BASIC versions that are out there, but I think it got lost when the board went down; try a google search for either of these: ASIC compiler XBASIC ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basically-i-need-some-basic-help-with-basic/99944/6 "2002-03-25T10:37:12Z")
- - - Qbasic (the DOS-type text programming software) and Visual Basic are two different things. Visual Basic is something more complicated/advanced than QBasic. Beginning programming courses generally use Qbasic, not Visual Basic. - Yes, all the Microsoft QBasics are still out there available for illegal download, and they do turn up on Google. Last time I had to find them, they were mostly available on foreign-language (non-English) pages. You want the Qbasic version 4.5; not any earlier ones (not GWBASIC, it’s ancient), and _not_ version 7---- version 7 is rather complicated for a beginner to install properly. (Version 4.5 you don’t install IIRC, you just unzip it and run it from wherever it’s at) - DougC ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basically-i-need-some-basic-help-with-basic/99944/7 "2002-03-25T10:52:15Z")
QBASIC is supplied on the win98 install disc (in ools\olddos\ IIRC).