Let's learn programming with SmileBASIC 4!
SmileBASIC series have received strong support from many programmers, game creators, and many children regardless of professionals and amateurs since release of "PetitComputer" for Nintendo DSi in 2011, to the present, as "full-fledged programming software that runs on game consoles" and "software that is perfect for beginners in programming". (Total number of sales: 158,000)
When holding a workshop for children using the SmileBASIC series, most of the participating children continue to work on with SmileBASIC every time even after the workshop ends, and the organizer says with surprise, "We have never seen a workshop where children are so enthusiastic."
In addition, please visit our website for details on SmileBoom educational achievements of PetitComputer/SmileBASIC.
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The easiest programming environment
SmileBASIC series are mainly sold for Nintendo portable game consoles. You can start programming simply by purchasing "SmileBASIC" with a game console that is often found at home. There is no need to buy a new expensive PC or tablet, and you do not need to perform complicated installation work.
In "SmileBASIC", since a USB keyboard and mouse can also be used, it is possible to support professional programming.
Nintendo Switch as an educational hardware
Nintendo Switch is actually a very good educational computer. It is relatively inexpensive and has good performance, and it is small, lightweight and very sturdy. It doesn't become unstable with every update like PCs.
At our programming workshop, we assign Nintendo Switch and a keyboard to each child one by one. If someone has achieved something successful, we connect it to the Nintendo Switch dock and immediately share it with everyone on the large TV screen or projector. This method of sharing with everyone creates a great effect. With Nintendo Switch and "SmileBASIC", such a shared environment that would otherwise require a significant investment can be realized very easily.
SmileBASIC as an educational language
Some people who know old PCs and BASIC are concerned about using BASIC even now, but don't worry.
SmileBASIC enhances the BASIC's biggest advantage, "easy and simple" as much as possible, while eliminating the disadvantage of the former BASIC "slow and modern clean programs can not be written" with modern technology. Evaluations such as the need to put line numbers, the inability to use structured programming, and the inability to use local variables are things of the past.
SmileBASIC is a "modern programming language for beginners" that is extremely fast and allows you to write simple but clean programs. Active programmers who routinely use languages such as C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, and Ruby as development languages have redesigned BASIC as SmileBASIC, an introduction to programming.
The things we focus on game production
SmileBASIC can create programs for various purposes. However, it has been developed to focus on making games. Of course, kids love games and if they realize that they could make own games, then their motivation rise very much. Motivation is a very important factor in learning programming skills. To keep that motivation, SmileBASIC not only has a lot of features for game production, but also many graphics and sound materials that can be used immediately for game production.
Game programming, on the other hand, requires the most advanced technology and knowledge of all areas of computing, among many programming fields. The knowledge gained from game programming will always be useful as they progress into any other programming field.
Which one is better: "Scratch", "Python" and/or "SmileBASIC"
For most professional programmers, the most important thing is to understand the "way of thinking when programming". To do that, I think it's a good idea to use one programming language to some extent.
In the first place, learning a single programming language is not enough to become a modern professional programmer. Modern programs are very complex and large, and it is natural to combine multiple languages for different purposes. You need to learn many languages for various fields such as C++ and C# for game programming, Python, Ruby, Go, Java, PHP and JavaScript for web programming, and Swift, Objective-C, Kotlin and etc. for smartphone apps.
Scala, Haskell, Rust, etc... New languages appear every year, replacing old ones.
Python is now prominent due to the AI boom, but I don't know if Python is a working language 10 years later.
It's a fast-changing field, so programmers need to be able to cope with various languages, and the "basic skill" of "programming thinking" is necessary.
To do so, try to make your work with a language that is easy to understand and easy to use.
We can confidently recommend and say "Try SmileBASIC" to kids who want to be programmers.
The CEO of SmileBoom Company: Takaki Kobayashi
