@icedquinn Still I don't like how you have to write:

Dim x As Integer;

Instead of:

int x;

Or writing "Then" after if statements or using "End If", "End While", "End Sub" instead of closing braces. I think modern scripting languages got it right by using a C-like syntax.

Though I think FreeBASIC is still interesting given that it has a built-in graphics library which can make it ideal for hobbyist game development.

@xianc78 var blocks in pascal were comfy.

being able to drop variables anywhere is questionable since the compiler is going to pool those up to the start of a block anyway, and now you have to contend with a bunch of variable declarations in the middle of large functions.

i have a module to detangle sometime which mixed a bunch of function calls and variable decs in the middle of it. it was neat for getting the prototype off the ground but it can't stay this way.

@icedquinn Pascal was before my time (Born 1998, started programming around 2011). I do avoid mixing declarations and actual code. That's common practice. I just don't like the verbosity of BASIC. That's probably because it actually preceded C by almost a decade.

@xianc78 basic and pascal were also designed to be read and taught to humans.

later stuff like smalltalk and ada were also focused on legibility.

C is a write only language that won out because you could get free compilers and hacker culture doesn't value things like "doesn't crash" and "doesn't waste everyone's time"