"Introduction to Programming in Visual BASIC 6.0" gives a careful and accessible introduction to programming in BASIC for the student wanting to understand what programming is all about and what programs like Excel are doing.
The text starts with simple output and proceeds to explain input, computer arithmetic, and decision making as the first tools for programming. When looping is introduced, some simple random number and computer graphics programming examples are studied. The last chapter introduces arrays to show the power of being able to reuse data items when new information is computed.
Students are helped in the learning process with frequent "On Your Own" text that helps students think about what has been introduced. All the syntax used is set apart in boxes to focus attention on the format that is required. "Putting It All Together" comprises a set of exercises at the end of each chapter. A web site will be maintained for answering questions and providing updates.
All the programming examples have been tested and run as written. The technical environment needed to execute a program is given as a few simple lines of code to enter into the code window as a kind of packaging for the programs the students will write. This approach works very well and gets the students programming very quickly.
