The Rise and Legacy of Pascal: A High-Level Language that Shaped a Generation

TLDRPascal, a procedural high-level programming language, was created in the 1960s and gained popularity as the language of choice on Apple 2 and later on nearly every PC. It was used in education, as well as to build serious applications and games. Although its popularity has declined, Pascal and its dialects are still in use today.

Key insights

🚀Pascal was one of the first programming languages to teach coding to a generation of kids.

💻Pascal became popular as the default high-level language on Apple 2 and other PCs.

🎮Pascal was used to build popular games like Crisis Mountain and Gravity Wars.

📚Pascal was extensively used in education to teach people how to code.

📖Pascal's syntax is still familiar and its dialects like Delphi are still in use today.

Q&A

What is Pascal?

Pascal is a procedural high-level programming language that was created in the late 1960s. It gained popularity as a language for teaching coding and was widely used on Apple 2 and other PCs.

Is Pascal still in use today?

While its popularity has declined, Pascal and its dialects like Delphi are still in use today. Its syntax is still familiar to many programmers.

What were some popular games built using Pascal?

Some popular games built using Pascal include Crisis Mountain, Gravity Wars, and IBM's Alleycat.

Was Pascal used only in education?

No, Pascal was not only used in education but also to build serious desktop applications and games. It was a versatile language with wide-ranging applications.

What is the significance of Pascal's syntax?

Pascal's syntax is still familiar to many programmers, and its dialects like Delphi are still used today. It laid the foundation for other programming languages and continues to influence modern programming practices.

Timestamped Summary

00:00Pascal is a procedural high-level programming language.

00:30Pascal became popular as the default high-level language on Apple 2 and other PCs.

00:56Pascal was used to build popular games like Crisis Mountain and Gravity Wars.

01:25Pascal was extensively used in education to teach people how to code.

01:55Pascal's syntax is still familiar and its dialects like Delphi are still in use today.