Visual+Basic

**Visual Basic**

Visual Basic is a programming language. If you would like the chance to make your own software and computer games, this would be the class for you. This is a nice beginner language to learn since it involves basic concepts of all programming languages with a user friendly interface. __History Of VB from about.com:__  BASIC (standing for **B**eginner's **A**ll Purpose **S**ymbolic **I**nstruction **C**ode) was written (invented) in 1963, at Dartmouth College, by mathematicians John George Kemeny and Tom Kurtzas as a teaching tool for undergraduates. BASIC has been one of the most commonly used computer programming languages, a simple computer language considered an easy step for students to learn before more powerful languages such as FORTRAN  .  BASIC's popularity was spread by both Paul Allen and William Gates, in 1975. Gates and Allen (both Microsoft founding fathers) wrote a version of BASIC for the    personal computer. It was the first product Microsoft sold. Later Gates and Microsoft wrote versions of BASIC for the [|Apple]  computer, and     IBM's DOS Altair   which Gates provided came with its' version of BASIC.

**Concepts inlcude:**


 * ~ Term ||~ Definition ||
 * [|The Basics: How Programming Works] || How a programming language works, along with basic terminology. ||
 * [|Representing Words, Numbers, and Values with Variables] || How variables store values and represent information, along with how to use variables. ||
 * [|Words and Text: Using String Variables to Organize Words] || How to use a **String** variable to represent words and text. ||
 * [|Arrays: Variables That Represent More Than One Value] || How to use an **Array** variable to represent several values of the same type. ||
 * [|Arithmetic: Creating Expressions With Variables And Operators] || How to write code that performs arithmetic. ||
 * [|Comparisons: Using Expressions to Compare Values] || How to write code that compares numeric values. ||

Software: **Free online version** of Visual Basic 2008 express edition available at:http://www.microsoft.com/express/vb/

Express editions allow you to create Visual Basic projects, but exclude the ability to finish it and compile it as an executable program able to run on any windows platform independently of the VB software. However, you may bring your projects to class to finish that last step.

All things vb on this site: http://www.visualbasicbooks.com/links.html

**Student Products:**
 * __ click run to all messages: __**

Software for the tennis coach to keep scores of games.

Vocabulary Quiz (teachers makes up question as they go along)

Your typical hello world project that everyone learns as thier first program.

Working with option buttons and the .visable property

Using a VENN diagram in class as a reading strategy

Temperature Converter Program

A Visual Basic quiz using select case statements

Slots GAME

Bullseye GAME

Trig GAME

Theatre Jeopardy GAME

HSA Biology Review

TIC TAC TOE

Possible Career Paths: According to the Burea of Labor Statistics occupational handbook: " Information. Employment in the information supersector is expected to increase by 6.9 percent, adding 212,000 jobs by 2016. Information contains some of the fast-growing computer-related industries such as software publishing, Internet publishing and broadcasting, and wireless telecommunication carriers. Employment in these industries is expected to grow by 32 percent, 44.1 percent, and 40.9 percent, respectively. The information supersector also includes motion picture production; broadcasting; and newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishing. Increased demand for telecommunications services, cable service, high-speed Internet connections, and software will fuel job growth among these industries."

What do computer programmers do? Go to http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos110.htm for the answer.

Earnings: Median annual earnings of wage-and-salary computer programmers were $65,510 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $49,580 and $85,080 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,460, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $106,610. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of computer programmers in May 2006 are shown below:


 * Software publishers || $79,270 ||
 * Computer systems design and related services || 67,880 ||
 * Management of companies and enterprises || 67,170 ||
 * Insurance carriers || 65,650 ||

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, starting salary offers for computer programmers averaged $49,928 per year in 2007. According to Robert Half Technology, a firm providing specialized staffing services, average annual starting salaries in 2007 ranged from $55,250 to $90,250 for applications development programmers/analysts, and from $60,250 to $94,750 for software developers. Average starting salaries for mainframe systems programmers ranged from $52,250 to $70,750.

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