Programming into BASIC Publishing History

I printed ten editions of my book Programming into BASIC for use at Lewis & Clark College, 1978-1982 (A new edition each term I taught).

I signed a contract for the book with Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company in 1980. In July, 1982, editor Susan Newman left B/C and my project was in limbo for a good 18 months. During that time, the evolving concept of my B-machine became an operational reality.

The new editor, Susan Nelle, was enthusiastic about the B-machine, but had trouble fitting it into the college market. Since the B-Machine was not the book that B/C originally contracted, we signed a mutual release in January, 1984. (The Macintosh was not yet invented, and PC's were not at all common.)

Ms. Nelle felt that B should be published primarily as software and referred me to other editors within Addison-Wesley. Instead, I submitted the same idea to Dilithium Press, here in Oregon, hoping to have a local publisher. After months, they concluded that it was too vertical, so I did not pursue. Also, 'pascal' was rapidly replacing BASIC as the language used in the classroom at the time — a trend that has since changed!

While I am not currently seeking a publisher for Programming into BASIC, I am developing the B-machine. The book may be offered for free to accompany the B-machine application.

Created By: john@timehaven•us
Updated: 01-May-95
Updated: 01-Dec-2018