Meadowlark: Sheffield based computer consultancy

Software tools we use:

Beginners All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code (BASIC)

BASIC is an interpreted language that is easy to use, runs, on the vast majority of computers in one form or another, and is probably responsible for the introduction of more programmers to their craft than any other programming language.

Advantages of BASIC

BASIC is claimed to be easy to use. This stems directly from the fact that BASIC programs are interpreted. There is no - possibly lengthy - compilation phase required before user programs can be run. Indeed it is possible to write a line of BASIC and test it immediately by pressing the Run button, or its equivalent.

An example of a BASIC programming language is Microsoft's Visual Basic programming language.

What you can expect from computer hardware in the future?

1. Smaller faster, cheaper, lighter computers for the desktop.  They will be no larger than a DVD drive.  They will be silent, and run free software, and much of this will be web based.  They will use solid state disks, and large quantities of cheap memory.

2. More powerful mobile phones will largely replace traditional PCs.  The screens of mobiles will occupy as much of the phone as physicallly possible.  "Soft buttons will have largely replaced mechanical buttons in top of the range phones.

3. Sophisticated screen display technology will be available that will allow us to use bigger computer monitors in smaller less likely workplaces.

4. Micro-factories: places of work no bigger than a loft extension, where budding entrepreneurs labour in their free time "printing" products with 3D printers and selling their wares by the internet.