RFO Basic

RFO BASIC is a programming language which runs on the Android operating system. The language is notable because it is a fast and full featured version of the BASIC programming language (which itself is noted as being an easy language for new and casual programmers to learn), because it runs on the Android operating system, and because it is distributed worldwide without charge. The Android operating system is the worlds most popular operating system in the mobile telephone and tablet arenas. This popularity means that a large number of users can use RFO BASIC to easily write and run their own computer programs on their mobile telephone or tablet. This is a new capability which significantly expands the usefulness of Android powered devices.
The language is modeled after Dartmouth BASIC, and includes a number of commands which make the language particularly useful in a superphone environment. For example, the language supports built in GPS hardware, which is not natively supported in Dartmouth BASIC but whose hardware is frequently found in mobile telephones and tablets. Other supported functions include multi-touch touchscreen support, camera, graphics editing, sound playback and recording, telephone and SMS support, Internet browsing and email support, SQL data structures, gravity and magnetic sensor support, and others.
Programs are primarily written in an interpreted environment and compiled into 'stand alone' code when the program is completed, as a separate and optional step. An interpreted environment means that when a user-written program is run, it is 'interpreted' on a line by line basis in real time by the RFO BASIC program and translated into machine code. This machine code is then run, on a line by line basis, on the device. The advantage of an interpreted environment is extremely rapid code development; by eliminating time consuming program compilation as a separate step, program changes can be made and run immediately. This "instant result" environment encourages programmers to try new approaches, and facilitates learning. However, because two operations - code interpretation and machine code execution - are taking place at the same time, interpreted environments always result in slower program execution speed than would typically be encountered in a 'compiled' environment (where the source code is compiled into a machine code file once, and that machine code file is then run as a separate procedure). Running in an interpreted environment also means that a copy of RFO BASIC must be installed on the device used to run the program. A unique feature of RFO BASIC is that once a program is completed, it can then be compiled into a final 'stand alone' program as a separate, and optional step. Such programs do not require that a copy of RFO BASIC be installed in order to run a user created program. These compiled programs also run more quickly, and can be distributed to other users through the Google Play store.
There is no charge for RFO BASIC. The author, Paul Laughton, states that the program is 'a labor of love' and that the program is 'free to all, now and forever'. RFO BASIC is available for download through the Google Play store (formerly Android Market). Paul Laughton is the curator of the Dr. Richard Feynman Observatory (for whom the program is named) and is the author of Atari Basic and Apple DOS 3.1. Laughton actively maintains the product, adding new user requested features and eliminating bugs. New versions of the language are made available on an average of once per week. The underlying source code for RFO BASIC is available under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
BASIC (an acronym for Beginners All purpose Symbolic Instructional Code ) is loosely modeled after FORTRAN, and was originally designed as an introductory language for computer programming students. As a result, BASIC is generally regarded by many programmers as an easy language to learn, but not a language which results in particularly fast code execution. Critics of BASIC note that other languages, particularly C++, offer more flexibility, speed, and control to the programmer. BASIC is also criticized as a language which encourages 'unstructured' programming, which results in 'spaghetti' code. In response, BASIC proponents note that C++ is a much more difficult language to learn, that the BASIC language has evolved over 50 years to become a much quicker and structured environment while retaining its ease of use, and that computer hardware in general has evolved so rapidly that any small differences in code execution speed are insignificant.

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