6502.org

Historically, VTL02 and its predecessor VTL-2 didn't have errors because the main focus when creating them was "get it working in as few bytes of ROM as possible". The 6800 version is 768 bytes, and the 6502 version is < 1KB (with several feature enhancements). There's an 8080 version that weighs in under 1KB as well, but I haven't studied it in depth. Klaus2m5 made several performance and feature enhancements to VTL02 (including error reporting), but he quickly filled up over 2KB doing so.

The 6800 version is impressively small, but much less efficient than my 6502 version. Neither are intended for beginners. Spaghetti code is not only permitted, but practically necessary. They both have a very primitive pseudo-random number generator, though, because that is a desirable feature.

In the end, you are right. Here's how I see it:

-We have veteran programmers who can figure it out without much help. Error messages are great, but not required.

-We have typical programmers who basically need error messages. Not saying they couldn't think themselves out of a wet paper bag, but they are dependent on these (new) resources.

-We have beginning programmers who (are being taught to) need error messages. They might not even know what the error message entirely means, but that something they did was wrong. Syntax vs. runtime isn't even a concept yet.

-We have four year olds, who literally cannot define what an 'error' even is. Errors are NOT necessarily "bad", like screaming for toys in dept stores or stealing a cookie. Errors are more like "oops". And, as this particular 4 year old's teacher, *I* am her error messages. I do this for her math lessons all the time: What is 8+9? Um... 12! No, are you guessing? Etc.

BTW, I made a quick BASIC program where it asked for the answer to two random numbers being added together. My daughter enjoyed it a lot! She did guess some times, and it would say "nope, the answer was X" but she would get a lot of them right. Then I changed the program to multiply two numbers together, and since then I've been working with her on multiplication concepts. So, it's not only for her learn programming (though that is the goal eventually) but also something for me to whip out a quick 'game' of sorts of her to learn/enjoy.

I asked my wife last week, "Should I make this BASIC the first thing that comes up on boot?" Granting that I explained what most of that meant, and the historical case for C64's and such booting to BASIC, she said, "Yes, do that." But then I explained the limitations of my BASIC interpreter, and what my alternative is right now. She quickly said, "Nevermind, all you did was make a toy! Stick with the original plan." It was funny to have my BASIC be called a toy. Because, it is.

Thanks everyone!

Chad