QB64 Certification

[Dimster]

I've notice some employers, no matter what the job, do look at some of those off beat hobbies people list on a resume, and if that off beat hobby comes with a certificate then it seems to hold some value in them considering you for the job you are chasing. Does there exist a QB64 Certification? I would image this community would have some members with proficiencies in different aspects of Basic programming which should warrant them a Certificate of Excellence which we would all vouch for should it appear on their resume. I guess it would be better if the certificate came from a teaching institute but this site is more than just teaching basic.

[SpriggsySpriggs]

I honestly wouldn't see this happening unless QB64 was made to be available on a site that does give certificates for doing a certain number of lessons on a language.

[Dimster]

So couldn't this site, this community issue it's own Certificate. We have an excellent primer thanks to Terry Ritchie. It may need some updating considering all the new stuff the qb64 team has added, maybe even convince Ashish to write a chapter. But if you want a certificate, then you write a test (or write code) based on that primer. I'm not thinking the Certificate would be recognized for any university credits but simply a recognition to the world that you are proficient in QB64 so says the QB64 community. 

[TempodiBasic]

Hi Dimster
I find your question very interesting for the aspects that it brings out:
1.
Is possible to have a test or an exam or a "work to do" that can let me get a certified grade of knowledge in programming (in QB64)?
This kind of test can be used for every type of language for programming .
We can say that this kind of certification is like the coulored belts used in Martial Arts... each school (and for programming each Language) has its milestones of knowledge and it uses coulored belt as grading of knowledge both theorical both practical. (in the same manner maybe it is possible to do a grading of knowledge of the language of programming in use... but in this case we are talking about how good the coder is in programming with that specific language! I think this is a very sensible point.)
So at the end if it is possible each coder must do the test if he/she wants the certification, or is it possible some certification ad honorem? Think about a good coder in C or/and C++ or/and Java or/and JS or/and Assembler or/and Python or/and OneOfTheHundredOfLanguageOfProgramming OOP or Modular.
So I can get the white belt of QB64 and I can walk around in the world.

2.
How can the test be done?  What the test must test? Who have the knowledge to make this kind of test?
Who does want this responsibility?  About theory I think it is plan and pacific to evaluate knowledges. About code done I think that it is harder to do.
In a semplicistic example here 3 codes that do the requested task ....

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. ' task: make the sum from 1 to 9
2.  
3. 'first code
4. FOR a = 1 TO 9 STEP 1
5.  b = a +b
6. NEXT
7. PRINT b
8.  
9. 'second code
10. a = 0
11. WHILE a < 10
12. a = a+1
13. b = b+a
14. WEND
15. PRINT b
16.  
17. 'third code
18. a = 0
19. Again:
20. a = a+1
21. b = b+a
22. IF a < 10 GOTO Again
23. PRINT b
24.  
25. ' Forth code
26. PRINT 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9
27.  

All these codes make the task, are all the coders Good QB64 programmer?
How do you decide who must have the black belt, who must have the red belt, who must have the white belt?
 
Is FOR better than WHILE? Or FOR better than GOTO? Or WHILE better than PRINT?

Waiting your feedback about
1. is possible to have a grading certification  about QB64?
2. is possible to have a shared meter to evaluate a working code?
Is the tax for test of 10$ right? 

[doppler]

I would never list any basic flavor as a programming language on a Resume.  Unless it was under hobbies.

Basic never got good publicity.
In fact "programming snobs" would look at it as.  This idiot does not know that good program structure flow is important.  re: goto's and such.

I like the fact I can just sit down and bang out a decent "QB64" program without a Flow chart or process specification.  If I am going to write some narly code I will comment the shit out of it.  It has happened in the past and will again in the future.  I will sit down to modify old code that was not "greatly" commented.  Look at it and think "What the F' was I on when I wrote that"

So, I will certify anybody who, takes the time to comment his programming.  Poor reason for no comments "Because it was hard to write, it should be hard to fix."  I have seen too much assembly code get tossed because the next programmer did not understand it and rewrote it.  Only to go back in "my self" later and fix the timing problems.  Rewritten code was a time critical routine and was written that way.  It was optimized for clock cycles and bytes.

TLDR: QB64 Certification is not going to happen.  Enjoy the fact, almost anybody can read and use basic.

[Richard Frost]

Design and print your own certificate.  It should contain a picture of a dodo bird or Chia Pet.

Mine has this:

[Dimster]

@TempodiBasic  - I suppose you could design tests with varying degrees of difficulty and then award a Certificate in different colors like your black belt analogy. Gold Certificate being the best of best in the QB64 community. In that world I would be challenged to get any kind of a certificate unless it was for participation and then again I could surprise myself. In terms of how do you measure or meter one person's skill or knowledge over another person I don't think I would use a comparison between coders but rather a coders ability to properly apply all that is contained in the wiki. In this age of computers I would think there may not be that much supervision over tests, marking of tests, awarding certificates. A computer program should do it all. And then you raise the question of payment to go down the road to certification. Very good question. I would think, there would have to be at least a body of supervision and a body to organize and get it up and running. There would be a cost there. As well, this community does look for donations. Maybe there should be an initial price paid, what that is I don't know. And then there are some institutes who grant you a degree upon completion of their courses, you get to add some letters after your name but you have to pay a yearly fee to maintain the degree. I believe Engineer's and Doctor's pay a yearly fee but I'm not sure of that. Perhaps a QB64 certificate would come with a small yearly fee as a way to confirm the holder continues in good standing on the site applying their skills.

@doppler  - Geez some pretty good points there. Yes, I'm thinking this is hobby only stuff. You are right on with regard to comments. Perhaps if a person wants formal recognition there should be an outline of a standard to meet. Like member of the community for 1 yr, some code must be posted where the only limiting factor is that it must be well commented, etc.

@Richard Frost  - If I print my own certificate it would carry the picture of fellippe or mark or steve or dave or so many others on this site and of course you (I am yet to beat your chess game). But you are not alone in poo pooing a certificate, @doppler doesn't think it would happen.

P.S. - I did put QB64 as a hobby on a resume, never got the job but did get to discuss it. One small step in making Basic ubiquitous .

[bplus]

Yes! Basic programmers are certifiable!

[TempodiBasic]

@Richard Frost
Hey boy, but I like to have an Unicorn or a Bee or a Toon in  my certificate. Can I ?

PLEASE!

@doppler
hi, fine to see that for your perspective BASIC is freedom, no scheme, no plan on paper or other type of support, just think and write and run. This is also equivalent to be relaxed and enjoyed while you're using BASIC.
The only rule is to do as much as possible comments to make clear the code.

@bplus
welcome. I find  your shrinked answer. Hoping a more expanded version if you have the time to do it and the opinion that is good to do it.
In the while I thank you for answering.

@Dimster
yeah, great summary:
1. yes tests are possible
2. yes it is useful to use a grading scale of knowledge
3. the wiki can be the mainline on how to evaluate the code of learner
4. bots can do the dirty hard work while a body of supervision grants  its well working
5. certificate and exam need resources, so it is right to pay a fee for exam and a fee for adjournment of knowledge in QB64 and adjourment test
6. getting the certificate you get a valutation of degree of knowledge of language and degree of use it for coding and this let you entry in the public list of certified QB64 coders showed in the website.

This can be something of interesting for QB64 Team (Sorry to bother you QB64 Team).

[SMcNeill]

Heck, I like the idea of QB64 Certification, and I even know how to implement it!  Me and Pete and several of the old timers can produce some lovely QBASIC-era code and then simply say, "Translate this to modern QB64!"

Anyone willing to perform such a task has to be certifiable! 

Personally, I'd hire any programmer who would undertake and complete such a task.  (If I was looking to employ someone.)  It proves understanding of archaic structure and an ability and perseverance to decipher old code, as well as an understanding of modern systems and how to update things to replace depreciated functionality and routines to keep programs running.

Anyone can "Hello World" or "Foo, Bar, FooBar", but someone has to be dedicated to their hobby as a BASIC programmer to modernize the old stuff out there!

[Petr]

I think a ready-made program that serves its purpose (and it doesn't matter what it's written in) is what interests people. I do not mean programmers, but ordinary users. This is a way to show what you can do. Of course, in many cases it is a thorny path.