KwicKode - Springboard to Python

KwicKode is fully functional text-based programming language designed to quickly orient the student to the basics of programming without the complexity of structure and syntax associated with languages such as Python, Java, C++, etc. It has only 16 commands, with each command patterned after common English language sentences. Because of this simplified format and its familiar structure, an individual with no programming background can grasp the basics of computer programming in less than 24 hours of focused study and have a language they can immediately use to write moderately complex applications such as store inventory, portfolio tracking, or membership database programs.

KwicKode is an ideal springboard to formal coursework in Python and other programming languages. Students with KwicKode experience will find themselves weeks ahead of their fellow classmates. Adults considering a career change will find the short time investment spent learning KwicKode ideal for understanding what programming is all about. With this knowledge, they can make a better decision as to whether coding as a career is worth pursuing. And anyone wishing to program without enrolling in a formal 16-week course will find KwicKode the perfect answer to their needs.

KwicKode is an overlay of Python, making the transition from KwicKode to Python particularly easy should one be inclined. Included in the manual is the kk_to_py_translator.py program that converts KwicKode .txt files into .py Python program files that can then be executed with any Python interpreter, such as IDLE. The last chapter in the manual, Chapter 13, details the similarities and differences between KwicKode commands and their Python equivalents.

Dan Bishop received his Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from the University of Kansas and spent hiscareer teaching various chemistry courses and computer science classes. After he retired from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, he was employed by a defense contractor as a programming engineer on a satellite services contract for the U.S. Air Force while waiting for his wife Ann to join himin retirement. He and his wife now live with their black cat Mario in a small mountain town in central Colorado where he divides his time between writing, gardening, and painting landscapes and abstracts, in addition to being an active volunteer in local organizations. Promoting STEM programs and encouraging students to pursue careers in chemistry and computer science remains a focus in his life. KwicKode is a project he tackled to address the frustration many students have with beginning computer science courses. He believes that KwicKode, with its reduced instruction set and simplified syntax, will help more students toachieve success in their initial foray into programming. He sees KwicKode as a springboard into further studies in computer science and careers in computing and other science and engineering fields.