BLAKE: A language designed for Programming I

The process of comprehending a problem, strategically developing a solution and translating the solution into an algorithm is arguably the single most important series of skills acquired during the education of an undergraduate computer science or information technology major. With this in mind, much care should be taken when choosing a programming language to deploy in the first University programming course. BLAKE, Beginners Language for Acquiring Key programming Essentials, is designed specifically for use in a Programming I class. BLAKE aids in enforcing fundamental object-oriented practices while simultaneously facilitating the transition to subsequent programming languages. BLAKE’s major features include; consistent parameter passing, single inheritance, non-redundant control structures, a simple development environment, and hardware independent data types. The syntax remains relatively small while still facilitating a straightforward transition to industry standard programming languages.