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QBasic, short for Quick Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, is a programming language developed by Microsoft in the early 1980s. It is an integrated development environment (IDE) and an interpreter for a variety of the BASIC programming language which is based on QuickBASIC. QBasic is easy to learn for beginners due to its simplicity and user-friendly nature. It allows users to create simple applications and games, making it popular in educational environments. QBasic supports structured programming, conditional structures, looping and arrays among other functionalities. However, it lacks certain advanced features like object-oriented programming.

Ask the right questions secure the right QBasic talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General QBasic app knowledge and experience

The first 20 minutes of the interview should seek to understand the candidate's general background in QBasic application development, including their experience with various programming languages, databases, and their approach to designing scalable and maintainable systems.

How would you define QBasic?

QBasic is a simple, beginner-friendly programming language that was developed by Microsoft in the 1980s. It is a structured programming language that allows you to create simple as well as complex programs.

What are the basic data types in QBasic?

The basic data types in QBasic are: INTEGER, SINGLE, DOUBLE, STRING, and LONG.

How would you declare a variable in QBasic?

In QBasic, a variable can be declared using the DIM statement. For example, 'DIM x AS INTEGER' declares x as an integer variable.

Describe the difference between the PRINT and INPUT commands in QBasic.

The PRINT command in QBasic is used to display output on the screen, while the INPUT command is used to take user input.

What is the purpose of the CLS command in QBasic?

The CLS command in QBasic is used to clear the screen.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of QBasic programming language?

Can the candidate solve complex problems using QBasic?

Has the candidate demonstrated good communication skills?

Does the candidate have experience with similar projects or tasks?

Next 20 minutes

Specific QBasic development questions

The next 20 minutes of the interview should focus on the candidate's expertise with specific backend frameworks, their understanding of RESTful APIs, and their experience in handling data storage and retrieval efficiently.

How would you use the IF...THEN...ELSE statement in QBasic?

The IF...THEN...ELSE statement in QBasic is used for decision making. For example, 'IF x > 10 THEN PRINT "x is greater than 10" ELSE PRINT "x is not greater than 10"'.

What are the different types of loops in QBasic and how would you use them?

The different types of loops in QBasic are: FOR...NEXT, DO...LOOP WHILE, DO...LOOP UNTIL, WHILE...WEND. They are used to repeat a block of code multiple times.

Describe the difference between a function and a subroutine in QBasic.

In QBasic, a function is a block of code that returns a value, while a subroutine is a block of code that performs a specific task but does not return a value.

How would you handle errors in QBasic?

Errors in QBasic can be handled using the ON ERROR GOTO statement, which redirects the program to a specific line or label when an error occurs.

What is the purpose of the DATA statement in QBasic?

The DATA statement in QBasic is used to store data that can be read later using the READ statement.

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At this point, a skilled QBasic engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in QBasic programming language, and knowledge of software development methodologies. Red flags include lack of hands-on experience, inability to articulate complex concepts, or unfamiliarity with standard coding practices.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with QBasic.

What does this simple QBasic code do?
PRINT "Hello, World!"
This code prints the string 'Hello, World!' to the console.
What will be the output of this QBasic code?
DIM A AS INTEGER
A = 10
PRINT A
This code declares an integer variable 'A', assigns it a value of 10, and then prints the value of 'A' to the console. The output will be '10'.
What does this QBasic code do?
DIM ARR(5) AS INTEGER
FOR I = 1 TO 5
ARR(I) = I * 10
NEXT I
FOR I = 1 TO 5
PRINT ARR(I)
NEXT I
This code declares an array 'ARR' of size 5, assigns each element of the array a value that is 10 times its index, and then prints all the elements of the array to the console. The output will be '10', '20', '30', '40', '50'.
What does this QBasic code do?
SUB Delay (X)
FOR I = 1 TO X
NEXT I
END SUB
PRINT "Start"
CALL Delay(10000)
PRINT "End"
This code defines a subroutine 'Delay' that causes a delay proportional to the input 'X'. It then prints 'Start', calls the 'Delay' subroutine with an input of 10000, and then prints 'End'. The output will be 'Start' and 'End' with a delay in between.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for QBasic Developer role questions

The final few questions should evaluate the candidate's teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, assess their knowledge of microservices architecture, serverless computing, and how they handle QBasic application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

How would you use arrays in QBasic?

Arrays in QBasic can be declared using the DIM statement and can be accessed using their index. For example, 'DIM x(10) AS INTEGER' declares an array of integers with 10 elements.

Describe the difference between the RANDOMIZE and RND functions in QBasic.

The RANDOMIZE function in QBasic is used to initialize the random number generator, while the RND function is used to generate a random number.

How would you create a file and write data to it in QBasic?

In QBasic, a file can be created using the OPEN statement and data can be written to it using the WRITE statement.

QBasic application related

Product Perfect's QBasic development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your QBasic engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in QBasic projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.

QBasic Consultive assessments

QBasic Application Conversion Assessment QBasic Application Integration Assessment QBasic Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom QBasic development projects

Custom QBasic App Conversion QBasic Custom App Development Process App UI Design for QBasic Facelifts

Hiring guide for QBasic Engineers

QBasic Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the QBasic engineer at this point.

QBasic Consultive assessments

Custom QBasic development projects