1 HN user recommended this demo1 month2019–2023score 1
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
HN fondly recalls it as the ideal visual demonstration of sorting algorithms and as the thing that got some people into programming.
A three-minute capture of SORTDEMO.BAS, the sorting visualization that shipped with QBasic. It animates insertion, bubble, heap, exchange, shell and quick sort with chiptune-like sound.
“this is still my ideal for demonstrating different sorts visually” (HN, 2022)
Q(uick)Basic was my first programming language, and as others mentioned NIBBLES and GORILLAS.BAS were bundled with it. It also had the ability to compile down to an executable, which was fantastic. One bundled script I don't see mentioned yet was SORTDEMO.BAS - this is still my ideal for demonstrating different sorts visually: [this video]
Watching SORTDEMO.BAS at the formative age of ~11 baited me into programming. I recall messing around trying to make even faster versions. [this video]
Sorting demo that inspired the commenter to program
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