The Logo Programming Language: History, Motivation, Apple II, Drawing Robots, and Its Connection to PostScript
Introduction
Once upon a time (the 1960s), a group of researchers thought:
“Hey, what if kids could learn programming in a way that wasn’t terrifying?”
Thus, Logo was born.
It wasn’t just a programming language—it was an educational movement designed to teach kids problem-solving, creativity, and logic. Best of all, it came with Turtle Graphics, which let users draw by moving a virtual “turtle” across the screen.
But wait, there’s more!
Logo was also connected to early robots, had a major role on the Apple II, and even has similarities to PostScript, the language behind printing and vector graphics.
A Brief History of Logo
- Created in 1967 at MIT by Seymour Papert, Wally Feurzeig, and colleagues.
- Inspired by Piaget’s theories of child learning.
- Originally ran on big mainframes, but later became famous on Apple II, Commodore 64, and IBM PCs.
- Introduced Turtle Graphics, a way to teach kids programming through visual movement.
- Used in education worldwide, influencing modern languages like Scratch.
Further Reading:
Logo’s Connection to the Apple II
Apple loved Logo because it aligned with their goal of making computers accessible to schools.
- Apple Logo was a big deal in the 1980s, bundled with Apple II computers.
- Steve Jobs supported using Logo for education.
- Kids used it to draw shapes, animate turtles, and learn procedural programming.
💡 Fun Fact: Some early Macintosh engineers learned programming using Logo on the Apple II!
Further Reading:
Drawing Robots and Physical Turtle Graphics
Before computer screens, there were real robots!
- The first Logo “turtles” were actual robots with pens attached.
- Kids programmed the robot to move and draw on real paper.
- Some modern robots (like Bee-Bot) still use Logo-like commands.
💡 Fun Fact: The original turtle robots were basically Roombas that drew pictures instead of vacuuming!
Further Reading:
Logo’s Relationship to PostScript
PostScript (invented in 1982) is another graphical programming language. Like Logo, it:
- Uses commands to draw graphics.
- Focuses on vector-based drawing (used in printing & PDFs).
- Has a stack-based syntax (unlike Logo’s procedural commands).
Comparison Table: Logo vs. PostScript
| Feature | Logo | PostScript |
|---|---|---|
| Designed For | Kids, education | Printing, professional graphics |
| Graphics Model | Turtle Graphics | Cartesian coordinates |
| Syntax | Procedural | Stack-based |
| Primary Usage | Learning programming | Professional document rendering |
| Example Devices | Apple II, PC | Printers, Adobe Illustrator |
💡 Verdict: Logo is for fun, PostScript is for serious graphic design—but both share the concept of programmable drawing.
Further Reading:
Logo Syntax Overview
| Command | Meaning |
|---|---|
FORWARD 50 | Move forward 50 steps |
BACK 30 | Move back 30 steps |
RIGHT 90 | Turn right 90 degrees |
LEFT 45 | Turn left 45 degrees |
PENUP | Stop drawing |
PENDOWN | Start drawing |
REPEAT 4 [ FORWARD 50 RIGHT 90 ] | Draw a square |
TO TRIANGLE | Define a new procedure called “TRIANGLE” |
SETCOLOR [255 0 0] | Set drawing color to red |
10 Logo Code Examples
1. Draw a Square
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2. Draw a Triangle
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3. Draw a Circle
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4. Create a Custom Procedure
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5. Draw a Spiral
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Where to Run Logo Online
- Turtle Academy – A simple online Logo interpreter.
- JSLogo – JavaScript-powered Logo.
- Microsoft Small Basic – Supports turtle graphics.
Further Reading:
Key Takeaways
- Logo was an educational programming language focused on graphics and learning.
- It had a huge influence on Apple II, early robotics, and modern programming education.
- PostScript shares some concepts but is used for professional graphic design.
- You can still run Logo today—try one of the online Logo interpreters!