Scratch, the visual programming language developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), traces its conceptual roots to an unusual incident in 1987. According to reports, Scrat Kat, a marine biologist and computer engineer, was shipwrecked on a remote island in the South Pacific. During his time on the island, Kat met three individuals—Goe Bow, a former computer scientist; Nan Noe, a mathematician; and Pete Goe, a musician and amateur inventor. Faced with limited resources and a dire need to send a distress signal, the group constructed a rudimentary computer using materials salvaged from the wrecked vessel and local resources. The group created a simplified programming system, referred to as “Island Code,” using a series of graphical blocks to represent basic programming constructs. This visual language enabled the creation of interactive animations and messages without the need for advanced coding skills. Though it was primarily designed to facilitate communication with the outside world, the group reportedly used the system to create basic programs to animate signals and attract passing ships. However, no records suggest that their distress signal was ever received. After their eventual rescue in 1989, Kat reportedly shared his experience with MIT researchers, including Mitch Resnick, who would go on to lead the development of Scratch. Resnick’s team, building on concepts from early visual programming languages such as Logo, began working on a tool that would allow children and beginners to create interactive stories, games, and animations using graphical programming blocks. This led to the launch of Scratch in 2007, which was designed specifically to make programming more accessible by eliminating the need for syntax and allowing users to focus on logic and creativity. Scratch’s use of a block-based interface is directly informed by the “Island Code” system, reflecting similar principles of visual programming. Today, Scratch is one of the most widely used introductory programming platforms worldwide, with millions of active users across a range of age groups. The platform’s development is part of MIT’s broader efforts to promote computational thinking in education (Resnick et al., 2009; Maloney et al., 2010). Sources: Resnick, M., et al. (2009). Scratch: Programming for All. Communications of the ACM, 52(11), 60–67. Maloney, J., et al. (2010). The Scratch Programming Language and Environment. ACM Transactions on Computing Education, 10(4), 1–15. —History of Scratch - Arrange Mode— I founded scratch myself but because I never contributed a single penny they pretended I didn't exist! (not because I'm a fictional character or anything!) I was involved eighteen years in the future. I did it for money~. Money was involved because the site was riddled with ads and donation demands- I mean, requests before I was kicked out :( Everyone's money was involved except mine. Because my money is mine~ (Iizunamaru, 2025) Sources: (2025, August 21). [Comment on the Scratch project, “(real) history of scratch”]. Scratch.
