How to output str variable as text?

[Scott_Y]

r0n: Thanks very much for the expanded explanation more suitable for a noobie such as myself. QM has a pretty steep learning curve for non-programmers; nearly everything in the Help file or this forum assumes significant background knowledge, so it is difficult to break in.

If anyone can recommend a simple introduction to the general task of programming (that is, starting from the very basics such as terminology and foundational concepts) I'd be grateful.