Internet would be better if javascript was never invented.

I forgot where I heard this, but at one point around the same time, Microsoft was trying to get BASIC embedded into webpages for Internet Explorer as a competitor to JavaScript.

Would the internet really be better with BASIC?

What do you mean going to? Internet Explorer supported VBscript, which was a “competitor” to Javascript. Though being locked to ie was a hindrance to adoption. That, and it was based on vb.