What is BASIC?
(although not an OS in the modern sense, but a
complete and functionable instruction set nonetheless)
BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic
Instruction Code) was more than an entry-level programming language. It was part of the instruction
set (not quite an OS)
for early home
computers like the TRS-80
Model III running on TRS-DOS or NEWDOS and Commodore 64 (C64) running on the ROM-resident OS
named KERNAL
(misspelling of kernel).
I remember reading lots of
books on BASIC and Byte
Magazine and watching Bits and
Bytes on channel 13
(1983-1984). My experience at school
was on a TRS-80
Model III, on which I wrote (coded) several programs that no longer exist (saved on cassette
tape, which was an unreliable medium). At home, I
spent many hours in front of my
C64. This
is why, on this page, I can only
concentrate on my experience of BASIC on C64.
Commodore 64:
C64 was
one of the first computer
systems that I ever used and the first
one I ever owned (1984). I quickly got up hooked
into a whole new field and style of life — geekdom — while writing (coding) source code instead of
sleeping. KERNAL and Commodore
BASIC in its 8-bit glory for
C64
boasting a 1.023 MHz microprocessor and 64 KB of RAM gave and experience was as close at it could be
for any kid in the early 1980's (1984, in my case). To make things
even more exciting and bringing more curious kids (like me) to computer
science, C64 was
heavily used for games and even some music programs thanks to its ground-breaking technology based on two chipsets by MOS
Technology — SIC
6581 and VIC
II. Commodore International declared bankruptcy and
closed shop in 1994. In 2011, a new reincarnation named Commodore USA released
updated versions of C64 (C64x) with the same
vintage (old, obsolete,
ancient, historical,
retro)
exterior ("breadbox") and VIC 20
(VIC Slim) with their own Linux
distribution named Commodore OS. I had not been thrilled
about any new system and/or
other technologies
for a long time. The whole idea of reviving the C64x had me like a little kid
before Christmas with a new toy wrapped in front of him, but I never bought one. Commodore USA closed shop
a little after one of its owners died on 2012 or 2013.
For those of us who want to relive the heyday of C64 (1982-1985), a new
version of C64 was
scheduled to released in 2018 by the C64 Mini, which was
marketed as a video
game console with 64 built-in games and it will ship with
its own joystick.
According to the vendor, The C64 Mini can also be used to
program Commodore
BASIC (forked from Microsoft
BASIC) — the first programming language that I
ever learned. Needless to say, I
am stoked.
10 INPUT "WHAT'S YOUR NAME?"; NAME$
20 PRINT "HELLO, "; NAME$;
30 INPUT ", HOW ARE YOU? (OK/NOT)"; OK$
40 IF OK$ = "OK" THEN PRINT "GLAD TO HEAR THAT."
50 IF OK$ <> "OK" THEN PRINT "TOO BAD!"
Another nostalgia option is Manomio's licensed emulator for iOS
— iPhone, iPod and iPad. This emulator is almost as good as
the original.
Unfortunately it has been almost thirty (30) years since I last wrote (coded) my last program for the C64 and I hardly remember how to
code a quick and
dirty (not to mention descent) program (excluding the one above), but I would consider it the geekiest purchase I have would ever make.
Of course, if you are merely interested in C64 games, you can get a ROM emulator and a handful of ROM images, which may be
illegal in some areas and/or under special conditions (17 U.S.C. §
117(a)).
§ 117 . Limitations on exclusive rights:
Computer programs
(a) Making of Additional Copy or Adaptation by Owner of
Copy.—Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, it is not an infringement for the owner of a copy of
a computer program to make or authorize the making of
another copy or adaptation of that computer program provided:
(1) that such a new copy or adaptation is created as an
essential step in the utilization of the computer program in conjunction with a machine and that
it is used in no other manner, or
(2) that such new copy or adaptation is for archival
purposes only and that all archival copies are destroyed in the
event that continued possession of the computer program should cease to be rightful.
