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The original source code of Microsoft GW-BASIC from 1983

devblogs.microsoft.com

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Re: The original source code of Microsoft GW-BASIC from 1983

#151

Post by duncan_bayne »

kristopolous wrote: post #74

IBM had their own Basic, 4 of them really (collectively called IBM Basic) that was a barrier for the clones[1] (eg, Compaq, Dell, etc) because they wouldn't license it. (You probably used one of them, basica if you used the classic PC) Microsoft made GW basic and smited IBM by putting it on the clones Except for the IBM machines. They also intentionally made it slightly incompatible with IBM's basic. Then they held t…

> Include IBM 1.0/1.1 Bugs for compatibility

I am, to put it mildly, not the greatest fan of Microsoft, or of most of their products. But that just sounds like a flag to avoid breaking backwards compatibility by fixing bugs that people have come to rely on.

And a strong focus on backwards compatibility most certainly is a principle by which Microsoft operated for years.

https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2004/06/13/how-microsoft-lost...

Re: The original source code of Microsoft GW-BASIC from 1983

#152

Post by oso2k »

timonoko wrote: post #124

"Contains no build scripts, makefiles, or tools required to generate executable binaries, nor does it contain any pre-built binaries / executables". So what is the point of publishing this? All we learn that "Every Line Must Have Comment" in Microsoft.

You could probably use MASM from the the DOS 2.0 release [0], build each ASM file as an OBJ, and finally LINK it all together [1].

[0] https://github.com/microsoft/MS-DOS/blob/master/v2.0/bin/MAS...

[1] https://github.com/Microsoft/MS-DOS/issues/201

Re: The original source code of Microsoft GW-BASIC from 1983

#154

Post by Jaruzel »

bajsejohannes wrote: post #148

Has anyone got it compiling yet? I've tried in DOSBOX, using this MASM from this (possibly sketchy?) site: http://www.mediafire.com/file/x13v7gqqmw1pom7/8086_Assembler... . The output is as follows: Microsoft (R) Macro Assembler Version 5.00 Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp 1981-1985, 1987. All rights reserved. Object filename [GWMAIN.OBJ]: Source listing [NUL.LST]: Cross-reference [NUL.CRF]: End of file encountered on i…

I'm no assembly genius, but the GWBASIC source is for the 8088 CPU and not the 8086 (the chips are slightly different) - maybe that is why? Also, DOSBox is not 100% compatible with original hardware - Try it again in a VM under VirtualBox maybe?

Re: The original source code of Microsoft GW-BASIC from 1983

#155

Post by ArnoVW »

cachvico wrote: post #110
pknerd wrote: post #24

GWBasic was good resource to get into programming world during my teenage. Now I want to teach coding to my 10 years old son. Will you still recommend GWBASIC/Quick basic or Python or other languages for kids?

Check out Scratch, from MIT. https://scratch.mit.edu/

Scratch is great. If you want something like that but less open ended and more directed (with exercices and training videos) try https://code.org/

It also helps they use known franchises like minecraft or angry birds =)

Re: The original source code of Microsoft GW-BASIC from 1983

#156

Post by igravious »

weq wrote: post #89
linguae wrote: post #56

The funny thing about this announcement is that a week ago I just found my old QBASIC textbook that I learned how to program with back in 1998. QBASIC was my very first programming language; I was a nine year old kid who loved computers and would read anything computer-related that was available, including my mom's textbooks (she was returning to college at the time and took some courses on computing and applications…

Borrowed mine from the library at age 13 (`98) when i got a hand-me-down Apricot from a friend. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apricot_Computers

Just realised we have Apple computers, Apricot computers, Blackberry phones, Raspberry (Pi) computers – is there some kind of fruit obsession in IT I've missed out on?

Re: The original source code of Microsoft GW-BASIC from 1983

#159

Post by sradman »

pan69 wrote: post #100

--------- ---- -- ---- ----- --- ---- ----- COPYRIGHT 1975 BY BILL GATES AND PAUL ALLEN --------- ---- -- ---- ----- --- ---- ----- ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ON THE PDP-10 FROM FEBRUARY 9 TO APRIL 9 1975 BILL GATES WROTE A LOT OF STUFF. PAUL ALLEN WROTE A LOT OF OTHER STUFF AND FAST CODE. MONTE DAVIDOFF WROTE THE MATH PACKAGE (F4I.MAC). I love comments like these. They also say that the GW refers to Bill Gates, as in Gates…

The PDP-10 comment hints at a key innovation by Paul Allen: BASIC was originally ported to multiple 8-bit CPU architectures by first writing an emulator for each CPU that ran on DEC systems.
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