BASIC
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BASIC became even more influential as microcomputers entered people's homes. In 1975, the MITS Altair 8800 computer, widely acclaimed as the first home computer, became available. Perhaps the most significant piece of software for this system was Altair BASIC, a version of BASIC that was the first product of a young company called Microsoft. | BASIC became even more influential as microcomputers entered people's homes. In 1975, the MITS Altair 8800 computer, widely acclaimed as the first home computer, became available. Perhaps the most significant piece of software for this system was Altair BASIC, a version of BASIC that was the first product of a young company called Microsoft. | ||
| − | Following its success with the Altair 8800, Microsoft wrote versions of BASIC for many popular microcomputers. Thanks in large part to Microsoft, BASIC became the lingua franca of home computing. BASIC resided in the ROM of these computers, meaning a user could turn on the computer and immediately begin programming. From the late 1970s through the early 1980s, BASIC reigned supreme on home computers, with 10 PRINT and thousands of other programs circulating through books, magazines, and computer club newsletters. BASIC was so canonical that some books of BASIC programs did not even bother to mention "BASIC" on their covers. | + | Following its success with the Altair 8800, Microsoft wrote versions of BASIC for many popular microcomputers. Thanks in large part to Microsoft, BASIC became the ''lingua franca'' of home computing. BASIC resided in the ROM of these computers, meaning a user could turn on the computer and immediately begin programming. From the late 1970s through the early 1980s, BASIC reigned supreme on home computers, with 10 PRINT and thousands of other programs circulating through books, magazines, and computer club newsletters. BASIC was so canonical that some books of BASIC programs did not even bother to mention "BASIC" on their covers. |
While the heyday of BASIC has long past, new versions, sometimes dramatically reformulated, have continued to appear. The creators of the original language introduced the structured True BASIC in 1983. In 1985, Microsoft's QuickBASIC offered several innovations and made line numbers optional. Microsoft's even more radically different Visual Basic, released in 1991, has been widely used to create business applications. | While the heyday of BASIC has long past, new versions, sometimes dramatically reformulated, have continued to appear. The creators of the original language introduced the structured True BASIC in 1983. In 1985, Microsoft's QuickBASIC offered several innovations and made line numbers optional. Microsoft's even more radically different Visual Basic, released in 1991, has been widely used to create business applications. | ||
