Computer enthusiasts, programmers and hobbyists may be interested to know that the discontinued interpreter for the BASIC programming language, Altair BASIC has been published to GitHub. The Micro-Soft Altair BASIC 3.2 source is now available to download offering a chance to experience the interpreter which was first released back in 1975 for the Altair 8800 and subsequent S-100 bus computers. It was Microsoft’s first product (as Micro-Soft), distributed by MITS under a contract. Altair BASIC was the start of the Microsoft BASIC product range.
Micro-Soft Altair BASIC 3.2 source :
– Micro-Soft Altair BASIC 3.2 (4K) – Annotated Disassembly
– Copyright 1975, Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Monte Davidoff
– Source: http://altairbasic.org/ compiled by Reuben Harris
– Additional cleanup, relocation by Charles Mangin, March, 2019
“When Bill Gates and Paul Allen read about the Altair in the January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics, they understood that the price of computers would soon drop to the point that selling software for them would be a profitable business. Gates believed that, by providing a BASIC interpreter for the new computer, they could make it more attractive to hobbyists. They contacted MITS founder Ed Roberts, told him that they were developing an interpreter, and asked whether he would like to see a demonstration. This followed the questionable engineering industry practice of a trial balloon, an announcement of a non-existent product to gauge interest. Roberts agreed to meet them for a demonstration in a few weeks, in March 1975.
Bill Gates recalls that, when he and Paul Allen read about the Altair in the January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics, they understood that the price of computers would soon drop to the point that selling software for them would be a profitable business.[7] Gates believed that, by providing a BASIC interpreter for the new computer, they could make it more attractive to hobbyists. They contacted MITS founder Ed Roberts, told him that they were developing an interpreter, and asked whether he would like to see a demonstration. This followed the questionable engineering industry practice of a trial balloon, an announcement of a non-existent product to gauge interest. Roberts agreed to meet them for a demonstration in a few weeks, in March 1975.
The finished interpreter, including its own I/O system and line editor, fit in only four kilobytes of memory, leaving plenty of room for the interpreted program. In preparation for the demo, they stored the finished interpreter on a punched tape that the Altair could read, and Paul Allen flew to Albuquerque.”
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