This page (revision-114) was last changed on 24-Feb-2023 14:10 by Andreas Tartz 

This page was created on 08-Mar-2010 20:15 by Carsten Strotmann

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Version Date Modified Size Author Changes ... Change note
114 24-Feb-2023 14:10 18 KB Andreas Tartz to previous
113 24-Feb-2023 13:11 18 KB Andreas Tartz to previous | to last
112 24-Feb-2023 13:09 18 KB Andreas Tartz to previous | to last
111 24-Feb-2023 13:06 17 KB Andreas Tartz to previous | to last
110 24-Feb-2023 12:57 17 KB Andreas Tartz to previous | to last
109 24-Feb-2023 12:53 17 KB Andreas Tartz to previous | to last
108 24-Feb-2023 12:38 17 KB Andreas Tartz to previous | to last
107 03-Feb-2023 15:21 17 KB Maury Markowitz to previous | to last
106 13-Dec-2021 16:05 17 KB Maury Markowitz to previous | to last
105 16-Sep-2021 13:46 17 KB Maury Markowitz to previous | to last
104 16-Sep-2021 13:30 17 KB Maury Markowitz to previous | to last general cleanup
103 29-Jul-2020 21:57 17 KB Peter Dell to previous | to last TURBO-BASIC XL ==> Turbo-BASIC XL
102 23-May-2020 05:03 17 KB Roland B. Wassenberg to previous | to last
101 01-May-2020 02:03 17 KB Roland B. Wassenberg to previous | to last

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Atari BASIC

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At line 6 changed one line
Atari originally licensed the 6502-assembler code for Microsoft BASIC. This came in two versions, a 9k one and a more widely used 12k version. The difference between the two was in the math library, the smaller version used 6-byte numbers while the larger used 9-byte numbers. The Atari hardware design limited cartridges to 8k, so the Atari programmers started with the smaller version and struggled to cut it down enough to fit in a cart. That was bad enough of its own, but they really wanted to add additional instructions to take advantage of the Atari's graphics and sound as well. Eventually they gave up and went looking for a 3rd party to do it for them.
Atari originally licensed the 6502-assembler code for Microsoft BASIC. This came in two versions, one that was about 7900 bytes that used a 6-byte floating point number format, and another that was closer to 9000 that included an expanded floating point format with 9-byte numbers. The vast majority of 8-bit machines used the larger 9k version, and then further expanded it with additional functions for basic input/output. For instance, the BASIC and I/O in the early PET machines was supplied in a total of 12k of ROM.
At line 8 added 2 lines
Atari had selected an 8k cartridge format because that was an easy size to supply in a single ROM. So the Atari programmers started with the smaller 8k version of the MS code and struggled to cut it down enough to fit in a cart. That was hard enough of its own, but they really wanted to add additional instructions to take advantage of the Atari's graphics and sound. Eventually they gave up and went looking for a 3rd party to do it for them.
At line 10 changed one line
By the time SMI was hired, Atari was in something of a rush to get the BASIC. They were planning to show the machines in January 1979, and the contract required SMI to deliver the final version by April of that year. SMI completed it well in advance of the deadline, in October 1978, so Atari took an early version of the code with them to the CES show in January. To SMI's surprise, they learned that Atari had begun burning that version to ROM, even though it had several known bugs. SMI offered an updated version with various fixes, but Atari didn't bother using it, and instead shipped the buggy version for years.
By the time SMI was hired, Atari was in something of a rush to get a working BASIC. They were planning to show the machines in January 1979, using the working MS version, but then sell the machines later that year with the SMI version instead. The original contract required SMI to make its final delivery in April 1979, but it contained bonus clauses if they finished early. They did: a working version was delivered in October, so Atari to that to CES instead. To SMI's surprise, they learned that Atari had begun burning that version to ROM for sale, even though it had several known bugs. SMI offered an updated version with various fixes, but Atari didn't bother using it, and instead shipped the buggy version for years.