Microsoft open-sources its 6502 version of BASIC from 1976
After years of unofficial copies of Microsoft’s basic 6502, floating on the Internet, the software giant published the code under an open source license. 6502 Basic was one of Microsoft’s first software, adapted in 1976 by the co -founder of Microsoft Bill Gates and the first Ric Weiland employees to operate on the 6502 processor which propelled Apple II, Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System and Commodore 8 bit.
The Open-Source version of Microsoft of 6502 Basic is a return to the first days of coding, because the software helped standardize the implementations of the programming language and allowed some of the first developers to use a commodore machine and learn programming by typing 10 “hello” and 20 Goto 10.
“In 1977, Commodore conceded it under license for a lump sum price of $ 25,000, an agreement that placed Microsoft Basic at the heart of the PET computers of Commodore and, later, the VIC-20 and the Commodore 64”, explains Microsoft in a blog article announcing the news of Microsoft 6502 Basic Open.
While 6502 Basic and the other Microsoft software projects helped develop MS-DOS and established the business license license model, the interest in this early code and the MOS 6502 processor is still very lively almost 50 years later. Conservatives and amateurs have experienced recreation and emulation projects based on FPGA, and the basic code 6502 also appeared in the museum archives.
“Over the years, dedicated conservatives have rebuilt construction environments and have checked that the historic source can still produce bytes Roma,” said Microsoft. “This open source version is based on this work, now with a clear and modern license. It follows the previous version of Gw-Basic from Microsoft, which has descended from the same line and shipped in the original IBM PC ROM.”
If you are interested in experimenting with the Source of Assembly’s Assembly of the 6502 Basic of Microsoft, the full source code is now available on Github.
