RE: And a spin from teh left and a spin from teh right

Michael.Orr@Design-Intelligence.com
Thu, 7 Jan 1999 20:24:55 -0800


> -----Original Message-----
> From: kragen@pobox.com [mailto:kragen@pobox.com]
>
> On Thu, 7 Jan 1999, Tom Whore wrote:
> > Although many believe that Microsoft and Apple began working together as a
> > result of the August 1997 agreement, the relationship actually extends all
> > the way back to 1977, when Microsoft licensed the 6502 Basic Interpreter
> > to Apple.
>
> Using Apple's BASIC interpreter was always very different from using
> TRS-80 BASIC or MBASIC for CP/M, HDOS, or the built-in BASIC for the
> IBM PC -- all of which were very similar to one another.
>
> Also, I know Apple had a BASIC interpreter before 1977.
>
> Are you certain of your fact here?

Apple BASIC for the 6502 was licensed from Microsoft and was very
similar to the Intel/Zilog implementations you mention. (I would have
thought that it was delivered in 1978, but I might be off by one.)

A different (Tiny BASIC based?) implementation existed within Apple, but
wasn't the one they sold. Perhaps you got your hands on it at some
point.

Later, a non-MS BASIC for the Mac was marketed very briefly, but uh,
that decision was rapidly reversed. You can read this as evidence of the
importance of the long-standing close, mutually beneficial relationship
between Apple and MS, or you can read it as bare-blade infighting. Both
interpretations are completely accurate.

Regards,
Mike