TRS-80 Model I info (RE: MSX, TRS-80, Colour Genie, etc.)

From: Allison J Parent <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Thu Jun 26 10:00:15 1997

> >The Basic was an 4k microsoft basic with floating point and simple =
> >arrays but no alphanumeric operators or transcendental functions.
> =20
> >Tiny basic was an integer language of less than 4k. =20
>
> IIRC Level I Basic was floating point but it was not a Microsoft =
> product. Only Level II Basic came from Microsoft. In fact the source =
> for Level I Basic was later released and I think I have a copy of it in =
> storage somewhere.


I pulled my notebooks from 76/77/78 and yes RS called it Tiny but, is was
not. Tiny basic was the generic name given to ALL integer basics. At the
time the only source available basic that was floating point was LLLbasic
(lawence livermore labs) which as 8080 code fit in 5k of rom. I suspected
at the time it could be a z80 recode for space, no match.

Of the tiny basics palo alto TB (1976) was well known and fit in 2k of
rom without IO drivers. It didn't match L1.

My files indicate that the basic was most closely that of MITS altair basic
4k (pre- MS) by gates/allen. Techically is was not MS. It was at least
looking at my notebook significantly identical. That particular basic was
an early lost one and after about 79-80 its not seen in MSbasic docs. I
suspect it was due to it being pre MS and having allens hand in it. FYI
mits 4k basic was small enough to fit in 4k of ram and still hold the video
and keyboard drivers.


Allison
Received on Thu Jun 26 1997 - 10:00:15 BST