BASIC Programming

BASIC Programming is an Atari Video Computer System (later called the Atari 2600) cartridge that teaches simple computer programming using a dialect of BASIC. Written by Warren Robinett and released by Atari, Inc. in 1979, it is one of a few non-game cartridges for the console. The Atari VCS's RAM size of 128 bytes restricts the possibilities for writing programs.

This article is about the Atari 2600 cartridge. For programming in other BASIC dialects, see BASIC. For other uses, see Basic programming.

BASIC Programming
Developer(s)Atari, Inc.
Publisher(s)Atari, Inc.
Designer(s)Warren Robinett[1]
Platform(s)Atari 2600
Release1979

Details
Main display

The BASIC Programming display is divided into six regions:

  • Program is where instructions are typed. It has a maximum of nine to eleven lines of code.
  • Stack shows temporary results of what the program does.
  • Variables stores the values of any variables that the program is using.
  • Output displays any output values that the program creates.
  • Status shows the amount of available memory remaining.
  • Graphics contains two colored squares that can be manipulated by the program.

Input is given through two Atari keypad controllers, which came with special overlays to show how to type the different commands and letters.[2] Programs are restricted to 64 characters in size and 9 lines of code, limiting the programs that can be written. Users can disable all windows except Program and keep selecting "New Line" until 11 lines of code are present.

gollark: So I could probably say "osmarks internet radio™ - 5000 listeners" and appear at the top of the list for a bit, probably for a few days until someone noticed.
gollark: I found the code for submitting to it in the icecast source tree.
gollark: Icecast has a public icecast directory and apparently it doesn't actually have any mechanism to check that your submission is, you know, *true*.
gollark: I used icecast briefly due to issues with mpd streaming to a Discord bot but it was bad.
gollark: osmarks internet radio™ is backed by `mpd`, `ympd` and an 8-hour playlist which plays randomly with no manual intervention.

See also

References
  1. Interview:Warren Robinett, By James Hague, Halcyon Days, "How long did it take to write?...I had Adventure sort of done in the fall of 1978, but I wasn't satisfied. I sort of put it on the shelf for the next six months while I did the BASIC Programming cartridge, and finished them both simultaneously, in June 1979."
  2. Controllers - Atari Keypad, Atari KeypadSystem: Atari 2600, Model Number: CX50, Sold in pairs, functionally identical to the Kid's Controller and the Video Touch Pad. Included overlays with commands, meant to be used with Basic Programming.
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