[Boriel]

I’m the author of the compiler. I started it 18yrs ago, well before AI, mainly as a PoC. But people started to ask for more and more features … The compiler tries hard to mimic the original Sinclair BASIC but also allows a more modern syntax similar to QBasic / FreeBASIC.

[lproven]

> also allows a more modern syntax similar to QBasic / FreeBASIC.

This is probably a too-wild idea, but what I personally would love to see would be to adopt the extensions of Dr Andy White's BetaBASIC.

I wrote most of the Wikipedia article about BetaBASIC:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_BASIC

Even 40+ years later, it remains one of my favourite ever BASIC dialects. I did badly miss integer variables, but it was IMHO the most thoughtful and considered extension of Sinclair BASIC ever made.

I am a little sad that the SAM Coupé's BASIC, which Wright also wrote, has never had a FOSS clone.

[pjmlp]

Ah, the SAM Coupé, it was such a bad luck coming at the end of 8 bit home computers.

I used to do window shopping at computer store that had them in display, but they weren't worth the investment, most of my friends were slowly moving into the Amiga already, and I eventually got a PC.

I would say a bit of its ideas lives on Spectrum Next.

[lproven]

> Ah, the SAM Coupé, it was such a bad luck coming at the end of 8 bit home computers.

You're right. I feel it should have had a much faster Z80 as stock, but it was probably too expensive at the time.

The very next year, the MSX Turbo R machines shipped with an R800 CPU that was twice the speed and could run 16-bit code:

https://www.msx.org/wiki/ASCII_R800

This is more or less a Z280:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog_Z280

> I used to do window shopping at computer store that had them in display, but they weren't worth the investment

I had one. I sold it to a friend about 20Y ago for £30. I bitterly regret that; a decade later it was worth 10x that, and now, I could get £1000 easily. I had some addons and extras.

> I would say a bit of its ideas lives on Spectrum Next.

I have one of those too. :-)

In some ways more ambitious, in some ways less, but the SAM had a better BASIC and a better DOS, and felt more like a thoughtful considered extension, while the Next feels like a clone Spectrum with a fibreglass body kit stuck on with spoiler and airdam, turbocharger, nitrous oxide injection, and pulsing coloured lights underneath. ;-)

[pjmlp]

Cool information, thanks for the links.

I wasn't aware of those systems.

[Someone]

> I wrote most of the Wikipedia article about BetaBASIC

If you still want to work on it, add sample code. I think that’s a must for a programming language page.

I see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair_BASIC doesn’t, either but at least it has a list of commands. I still prefer sample code, though. It is the better way to present things, even though it will give an incomplete overview of capabilities.

[lproven]

> If you still want to work on it, add sample code.

Oh my word. I haven't played with it in some years. That doesn't make it impossible, just harder... And ideally, non-trivial examples...

[EdgyGreybeard]

So, yeah, apparently my comment comes off a bit more negative than intended, but: absolutely great work, and the improvements make this an actually-very-usable solution for the platform.

[Boriel]

No offense taken. I plan to improve the compiler and add other target machines (currently it generates Z80 asm files already). But I refuse to use AI in this side project :( Just to enjoy it for the sake of coding (you know), so some inrovements will take some time…

[silverfrost]

18 years ago! I haven't used it myself but I know there are plenty of people who love it.