OSNews: http://www.osnews.com/story/22519/MikeOS_4_0_Released_with_BASIC_Interpreter Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2013, David Adams adam+nospam@osnews.com Fri, 24 May 2013 04:06:33 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif OSNews.com http://www.osnews.com How fun! http://www.osnews.com/thread?395793 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395793 Going to download and play with this! Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:43:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Tuishimi) Comments Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?395892 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395892 Given the fact that on 8-bit machines there were already quite advanced BASIC dialects, and on 16-bit machines (which is what MikeOS is aiming at, being a 16-bit OS) we had things like GW-BASIC and QuickBASIC, I find this extremely simple BASIC variant to be a bit disappointing, especially given the fact that it takes up 32KB! Something like this could be written in 1KB. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:20:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (jal_) Comments RE: Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?395894 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395894 I don't suppose you have done better yourself? Its an open source teaching OS made freely available to the public along with documentation. It really doesn't deserve derision. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:35:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Dirge) Comments RE[2]: Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?395921 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395921 Well, I think it is valid criticism for an assembly OS. Bill Gates wrote a BASIC interpreter for the 8080 in 4kb in the 1970s.
I miss line numbers and a line editor. This is not the RAD we were used to in 8-bit computers. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:20:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (sakeniwefu) Comments RE[2]: Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?395937 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395937 Yes, I have done better myself, I developed a BASIC interpreter in 4KB for a self-designed 16-bit home computer. But that's beside the point. MikeOS is a fantastic piece of work, and I applaud it's goals. It's because of this that I'm a bit disappointed about this BASIC. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:10:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (jal_) Comments RE: Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?395939 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395939 Hi!

"I find this extremely simple BASIC variant to be a bit disappointing, especially given the fact that it takes up 32KB!"

1) The MikeOS kernel has 32K RAM of allocated, and the kernel binary itself is 13K. The BASIC interpreter is just over 2K (2295 bytes).

2) QuickBASIC and GW BASIC were commercial products developed by paid developers. MikeOS is a one-man part-time hobby project that's given away for free. There's bound to be a big difference in functionality!

MikeEdited 2009-11-23 10:10 UTC Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:06:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (M-Saunders) Comments RE[3]: Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?395940 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395940 "I miss line numbers and a line editor."

Originally MikeOS BASIC used line numbers, but I decided to switch it to text labels as they're more descriptive.

It wouldn't be hard for someone to implement a line editor (I wrote a simple one ages ago), but I would imagine most people coding would prefer a full-screen editor.

MikeEdited 2009-11-23 10:10 UTC Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:09:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (M-Saunders) Comments RE[2]: Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?395945 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395945
The MikeOS kernel has 32K RAM of allocated, and the kernel binary itself is 13K. The BASIC interpreter is just over 2K (2295 bytes).


Ok, 2K is better, although it's still a bit on the large side for such a simple BASIC. Like I said, I like MikeOS, and I realize it's just largely a one-man project. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:57:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (jal_) Comments RE[3]: Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?395949 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395949
Ok, 2K is better, although it's still a bit on the large side for such a simple BASIC.


I could make it considerably smaller. I could remove the variety of error messages and replace them with a single "Syntax error". I could do some hackish stuff with the code to ultra-optimise it.

But you have to remember that MikeOS is a learning tool, so code clarity and structure is always more important than shaving bytes off at every opportunity. I'm writing something that people can (hopefully!) learn from - not trying to wow people with l33t asm skillz.

Mike Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:38:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (M-Saunders) Comments Awesome! http://www.osnews.com/thread?395971 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395971 Very cool project. Can't wait to check out the OS (especially all the documentation!!!) over thanksgiving break!!! ( Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:42:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (callinyouin) Comments RE[3]: Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?395972 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395972
Ok, 2K is better, although it's still a bit on the large side for such a simple BASIC. Like I said, I like MikeOS, and I realize it's just largely a one-man project.


So write up some code, offer it to him, and see if by your powers combined you can create something iteratively better?Edited 2009-11-23 17:08 UTC Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:08:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Almafeta) Comments RE[4]: Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?395989 http://www.osnews.com/thread?395989
But you have to remember that MikeOS is a learning tool, so code clarity and structure is always more important than shaving bytes off at every opportunity.


Point taken. Error message can indeed add quite some space, and in a teaching OS there's indeed no room for too much trickery. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:05:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (jal_) Comments RE[3]: Disappointing http://www.osnews.com/thread?396003 http://www.osnews.com/thread?396003 That's pretty sweet, my hats off to you ;) Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Dirge) Comments Comment by stanbr http://www.osnews.com/thread?396155 http://www.osnews.com/thread?396155 Really cool project. Fastest OS I ever used. I don't have much free time right now, but I'll try to make some cool basic examples when I get some spare time.

Old scholl developers, download and have fun! Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:29:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (stanbr) Comments