Re^2: A BASIC interpreter to run StarTrek

> FORI=1TO8:D(I)=0:NEXTI

I remember the book that's from, one of the early bestsellers in computer literature:)

But was the lack of whitespace between constructs and variables really originally so?

Cheers Rolf
_{(addicted to the Perl Programming Language :)

Wikisyntax for the Monastery}

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Re^3: A BASIC interpreter to run StarTrek by GrandFather (Saint) on Aug 11, 2021 at 21:13 UTC
BASIC was widely adopted in mini-computers and micro-computers with very limited memory so most implementations allowed white space to be expunged. The original Dartmouth BASIC doesn't mention the option of omitting spaces so that probably wasn't a thing. Optimising for fewest key strokes only makes sense transmitting to Pluto or beyond	[reply]
Re^4: A BASIC interpreter to run StarTrek by LanX (Saint) on Aug 12, 2021 at 00:04 UTC
OK, good point. FWIW: When I started programming almost all available BASIC dialects (Apple, Commodore, Atari, ...) where based on MS BASIC which tokenized all keywords before storing or running. Whitespace was added automatically when listing. ° EDIT see https://www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/BASIC_token for more Cheers Rolf _{(addicted to the Perl Programming Language :) Wikisyntax for the Monastery} update °) IOW these kind of tricks where not only unnecessary but also impossible, because the source was automatically "linted" with whitespace when listed.	[reply]
Re^5: A BASIC interpreter to run StarTrek by jwkrahn (Abbot) on Aug 12, 2021 at 00:37 UTC
FWIW, I started with BASIC on an HP 2000. Next was a DEC Rainbow 100 (CPM 80/86) and the original IBM PC. Next was on a Wang mini followed by a Data General mini on DGUX. Mixed in there were various MS and IBM BASICs as well as PowerBASIC and Atari BASIC. While I was in school using the HP 2000 BASIC I bought a book that showed the differences between about 2 (or 3?) dozen different variations of BASIC.	[reply]
Re^6: A BASIC interpreter to run StarTrek by GrandFather (Saint) on Aug 12, 2021 at 01:00 UTC
Re^7: A BASIC interpreter to run StarTrek by LanX (Saint) on Aug 12, 2021 at 12:44 UTC
Re^6: A BASIC interpreter to run StarTrek by GotToBTru (Prior) on Dec 22, 2021 at 14:26 UTC
Re^7: A BASIC interpreter to run StarTrek by LanX (Saint) on Dec 22, 2021 at 15:05 UTC
Re^6: A BASIC interpreter to run StarTrek by jmlynesjr (Deacon) on Aug 12, 2021 at 20:44 UTC


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Re^2: A BASIC interpreter to run StarTrek

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