On 04/13/2017 02:19 PM, Brent Hilpert via cctalk wrote: > While one might argue the proliferation of BASIC on micros followed > from BG/PA & SW/SJ, I'd say their implementations were following a > trend rather than initiating it. BASIC was gaining prominence prior > to their implementations of it. It was in all 3 of the pre-microproc > personal computers: HP9830, Wang2200, IBM5100. It was becoming > popular and spreading in the small-business world through the > Pick-based systems (albeit an extended version of the language). It > had gained awareness through the educational system and timesharing > systems. All prior to MS & Apple. > > As bad as it was, it was present in the right place (small, easy to > implement, interpretable & easy to use) at the right time (the > nascent small-system and personal computer era).
...or that Iverson language, APL, present on the 5100 and what was probably one of the the first microcomputers, the MCM/70. So, whence APL today? --Chuck
