Microsoft Basic

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
Microsoft Basic

   <language> (MS-BASIC) A dialect of {BASIC} from {Microsoft},
   originally developed by {Bill Gates} in a garage back in the
   {CP/M} days.  It was originally known as GWBasic, then QBASIC
   and finally MS-BASIC.

   When the {MS-DOS} {operating system} came out, it incorporated
   the GWBASIC.EXE or BASICA.EXE interpreters.  GWBASIC ("Gee
   Whiz") incorporated graphics and a {screen editor} and was
   compatible with earlier BASICs.

   QBASIC was more sophisticated.  Version 4.5 had a full screen
   editor, debugger and compiler.  The compiler could also
   produce executable files but to run these a utility program
   (BRUN44.EXE) had to be present.  Thus {source code} could be
   kept private.

   From DOS 5.0 or 6.0 onward, MS-BASIC was standard.

   Latest version: 1.1, also produces {stand-alone} executables
   and can display graphics.

   Usenet newsgroup: news:comp.lang.basic.misc.

   [Relationship to BASIC in ROM on first IBM PC?]

   (1995-05-12)