Microsoft Open Sources Commodore 64’s 6502 BASIC Interpreter

Microsoft has recently open-sourced the 6502 BASIC interpreter, a significant piece of software history that originated from the early days of the company. This version of BASIC, specifically designed for the Commodore 64, is based on Microsoft’s original BASIC interpreter created for Intel’s 8080 8-bit chips. The software played a pivotal role in making personal computers accessible to the masses, as it served as an entry point for many who started learning programming in the 1980s. Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft’s founders, initially licensed the software to Commodore for $25,000, an amount that proved to be a wise investment, as it was used in various generations of Commodore computers. The 6502 BASIC interpreter was later modified to become GW-BASIC and QBASIC, which were bundled with IBM PCs. Microsoft has released the version known as BASIC M6502 8K VER 1.1, which includes bug fixes related to garbage collection. This release is a part of the company’s efforts to preserve computing history and support retro-computing enthusiasts. The code can be downloaded from the BASIC-M6502 GitHub repository, providing new opportunities for preservationists and hobbyists alike.