jacobus Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I've been keeping my eyes open for an Atari Basic Version B cartridge for while now - the problem is that I've assumed the packaging to be indistinguishable from version A, which makes it really difficult to ID. I'd seen this image, (or one like it) before and assumed that the first cartridge was an early non-production prototype. Recently I started wondering if this is actually version B. Initially Atari labeled it's programming cartridges as "Computing Language" (Basic, Assembler Editor) then switched to "Programming Language" for Pilot and then interestingly labeled Logo with "Computer Program". Logo came out just before the labels started switching to the XL style, and approximately the time that Basic B would have been available. Could it be that Atari Basic B uses this label variation and is therefore easy to spot? http://www.digitpress.com/eastereggs/a48ataribasic.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Rev. A was buggy, but rev. B put the 'B' in 'b'uggy, I think we like rev. 'C' for the 'c'oolest Atari made basic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 (edited) Wasn't B only used in XL's ? Edited November 16, 2014 by Level42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Was B ever released on cartridge? I didn't think it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Exactly....and the damn thing caused me a LOT of wasted hours when typing in BASIC listings and consequently a three week "repair" (little did I know they only had to replace one damn ROM......) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+David_P Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Far right cart looks like one of the ones B&C made after the bought a load of Atari surplus - they took mask ROMS, cart boards and cart shells and then printed their own labels. (At least that's the version of the story I heard). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 What did 1200XL get? Maybe they got Rev B cart which would explain the rarity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 O wow, I always assumed the 1200XL had Basic built in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I've been keeping my eyes open for an Atari Basic Version B cartridge for while now - the problem is that I've assumed the packaging to be indistinguishable from version A, which makes it really difficult to ID. I'd seen this image, (or one like it) before and assumed that the first cartridge was an early non-production prototype. Recently I started wondering if this is actually version B. Initially Atari labeled it's programming cartridges as "Computing Language" (Basic, Assembler Editor) then switched to "Programming Language" for Pilot and then interestingly labeled Logo with "Computer Program". Logo came out just before the labels started switching to the XL style, and approximately the time that Basic B would have been available. Could it be that Atari Basic B uses this label variation and is therefore easy to spot? a48ataribasic1.png http://www.digitpress.com/eastereggs/a48ataribasic.htm Here's a BASICB binary load. I prefer 'B' over 'A' or 'C'. 'B' adds 16 bytes to the end of a SAVEd file every SAVE. Just LIST, NEW, ENTER, SAVE to avoid the problem. BASICB.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 In some ways B is the worst of the lot. They fixed one move bug and introduced another. The 16 byte bloat when saving is the least of it's problems. Keeping a copy of A or B is worthwhile for collecting or testing purposes only. If you have the means, then use C every time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 (edited) In some ways B is the worst of the lot. They fixed one move bug and introduced another. The 16 byte bloat when saving is the least of it's problems. Keeping a copy of A or B is worthwhile for collecting or testing purposes only. If you have the means, then use C every time. 'C' is a 12 byte patch of 'B'. It crashes and locks up more than 'A' or 'B'. 'B' was a re-compile with 7426 bytes different from 'A'. I've used 'B' before I knew of 'A' and 'C'. I think 'C' came with the XEs, so it wasn't available in 1984 when I got my 800XL. I've programed extensively with 'B'. The 7426 byte difference 'A' to 'B' could just be a shift of a couple bytes. I just compared versions byte for byte, one byte at a time. 7426 is only 766 bytes less than the 8192 total bytes, so it probably is a shift of bytes. I think advice to use 'C' will result in more frustration and failure than 'B'. I admit that I only tried 'C' briefly. I had used 'B' for years before 'C' came out. I knew from experience that 'B' would add 16 bytes to a BASIC SAVE file each SAVE. Eventually the SAVE file fails if you don't LIST to disk, then NEW, ENTER from disk, LIST the Entered file to screen then finally SAVE the file. When doing a large work, it also pays to SAVE/LIST to different filenames, say give a version 2, 3, 4 etc. And SAVE often. (I've used ACTION! lately. I think it crashes rarely, but I think I have had it crash. ACTION! isn't a good starting point for programming, it requires too much special handling of the runtime. Atari BASIC is a good starting point, you can program two lines and print 'HELLO WORLD'.) In case you want 'C' and have an XL computer, here's a binarly load 'C'. BASICC.zip Edited November 16, 2014 by russg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Can't say I've ever had C behave badly. Of course if you have programs that call routines within the Basic Rom itself then there might be potential for problems. Also can't say I've ever heard anyone give negative response to C when comparing to the previous ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Can't say I've ever had C behave badly. Of course if you have programs that call routines within the Basic Rom itself then there might be potential for problems. Also can't say I've ever heard anyone give negative response to C when comparing to the previous ones. (I've run out of ability to edit my post, excuse this) In case you want to know which version of BASIC you have: PEEK(43234) 162 = 'A' 96 = 'B' 234= 'C' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Do you have any actually revision "B" in photo of cartridge ?? Anyone ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenjennings Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 In search of a root canal. I don't want to use it, just collect it. :-) I have never encountered rev B on a cartridge. Do you have evidence a cartridge was made by Atari? Once OSS BASIC XL came out, I never willfully put the original Atari BASIC cartridge in my Atari 800 again. For the sake of possible undiscovered compatibility issues I did buy a Rev C cartridge from MyAtari some years back. Plugged it in once to be sure it worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobus Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 I recall hearing that Atari would provide rev A users a copy of B on cartridge if they wrote/called to complain about A. I can't find a reference for this, but I believe I heard/read it from more than one source. Does anyone here have the "Computer Program" version? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I was using 'C' in an emulator to make GIFs for Atarimania entrys for programs published by Atari. The fuji title page would always break up the fuji. I didn't know why this was happening until I figured out it was something different with 'C' that was causing the fuji to seperate. You can see an example here: http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-bond-analysis_29781.html I have to go back and fix these eventually. Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Hello Jacobus So "Computer program" is real revision "B" BASIC cartridge ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 (edited) Bought my 600 XL in 1983 and for sure sent it in for repair the same year because of the basic B bug (crashing while entering listings) and got it back with a nice explanation about the problem and C installed so it was DEFINITLY available earlier than the XE Series. B is horrible, it cost me loads of time because of having to re type stuff....no I didn't have a 1050 then, just a 1010 so no you didn't regularly made back-ups. In the beginning I thought I had must done something wrong, this was my first computer.... I guess when you just load a program that bug doesn't show up so often but C never caused me any problems after it had been installed. Of course, when Turbobasic appeared I never used the internal basic again.... Edited November 16, 2014 by Level42 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobus Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Hello Jacobus So "Computer program" is real revision "B" BASIC cartridge ?? This is my theory - although we really need to hear from someone with the cartridge to confirm it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I has 1 very unique double labels over original label. I will post an photo in 1 one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterpiggle Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Bad news, it is still stubborn "A" on double labels !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+poobah Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 A wasn't all that bad. I'd definitely use it over B. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 A wasn't all that bad. I'd definitely use it over B. Just don't try to execute ? A = NOT B 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 lmao that funny..... 'basic a' to 'failmaster', 'basic a' to 'failmaster'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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