[Info-vax] BASIC compiler in the hobbyist distribution

[David Froble]

seasoned_geek wrote:
> On Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at 11:58:03 AM UTC-5, David Froble wrote:
>> Unless you were running ROSS/V you were not running any Basic 
>> interpreter on VAX that I'm aware of.  Basic Plus is an interpreter.  On 
>> VAX Basic they implemented "incremental compilation".  Ok, someone point 
>> out that that that is pretty much what an interpreter does.  My 
>> understanding it that it's not.
> 
> I don't know what it was called. Few of those brain cells still exist, but it was when I was on VAX 11/730 and 11/750. That was a loooooong time ago. It was basically the same little environment as what I was used to on the PDP 11/70.

At first BP2 was used in compatibility mode on the early VAXs.  Then VAX 
Basic was developed, mainly by Kirby Altman, who seems to have dropped 
completely off the radar.  He was also instrumental in the development 
of the DLM.

I remember one DECUS, with a panel of the VMS developers.  Kirby must 
have been some kind of "peacenik".  There was a discussion about bug 
checks, or something like that.  Kirby muttered something about the 
final holocast because of a bug check.  Another developer came right 
back with "at least it won't come from Basic".  Must have been some 
rivalry there.