The C64's BASIC really frustrated me as a kid. Now I understand there were license and "being a cheapskate" issues regarding the lack of a newer BASIC version,

The C64's BASIC really frustrated me as a kid. Now I understand there were license and "being a cheapskate" issues regarding the lack of a newer BASIC version, but imagine the even bigger impact the C64 would have had if most of its features had been available via advanced BASIC statements other than PEEK and POKE.