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This one emulates GW-BASIC as PC-BASIC so old BASIC programs for the IBM PC DOS systems can run on modern systems: https://robhagemans.github.io/pcbasic/ https:

This one emulates GW-BASIC as PC-BASIC so old BASIC programs for the IBM PC DOS systems can run on modern systems: https://robhagemans.github.io/pcbasic/ https://robhagemans.github.io/pcbasic/ FreeBASIC is like Microsoft's QuickBASIC. More BASIC Languages: https://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/basic.shtml https://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/basic.shtml

WalterGR 1y ago
> FreeBASIC is like Microsoft's QuickBASIC. Except that it doesn't emulate Microsoft's QuickBASIC, or ... ?
- banana_giraffe 1y ago
  It does support "-lang qb" which is designed to specifically limit FreeBASIC to a QuickBASIC compatible dialect.
  - TonyTrapp 1y ago
    And more specifically, "-lang qb" is more or less how FreeBASIC started out. The more modern dialects came later, and became the default, hence the addition of "-lang qb".
vunderba 1y ago
It really isn't - from the docs themselves: FreeBASIC gives you the FreeBASIC compiler program (fbc or fbc.exe), plus the tools and libraries used by it. fbc is a command line program that takes FreeBASIC source code files (*.bas) and compiles them into executables. In the combined standalone packages for windows, the main executable is named fbc32.exe (for 32-bit) and fbc64.exe (for 64-bit) The magic of QuickBasic was that it was an editor, interpreter, and help system all rolled up into a single EXE file. Punch F5 and watch your BAS file execute line-by-line.
- anthk 1y ago
  Kinda like any Forth. Even PForth has a bundled block editor and a rudimentary help system.
- bencollver 1y ago
  Wasn't QBasic the interpreter as opposed to QuickBasic the compiler?
  - analog31 1y ago
    This is what I recall too. QuickBasic was perhaps BASIC's answer to Turbo Pascal, a relatively lightweight but usable text based IDE. I knew some happy users.
    - orionblastar 1y ago
      https://winworldpc.com/product/quickbasic/45 https://winworldpc.com/product/quickbasic/45 for a look at QuickBASIC 4.5 abandonware; they also had QuickC and QuickPascal.
    - pjmlp 1y ago
      No, the answer was Quick Pascal, however Microsoft didn't really cared that much about it.
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
  - vunderba 1y ago
    It's been a long time, but my impression was that QuickBASIC had an interpreter and the ability to compile. Then later on, Microsoft bundled a more limited version called QBasic with later versions of MS DOS which lacked the compiler. But all of them (QBasic, QuickBASIC, Microsoft PDS, and even Visual Basic for DOS which almost nobody remembers sadly) had the editor, interpretative execution, and built-in help.
    - 1y ago
lproven 1y ago
No, FBC is not like QuickBASIC: there's no IDE in FBC. However, the QB64PE project does have an IDE. Some screenshots in this thread: https://qb64phoenix.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2469&pid=23419 https://qb64phoenix.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2469&pid=23...

WalterGR 1y ago

> FreeBASIC is like Microsoft's QuickBASIC. Except that it doesn't emulate Microsoft's QuickBASIC, or ... ?

banana_giraffe 1y ago
It does support "-lang qb" which is designed to specifically limit FreeBASIC to a QuickBASIC compatible dialect.
- TonyTrapp 1y ago
  And more specifically, "-lang qb" is more or less how FreeBASIC started out. The more modern dialects came later, and became the default, hence the addition of "-lang qb".

vunderba 1y ago

It really isn't - from the docs themselves: FreeBASIC gives you the FreeBASIC compiler program (fbc or fbc.exe), plus the tools and libraries used by it. fbc is a command line program that takes FreeBASIC source code files (*.bas) and compiles them into executables. In the combined standalone packages for windows, the main executable is named fbc32.exe (for 32-bit) and fbc64.exe (for 64-bit) The magic of QuickBasic was that it was an editor, interpreter, and help system all rolled up into a single EXE file. Punch F5 and watch your BAS file execute line-by-line.

anthk 1y ago
Kinda like any Forth. Even PForth has a bundled block editor and a rudimentary help system.
bencollver 1y ago
Wasn't QBasic the interpreter as opposed to QuickBasic the compiler?
- analog31 1y ago
  This is what I recall too. QuickBasic was perhaps BASIC's answer to Turbo Pascal, a relatively lightweight but usable text based IDE. I knew some happy users.
  - orionblastar 1y ago
    https://winworldpc.com/product/quickbasic/45 https://winworldpc.com/product/quickbasic/45 for a look at QuickBASIC 4.5 abandonware; they also had QuickC and QuickPascal.
  - pjmlp 1y ago
    No, the answer was Quick Pascal, however Microsoft didn't really cared that much about it.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- vunderba 1y ago
  It's been a long time, but my impression was that QuickBASIC had an interpreter and the ability to compile. Then later on, Microsoft bundled a more limited version called QBasic with later versions of MS DOS which lacked the compiler. But all of them (QBasic, QuickBASIC, Microsoft PDS, and even Visual Basic for DOS which almost nobody remembers sadly) had the editor, interpretative execution, and built-in help.
  - 1y ago

lproven 1y ago

No, FBC is not like QuickBASIC: there's no IDE in FBC. However, the QB64PE project does have an IDE. Some screenshots in this thread: https://qb64phoenix.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2469&pid=23419 https://qb64phoenix.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2469&pid=23...