Microsoft open-sources its original 6502 BASIC interpreter from 1975
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Summary
Microsoft has officially open-sourced its 6502 BASIC interpreter, the company's first product from 1975. Originally written for the Intel 8080 and later ported to the 6502 processor (used in systems like the Commodore 64 and Apple II), this code represents the foundation of Microsoft's early success. The release under an open-source license allows developers, historians, and retrocomputing enthusiasts to study, fork, and run the original code legally for the first time.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledToday, we're opening the vault—for real.
For decades, fragments and unofficial copies of Microsoft's 6502 BASIC have circulated online, mirrored on retrocomputing sites, and preserved in museum archives.
Today, for the first time, we're opening the hatch and officially releasing the code under an open-source license.
Microsoft BASIC began in 1975 as the company's very first product: a BASIC interpreter for the Intel 8080.
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