Tiny Basic for Arduino

(dilshan.github.io)

29 points | by AlexeyBrin 2 hours ago

5 comments

  • seplox 1 hour ago

    Interesting that the author doesn't mention Parallax BASIC Stamp [0] when it's a Basic-programmable microcontroller that's been on the market since the 1990s. Regardless, the Arduino Due is 4x the CPU at about the same price. Kinda neat.

    While this is fun, I'm not sure why anyone would choose Basic over CircuitPython or MicroPython [1] if they're trying to program a modern micro with a beginner friendly language.

    [0] https://www.parallax.com/products/basic-stamp-2-microcontrol...

    [1] https://learn.adafruit.com/getting-started-with-raspberry-pi...

    • gmiller123456 33 minutes ago

      Not sure why they should mention the Stamp. Back in the 90's and 00's they cost like $80 and were not an open system. Adjusted for inflation, that's about $160, so not even close to being as accessible as even the high end Arduinos today.

      • TuxedoBuddy 48 minutes ago

        Holy moley, that price though!

      • k310 2 hours ago

        We've come a long way. Dr. Dobbs, Volume 1 #5 (PDF) [2]

        Source (8080) available on github [0]

        Others: [1]

        I forgot how I first loaded it. Doubtful that I typed it in, but I do recall getting a paper tape from somewhere and loading it via a cheap optical reader.

        Life got interesting when I got a NorthStar disk for the IMSAI. And ever after.

        [0] https://github.com/kevinthecheung/tiny-basic

        [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_BASIC

        [2] http://cini.classiccmp.org/pdf/DrDobbs/DrDobbs-1976-05-v1n5....

        Firefox will complain about http. Allow download. I checked it, it's real pdf.

        • Surac 1 hour ago

          Well the title is missleading a little bit. Technical it is a Arduino but only the 32 bit ARM Cortex-M Arduinos are supported. Not exactly what i had in mind reading Arduiono. If you intrestend in a fantastic BASIC for cheap RP2040 RP3250 look for MMBasic

          • morninglight 27 minutes ago

            In a classroom setting, Geoff Graham's BASIC for the Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico 2 is hard to beat.

            It has support for much of PICO's I/O capability including network connectivity. It is VERY easy to work with and has excellent documentation.

            AND it is a free download with an active community.

            https://geoffg.net/

            • hn_submit 48 minutes ago

              So now you need an interpreter (Python) to run an interpreter (BASIC)?

              • AlexeyBrin 36 minutes ago

                Nothing wrong with implementing an interpreter in another interpreter, this is actually a classic CS rite of passage.

                This TinyBASIC however, is using Python only during the build phase, the actual interpreter code is in C and what runs on the Arduino is a binary.

                • incanus77 46 minutes ago

                  How would you do it?