ASIC programming language
Encyclopedia
ASIC is a programming language
, a BASIC
dialect and shareware
compiler for DOS
systems. Written by Dave Visti of 80/20 Software, it achieved brief popularity in the 1990s as one of the few BASIC compilers legally available for download from BBS
es. However, ASIC understood only a small subset of the BASIC language, with most versions having little or no support for logical operators, control structures, and floating-point arithmetic. These shortcomings are the reason for the software's tongue-in-cheek motto, "ASIC: It's almost BASIC!"
Notably, however, ASIC did feature a rudimentary integrated development environment
and an RS-232
communications library for writing terminal
and BBS
software. The last release of ASIC, version 5.00, was more compatible with GW-BASIC
and offered a utility to convert GW-BASIC programs to ASIC syntax.
ASIC allows compiling to a DOS EXE
file or COM file
. The low overhead of the COM file format lets ASIC make one of the smallest compiled executables of the Hello world program
, typically 360 bytes.
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
, a BASIC
BASIC
BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code....
dialect and shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
compiler for DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
systems. Written by Dave Visti of 80/20 Software, it achieved brief popularity in the 1990s as one of the few BASIC compilers legally available for download from BBS
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
es. However, ASIC understood only a small subset of the BASIC language, with most versions having little or no support for logical operators, control structures, and floating-point arithmetic. These shortcomings are the reason for the software's tongue-in-cheek motto, "ASIC: It's almost BASIC!"
Notably, however, ASIC did feature a rudimentary integrated development environment
Integrated development environment
An integrated development environment is a software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development...
and an RS-232
RS-232
In telecommunications, RS-232 is the traditional name for a series of standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals connecting between a DTE and a DCE . It is commonly used in computer serial ports...
communications library for writing terminal
Terminal emulator
A terminal emulator, terminal application, term, or tty for short, is a program that emulates a video terminal within some other display architecture....
and BBS
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
software. The last release of ASIC, version 5.00, was more compatible with GW-BASIC
GW-BASIC
GW-BASIC was a dialect of the programming language BASIC developed by Microsoft from BASICA, originally for Compaq. It is compatible with Microsoft/IBM BASICA, but was disk based and did not need the ROM BASIC. It was bundled with MS-DOS operating systems on IBM PC compatibles by Microsoft...
and offered a utility to convert GW-BASIC programs to ASIC syntax.
ASIC allows compiling to a DOS EXE
EXE
EXE is the common filename extension denoting an executable file in the DOS, OpenVMS, Microsoft Windows, Symbian, and OS/2 operating systems....
file or COM file
COM file
In many computer operating systems, a COM file is a type of executable file; the name is derived from the file name extension .COM. Originally, the term stood for "Command file", a text file containing commands to be issued to the operating system , on many of the Digital Equipment Corporation mini...
. The low overhead of the COM file format lets ASIC make one of the smallest compiled executables of the Hello world program
Hello world program
A "Hello world" program is a computer program that outputs "Hello world" on a display device. Because it is typically one of the simplest programs possible in most programming languages, it is by tradition often used to illustrate to beginners the most basic syntax of a programming language, or to...
, typically 360 bytes.
External links
- Download ASIC http://vetusware.com/download/ASIC%20-%20Its%20Almost%20Basic%205.0/?id=3664
- Simtelnet archive for ASIC 5.0 [ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/msdos/basic/asic500.zip]
- ASIC 5.00 + Libraries + Linker