TRS-80 Model I info (RE: MSX, TRS-80, Colour Genie, etc.) - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

26 Jun 1997

...
  The Basic was
an 4k microsoft basic with floating point and simple =
arrays but no alphanumeric operators or transcendental functions.   =20
 Tiny basic was an integer language of less than
4k. =20  
 IIRC Level I Basic was floating point but it was not a Microsoft =
 product.  Only Level II Basic came from Microsoft.  In fact the source =
 for Level I Basic was later released and I think I have a copy of it in =
 storage somewhere. 

I pulled my notebooks from 76/77/78 and yes RS called it Tiny but, is was 
not. Tiny basic was the generic name given to ALL integer basics.  At the 
time the only source available basic that was floating point was LLLbasic
(lawence livermore labs) which as 8080 code fit in 5k of rom.  I suspected
at the time it could be a z80 recode for space, no match.  

Of the tiny basics palo alto TB (1976) was well known and fit in 2k of 
rom without IO drivers.  It didn't match L1.

My files indicate that the basic was most closely that of MITS altair basic 
4k (pre- MS) by gates/allen.  Techically is was not MS.  It was at least 
looking at my notebook significantly identical.  That particular basic was 
an early lost one and after about 79-80 its not seen in MSbasic docs.  I 
suspect it was due to it being pre MS and having allens hand in it.  FYI
mits 4k basic was small enough to fit in 4k of ram and still hold the video 
and keyboard drivers.

Allison