Computers_With_BASIC_in_ROM / was Re: Texas Instruments CC-40 won't boot

[tony duell]

> > However, with the Atari 400 and 800 and the Exidy sorceror, the BASIC ROM module was, IIRC, included with 
> > the machine in the standard configuration (i.e. if you bought an off-the-shelf boxed version of one of those, 
> > you got a BASIC module). Is that really any different from having the ROMs fitted to the main PCB?
> 
> It is different because it’s essentially external software that has to be loaded into the computer. If you start 
> including BASIC on a cartridge because it came with the computer then you would have to include computers 
> that included BASIC on a cassette or disk that shipped with the computer.

I disagree that a plug-in ROM module is 'loaded' in the normal sense. The BASIC firmware is not copied from
the module into RAM. The ROMs in the module are directly accessed by the processor to run BASIC, just as
they are when the ROMs are on the main board of the machine.

> In many cases where the BASIC software was not on ROM it has been separated from the computer long ago. 

Does that mean you should remove machines where the BASIC ROMs were socketed, on the grounds they
could be removed?

> The list should only include computers that can get into BASIC without requiring any external software to be 
> loaded.

Incidentally, are you including handheld computers: HP71B, HP75C, HP75D, Sharp PC1211, PC1500 (and more), 
Casio (dozens of models)?

-tony