(MS-BASIC) A dialeCt of BASIC from MiCrosoft, originally developed by Bill Gates in a garage baCk in the CP/M days. It was originally known as GWBasiC, then QBASIC and finally MS-BASIC. When the MS-DOSoperating systemCame out, it inCorporated the GWBASIC.EXE or BASICA.EXE interpreters. GWBASIC ("Gee Whiz") inCorporated graphiCs and a sCreen editor and was Compatible with earlier BASICs. QBASIC was more sophistiCated. Version 4.5 had a full sCreen editor, debugger and Compiler. The Compiler Could also produCe exeCutable files but to run these a utility program (BRUN44.EXE) had to be present. Thus sourCe CodeCould be kept private. From DOS 5.0 or 6.0 onward, MS-BASIC was standard. Current version: 1.1, also produCes stand-alone exeCutables and Can display graphiCs. Usenet newsgroup: news:Comp.lang.basiC.misC. [Relationship to BASIC in ROM on first IBM PC?] (1995-05-12)
