Chipmunk Basic

Chipmunk Basic is a fast and reliable cross-platform interpreter for the Basic Programming Language. Chipmunk Basic presents a vintage traditional command-line console programming environment, and supports a very simple old-fashioned and easy-to-learn Basic Programming Language syntax (But line numbers are not required in Basic programs written using an external editor.) The Chipmunk Basic language also supports a few more advanced extensions. Free for educational and personal use.

Downloads

Chipmunk Basic for Mac OS X - (version 3.6.5b3)
- Previous version Chipmunk Basic v3.6.4(b8) for Mac OS X 10.5
- Old version Chipmunk Basic 3.6.3(b7) for Mac OS 9 Classic
Chipmunk Basic for Linux/x86 - (version 3.6.5b5)
Chipmunk Basic for MS Windows2000/XP - (version 3.6.5b3)
- Newer Beta test Chipmunk Basic for MS Windows - (version 3.6.5b6)

Disclaimer: All versions of Chipmunk Basic are distributed in the hope that they might be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND; not even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS for ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. (There will be bugs.)

Documentation

The Old Fashioned Chipmunk Basic Reference Manual (or a pdf)
Quick Reference for the Mac OS specific commands
Old (1996) notes on some experimental Object Oriented extensions
Some nicely HTML formatted
General Documentation for Chipmunk Basic ,
contributed by Jim DeVona.
A Tutorial on programming in Chipmunk Basic:
Tutorial: Chapter 1 , Chapter 2 , Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 ;
contributed by Thomas L. Ferrell.
Mr. Whitmore's BASIC Programming Page from the Norris Middle School in Bakersfield, California (includes tutorial material, worksheets and class assignments).
Thank you for all the contributions of documentation. People have inquired how they can donate to the continued development of Chipmunk Basic; so I've added this PayPal contribution link:

A Chipmunk Basic Discussion Forum in Yahoo Tech Groups

The Basic Programming Language

General Information

BASIC (an acronym for "Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code") is the name of a family of related high-level programming languages, developed circa 1963 at Dartmouth College, to provide an accessible and easy-to-learn environment for non-science students to understand and use computers. In the early 1980's, the Basic programming language was built-in to the vast majority of all personal computers sold.

Lots more Information on Basic Programming - including:
- History of the Basic Programming Language
- Basic Programming Language Stardards
- Source code for some old Basic programs
- Source code for many Basic interpreters and compilers
- A list of some Basic programming environments
Wikipedia page on the Basic Programming Language

Ron Nicholson

HotPaw Basic for iPhone & iPad.
My Obsolete PalmOS/PalmPilot Info web site
FFT and DSP code for Chipmunk Basic
Digital Signal Processing algorithms and musings
Email Ron Nicholson