Talk:GW-BASIC

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I moved this page from to 'Microsoft GW-BASIC intrerpreter' from 'GW-BASIC programming language'. My rationale for this is on the talkpage for Microsoft BASICA interpreter. Please note that I have done the same for Microsoft QuickBASIC compiler. cprompt


Perhaps someone should merge 'Microsoft GW-BASIC interpreter' with 'Microsoft BASICA interpreter'. There is different information in both articles, but a lot of it can be described in common. I could imagine it starting off with something like "GW-BASIC and BASICA were both BASIC interpreters developed by Microsoft..." I might end up doing it myself, but I welcome anyone else interested in this article to do so. ---cprompt

Whew.. BASIC. Old School. - PY

Are we sure that GW stands for "gee-whiz", or is that a joke? I was sure that it was Graphics Workstation. CGS 10:50, 18 Aug 2003 (UTC).

It is generally understood to stand for "gee-whiz" among the old-timers in the computer industry (i.e., me - alas for my grey hair). It might be an urban legend, of course, but that is certainly what I have always understod it to mean. GW BASIC realy was gee-whiz! Indeed, it is particularly memorable as it's the last time I am aware of that Microsoft ever had an unchallenged best-of-breed product that re-wrote the rules about what good software meant. Since then, of course, they have had many products, but none that were so damn .. er ... so damn "gee-whiz, look at this!" Tannin 11:57, 18 Aug 2003 (UTC)

I once read that GW stands for "Graphics Window" (Window not as in "Microsoft Windows" of course but perhaps as in the GW-BASIC "window"-command). It's true that GW-BASIC had a fair amount of graphic commands (for its time of course), so who knows? HK

[edit] New link

What is the justification for keeping a link to this site? As far as I can gather, it only has a few business programs, and not much else. The first site has downloads of GW-BASIC, and the second site contains the thoughts of one of the most experienced GW-BASIC programmers I know of - so why have a link to the other site? Graham/pianoman87 talk 07:50, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Last version?

What was the last version of GW-BASIC? A web search seems to suggest 3.23.--JeffryJohnston 20:39, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

Yes, 3.23 was the last version released. The external links in the article support that as well. The next basic interpreter that microsoft released was QBasic. Graham/pianoman87 talk 13:30, 10 February 2006 (UTC)
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