[Coco] KCBasic

[Barry Nelson]

https://archive.org/stream/68micro-vol-07-num-07/V07N07_Jul1985_djvu.txt

KANSAS CITY, HERE I COME

I Just received a Basic Language for Coco OS-9 that I am excited about. It is KANSAS CITY BASIC (catchy name, eh?). Many of the old timers will remember the earlier basics, and may have used KC Basic. Many of them did not support floating point math. Only integer manipulations were permitted. KC BASIC is an Integer Basic. This version of KC Basic is written by Steve Odneal. It runs on the RS Color Computer under OS-9. It handles basic syntax as well as some specialty items, like it can read the joy stick ports and it can pass a process to OS-9. (By the way, Steve points out that it should also run on standard OS-9 too.) It does lack a few things. As I said before, it can't do floating point math. It also can't handle arrays. So why am I so excited? First, it resembles the original RS Color Computer's basic. If you've programmed the Coco you'll feel right at home with this. Another thing is that Steve supplies the Source Code with it. That's right! All you hackers will be able to see how it works. You can even add new commands if you feel so inclined, or the floating point math, etc.; if you add something, send it to Steve for incorporation into the package. Finally there is the price. Steve is asking $20 to cover the price of the Disk and Shipping. At that price you can't go wrong. If you're interested, you can write to:

Steve Odneal
8609 East 73 Terrace
Kansas City, MO 64133

Just tell him you saw it here in Basic OS- 9. See ya next time! 

https://archive.org/stream/Message_of_the_Day_Vol._2_No._6_1986-07_Falsoft_US/Message_of_the_Day_Vol._2_No._6_1986-07_Falsoft_US_djvu.txt <https://archive.org/stream/Message_of_the_Day_Vol._2_No._6_1986-07_Falsoft_US/Message_of_the_Day_Vol._2_No._6_1986-07_Falsoft_US_djvu.txt>

Being the editor of the MOTD gives me the opportunity to took over all the newest and oldest OS-9 software before 
it hits the street. This time it's a piece that has been around for awhile — Kansas City BASIC from Steve Odneal. 

I first hesitated writing this review because I'd met Steve out in Palo Alto. but later decided that meeting someone doesn't have to bias your opinion, so I started testing out Kansas City BASIC. 

Let's start by telling you that the price tag is S25. Youll have to go a long way to get a belter price on OS-9 software; add to that the fact that you get the documentation with it. and any patches to the software are published throughout the OS-9 community, including here in the MOTD and in the RAINBOW All of that you can add the complete source code on your disk. Now you've got a product that can be better than patched. 

Steve has not provided another version of Basic09. While this does not have all the bells and whistles of Basic09 or even the power of Extended Color BASIC, it does offer you the capability of getting a 
simple file handling job or integer arithmetic job wiihout any trouble. You have full string handling. Tile 10 including random access files, and the ability to direct your output to any legal device. The syntax is similar to Color BASIC, which gives you another power buster. 

If you're looking for good BASIC transportation, KansasCity BASIC has what you need. If you're looking for something on the order of a supersonic jet, youll have to spend the additional $75 to get Basic09. 

Kansas City BASIC is available from 
Steve Odneal, 8609 E. 73rd Terrace, 
Kansas City, MO 64133.