# Amiga Basic

> BASIC programming language implementation for Amiga computers

**Wikidata**: [Q426038](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q426038)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amiga_Basic)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/amiga-basic

## Summary
Amiga Basic is an implementation of the BASIC programming language designed for Commodore Amiga computers. Developed by Microsoft and MetaComCo, it functions as a software application and programming language within the AmigaOS environment. It was distributed by Commodore International and is based on Microsoft BASIC.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type:** Software, Programming Language
- **Platform:** Commodore Amiga
- **Operating System:** AmigaOS
- **Developer:** Microsoft, MetaComCo
- **Distributor:** Commodore International
- **Language Dialect:** Microsoft BASIC
- **Alternate Names:** AmigaBASIC, Amiga Basic
- **Wikidata ID:** Q42979 (dialect of computer language)
- **Wikipedia Languages:** Available in German, English, Hungarian, Portuguese, Russian, and Swedish

## FAQs
### Q: Who developed Amiga Basic?
A: Amiga Basic was developed jointly by Microsoft and MetaComCo. Microsoft, founded in 1975, provided the foundational BASIC implementation.

### Q: What platform does Amiga Basic run on?
A: Amiga Basic runs on the Commodore Amiga platform and operates specifically within the AmigaOS operating system environment.

### Q: How was Amiga Basic distributed?
A: The software was distributed by Commodore International, the technology company responsible for the Amiga line of computers.

## Why It Matters
Amiga Basic serves as a historical bridge between the early era of personal computing and the more advanced graphical capabilities of the Amiga platform. Its significance lies in its pedigree; as a dialect of Microsoft BASIC, it brought a recognizable and widely used coding standard to the Commodore Amiga ecosystem. This allowed users to leverage the powerful hardware of the Amiga—managed under AmigaOS—using a language rooted in the foundation of the software industry (Microsoft was founded in 1975 with BASIC as a key product).

The collaboration between industry giant Microsoft and the specific development efforts of MetaComCo highlights the collaborative nature of early software development for new hardware platforms. By providing a dedicated programming environment, Amiga Basic enabled both hobbyists and professional developers to create software for a system that was pivotal in the multimedia and graphics revolution of the late 1980s and early 1990s. It remains a notable entry in the history of BASIC dialects and home computer programming tools.

## Notable For
- Being a **Microsoft-developed** BASIC implementation for a non-PC platform (Commodore Amiga).
- Utilizing the **Microsoft BASIC** foundation, a standard in the software industry since 1975.
- Being the standard programming language included with **AmigaOS**.
- Collaboration between **Microsoft** and **MetaComCo**.
- Availability in multiple **international languages** (6 Wikipedia language editions).

## Body
### Development and Origins
Amiga Basic is an implementation of the BASIC programming language tailored for the Commodore Amiga line of computers. Its development was a collaborative effort involving **Microsoft**, the American multinational technology corporation founded on April 4, 1975, and **MetaComCo**. The software relies on the **Microsoft BASIC** foundation, which served as a cornerstone product for Microsoft in the mid-1970s.

### Technical Specifications
As a piece of software, Amiga Basic is classified both as a **programming language** and **software**. It is designed to function specifically on the **Commodore Amiga** platform, running under the **AmigaOS** operating system. It is cataloged under the Freebase ID `/m/052m03` and has an Internet Archive ID of `AmigaBasic`.

### Distribution and Legacy
The software was **distributed by Commodore International**. It is recognized as a dialect of the computer language identified as **Q42979**. Historical and instructional information regarding the software has been archived in various publications, including *Compute!* magazine (referenced via Atari Magazines URLs for articles such as "Fractal Mountains For Amiga" and "Button Command"). The software is documented across six Wikipedia language editions: German, English, Hungarian, Portuguese, Russian, and Swedish.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013