# Atari Microsoft BASIC

> variant of the BASIC programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q661979](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q661979)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Microsoft_BASIC)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/atari-microsoft-basic

## Summary
Atari Microsoft BASIC is a variant of the BASIC programming language developed by Atari, Inc. and released in 1982. It is distinct from the standard Microsoft BASIC, though it utilizes the foundation established by Microsoft as a basis for communicating instructions to Atari machines.

## Key Facts
*   **Instance Of:** Programming language (a language for communicating instructions to a machine).
*   **Developer:** Atari, Inc.
*   **Inception:** 1982.
*   **Foundation:** Uses Microsoft BASIC (created in 1975) as its underlying technology.
*   **Distinction:** Classified as being "different from" the standard Microsoft BASIC product.
*   **Language Family:** BASIC programming language.
*   **Wikipedia Coverage:** Available in 6 languages (German, English, Persian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese).
*   **Freebase ID:** /m/02phx6.

## FAQs
### Q: When was Atari Microsoft BASIC created?
A: Atari Microsoft BASIC was developed by Atari, Inc. and has an recorded inception year of 1982.

### Q: How is Atari Microsoft BASIC related to Microsoft?
A: The software uses Microsoft BASIC as a foundation. Microsoft BASIC is a foundation product of the Microsoft company, originally inceptioned in 1975.

### Q: Is Atari Microsoft BASIC the same as the standard Microsoft BASIC?
A: No. While it uses Microsoft BASIC as a foundation, knowledge sources explicitly classify Atari Microsoft BASIC as being "different from" the standard Microsoft BASIC entity.

## Why It Matters
Atari Microsoft BASIC represents a specific adaptation of one of the most influential software products in computing history. Microsoft BASIC, established in 1975, served as the foundation product for the Microsoft company, standardizing how users interacted with early personal computers. The existence of Atari Microsoft BASIC highlights the necessity for hardware-specific adaptations during the early 1980s; Atari, Inc. required a version of this foundational language tailored to their specific architecture.

This entity matters to computing history as it documents the intersection of major hardware and software players. It illustrates how the generic concept of a "programming language"—defined as a language for communicating instructions to a machine—was practically implemented by specific manufacturers. Although it is a variant, its distinct classification from the main Microsoft BASIC product suggests it contained unique specifications or limitations relevant to the Atari platform. Its documentation across six different languages (German, English, Persian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese) further indicates its relevance in the global computing community during that era.

## Notable For
*   **Specific Variant:** Being a distinct variant of the BASIC programming language rather than a direct port.
*   **Corporate Intersection:** Combining the hardware development of Atari, Inc. with the software foundation of Microsoft.
*   **Timeline Marker:** Serving as a software artifact from 1982, a critical period in the home computer revolution.
*   **Global Documentation:** Having a notable digital footprint with Wikipedia entries in six distinct languages.

## Body
### Development and Origin
Atari Microsoft BASIC was developed by **Atari, Inc.**, a prominent entity in the early home computer market. The project has a recorded inception date of **1982**. It is classified technically as a **programming language** designed for communicating instructions to a machine.

### Relationship to Microsoft BASIC
The software is intrinsically linked to **Microsoft BASIC**, which serves as its technological foundation. Microsoft BASIC is noted in source data as a "foundation product of the Microsoft company," with an inception date of **1975**. Despite this shared lineage, knowledge base entries explicitly define Atari Microsoft BASIC as **"different from"** Microsoft BASIC, indicating that while the core logic may be shared, the Atari version is a unique entity with its own attributes and classifications.

### Classification and Identifiers
The entity is widely recognized across multiple information repositories.
*   **Wikidata Description:** "variant of the BASIC programming language."
*   **Sitelink Count:** 6 (indicating presence on six different Wikipedia language domains).
*   **Freebase ID:** /m/02phx6 (a unique identifier within the Freebase knowledge graph, recorded as of October 2013).

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013