# GW-BASIC

> dialect of the BASIC programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q1049202](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1049202)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GW-BASIC)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/gw-basic

## Summary
GW-BASIC is a dialect of the BASIC programming language developed by Microsoft, officially inception in 1983. It is an instance of a programming language designed for communicating instructions to a machine. The software was influenced by IBM Advanced BASIC and its source code was later released under the MIT License.

## Key Facts
- **Definition**: Dialect of the BASIC programming language; instance of a programming language.
- **Developer**: Microsoft (American multinational technology corporation).
- **Inception Date**: 1983.
- **License**: MIT License.
- **Source Code Repository**: https://github.com/microsoft/GW-BASIC.
- **Influenced By**: IBM Advanced BASIC.
- **Copyright Status**: Copyrighted.
- **DOSBox Compatibility ID**: 4158.
- **Authority IDs**: GND: 4138578-0; Library of Congress: sh89005015; BnF: 121459871.

## FAQs
### Q: What exactly is GW-BASIC?
A: GW-BASIC is a dialect of the BASIC programming language developed by Microsoft. It was inception in 1983 and is used to communicate instructions to a machine.

### Q: Who created GW-BASIC and when?
A: GW-BASIC was created by Microsoft. The software's inception date is 1983.

### Q: Is GW-BASIC free to use?
A: References indicate the software is copyrighted, but it is licensed under the MIT License. The source code is available at https://github.com/microsoft/GW-BASIC.

## Why It Matters
GW-BASIC serves as a historical milestone in the software industry, representing a key dialect of the BASIC programming language developed by Microsoft. Its inception in 1983 placed it at a critical juncture in the rise of personal computing. As a programming language for communicating instructions to a machine, it provided an accessible entry point for programming during a pivotal era. The language was influenced by IBM Advanced BASIC, showing the collaborative and evolutionary nature of early software development standards. Furthermore, the eventual release of its source code under the MIT License highlights its enduring educational and historical value to the software community.

## Notable For
- Being a distinct dialect of the BASIC programming language.
- Development by Microsoft, a major American multinational technology corporation.
- Having its source code released under the MIT License, a permissive free software license.
- Being influenced by IBM Advanced BASIC, linking it to the broader ecosystem of early PC computing.
- Recognition in emulation communities, evidenced by a specific DOSBox compatibility ID.

## Body
### Definition and Classification
GW-BASIC is a **dialect of the BASIC programming language**. It is formally classified as an **instance of a programming language**, defined as a language for communicating instructions to a machine. It is also known by aliases such as **GW BASIC**, **Gwbasic**, and **GW-베이직**.

### Development and History
The entity was **developed by Microsoft**, an American multinational technology corporation founded on April 4, 1975. The **inception** of GW-BASIC occurred in **1983**. Its development was **influenced by IBM Advanced BASIC**, a programming language created in 1981.

### Technical and Legal Status
The software carries a **copyright status** of **copyrighted**. However, it is available under the **MIT License**. The **source code repository** is hosted on GitHub at **https://github.com/microsoft/GW-BASIC**.

### Identifiers and Authority
GW-BASIC is cataloged by numerous international authority files and databases:
- **GND ID**: 4138578-0
- **YSO ID**: 22915
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: sh89005015
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007532148605171
- **Bibliothèque nationale de France ID**: 121459871
- **Freebase ID**: /m/03fc6
- **Quora Topic**: GWBASIC

### Localization and References
The entity has a global presence with Wikipedia articles in languages including Catalan, German, English, Spanish, Persian, Finnish, French, Indonesian, Italian, and Korean. It maintains a **DOSBox compatibility ID** of **4158**.

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/JohnMarkOckerbloom/ftl/blob/master/data/wikimap)
2. [Source](https://api.github.com/repos/microsoft/GW-BASIC)
3. [Source](https://github.com/microsoft/GW-BASIC/blob/master/LICENSE)
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. Quora
6. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File