# HP BASIC for OpenVMS

> BASIC dialect

**Wikidata**: [Q5635642](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5635642)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VSI_BASIC_for_OpenVMS)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/hp-basic-for-openvms

## Summary
HP BASIC for OpenVMS is a BASIC dialect developed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) for the OpenVMS operating system. It was part of DEC's VAX/VMS ecosystem and later supported by Compaq, making it a key programming language for minicomputers and early enterprise systems.

## Key Facts
- **Developer**: Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC)
- **Platform**: OpenVMS operating system
- **Aliases**: VSI BASIC for OpenVMS, BASIC-PLUS, Basic Plus 2, BP2, BASIC-Plus-2, VAX BASIC, DEC BASIC, Compaq BASIC for OpenVMS
- **Programming Paradigm**: Imperative programming
- **Instance of**: Programming language
- **Wikipedia Title**: VSI BASIC for OpenVMS (English version only)
- **Wikidata Description**: BASIC dialect

## FAQs
### Q: What was HP BASIC for OpenVMS used for?
A: HP BASIC for OpenVMS was primarily used for programming on DEC's VAX/VMS minicomputers and later Compaq systems, supporting business and scientific applications.

### Q: Who developed HP BASIC for OpenVMS?
A: It was developed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and later supported by Compaq after DEC's acquisition by HP.

### Q: Is HP BASIC for OpenVMS still in use?
A: While no longer actively developed, it remains a legacy language supported in some historical computing environments.

### Q: What are its key alternatives?
A: Key alternatives included other BASIC dialects like GW-BASIC and Microsoft QuickBASIC, as well as more modern languages like Python.

### Q: What was its significance in computing history?
A: It was part of DEC's VAX/VMS ecosystem, which was influential in minicomputer and early enterprise computing.

## Why It Matters
HP BASIC for OpenVMS played a crucial role in the era of minicomputers, particularly in DEC's VAX/VMS ecosystem. As a dialect of BASIC, it provided an accessible programming environment for business and scientific applications. Its development by DEC and later support by Compaq made it a key tool for enterprise systems. While it has since been largely replaced by more modern languages, it remains a historical artifact of early computing. Its legacy persists in some legacy systems, though it is no longer actively developed.

## Notable For
- **Legacy Support**: Continued use in some historical computing environments.
- **Enterprise Applications**: Used in DEC's VAX/VMS ecosystem for business and scientific programming.
- **DEC/Compaq Heritage**: Developed by DEC and later supported by Compaq after HP's acquisition.
- **BASIC Dialect**: Part of the broader family of BASIC programming languages.
- **Minicomputer Programming**: A key tool for programming on DEC's VAX/VMS minicomputers.

## Body
### Overview
HP BASIC for OpenVMS was a BASIC dialect developed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) for the OpenVMS operating system. It was part of DEC's VAX/VMS ecosystem and later supported by Compaq after HP's acquisition of DEC.

### Development and History
- **Developer**: Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC)
- **Platform**: OpenVMS operating system
- **Legacy Support**: Continued use in some historical computing environments

### Key Features
- **Programming Paradigm**: Imperative programming
- **Aliases**: VSI BASIC for OpenVMS, BASIC-PLUS, Basic Plus 2, BP2, BASIC-Plus-2, VAX BASIC, DEC BASIC, Compaq BASIC for OpenVMS

### Significance
- **Enterprise Applications**: Used in DEC's VAX/VMS ecosystem for business and scientific programming.
- **DEC/Compaq Heritage**: Developed by DEC and later supported by Compaq after HP's acquisition.
- **BASIC Dialect**: Part of the broader family of BASIC programming languages.
- **Minicomputer Programming**: A key tool for programming on DEC's VAX/VMS minicomputers.

### Wikipedia and Wikidata
- **Wikipedia Title**: VSI BASIC for OpenVMS (English version only)
- **Wikidata Description**: BASIC dialect