Editing Integer BASIC (section)

{{Short description|BASIC interpreter of the Apple I and original Apple II computers}}
{{Infobox programming language
| name = Integer BASIC
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| developer = [[Steve Wozniak]]
| released = {{start date and age|1976}}{{sfn|Wozniak| 2014}}
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| platform = [[Apple I]], [[Apple II]]
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| influenced by = [[HP Time-Shared BASIC|HP BASIC]]
| influenced = [[Applesoft BASIC]]
}}

'''Integer BASIC''' is a [[BASIC interpreter]] written by [[Steve Wozniak]] for the [[Apple I]] and [[Apple II]] computers. Originally available on [[Cassette tape|cassette]] for the Apple I in 1976, then included in [[Read-only memory|ROM]] on the Apple II from its release in 1977, it was the first version of BASIC used by many early [[home computer]] owners.{{sfn|Weyhrich|2001}}

The only numeric data type was the integer; [[floating-point arithmetic|floating-point]] numbers were not supported. Using integers allowed numbers to be stored in a compact 16-bit format that could be more rapidly read and processed than the 32- or 40-bit floating-point formats found in most BASICs of the era. This made it so fast that [[Bill Gates]] complained when it outperformed [[Microsoft BASIC]] in benchmarks. However, this also limited its applicability as a general-purpose language.{{efn|Or as [[Bill Gates]] put it, "more powerful BASIC... using floating point".<ref>{{cite magazine
|first1=Tom |last1=Rugg |first2=Phil |last2=Feldman
|title=BASIC timing comparisons… revised and updated
|magazine=Kilobaud
|date=October 1977
|pages=20–25
|url=https://archive.org/details/kilobaudmagazine-1977-10
}}</ref>}}

Another difference with other BASICs of the era is that Integer BASIC treated strings as arrays of characters, similar to the system in [[C (programming language)|C]] or [[Fortran 77]]. Substrings were accessed using [[array slicing]] rather than string functions. This style was introduced in [[HP Time-Shared BASIC]], and could also be found in other contemporary BASICs patterned on HP, like [[North Star BASIC]] and [[Atari BASIC]]. It contrasted with the style found in BASICs derived from [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]], including [[Microsoft BASIC]].

The language was initially developed under the name '''GAME BASIC''' and referred to simply as '''Apple BASIC''' when it was introduced on the Apple I. It became Integer BASIC when it was ported to the Apple II and shipped alongside [[Applesoft BASIC]], a port of [[Microsoft BASIC]] which included floating-point support. Integer BASIC was phased out in favor of Applesoft BASIC starting with the [[Apple II Plus]] in 1979.