[PLUG] running (ancient) .BAS file with linux

[Mark Phillips]

If you can read the source file, can you share it or put it on
gitlab/github for others to help? Perhaps we can convert it to Python? My
Basic is rusty, and it really depends on how long the program is.

In HS (several decades ago), I wrote a matchmaking program for our senior
prom that crashed the dialup GE computer (ran out of memory) we used to run
Basic programs. Shhh.....I resorted to secretly matching everyone with
his/her boyfriend by hand....I was considered a computer genius until the
teacher in charge of the dialup account got a call from some very irate
folks at GE who threatened to remove the dial up terminal and paper tape
reader if we ever crashed their computer again.....he had my back and no
one found out. lol

Mark

On Mon, Jul 12, 2021 at 5:50 PM Russell Senior <russell at personaltelco.net>
wrote:

> How many lines is the basic program? Can you share it?
>
> On Mon, Jul 12, 2021 at 5:02 PM Keith Lofstrom <keithl at kl-ic.com> wrote:
> >
> > A 20+ y.o. astronomy book included a 3.5 inch floppy
> > disk with a .BAS program in the back, executable with
> > IBM Advanced Basic or GW Basic.  And a time machine ...
> >
> > I was able to read the floppy and extract the file.
> >
> > I've "tried" a couple of poorly-documented "basic"
> > binaries available for ubuntu 20.04; couldn't get them
> > to run; possibly PEBKAC, probably lack of documentation.
> >
> > Suggestions for a 21st century Linux BASIC that can
> > run ancient .BAS binaries?
> >
> > Keith
> >
> > ps: I know the author, he's 80yo with vision problems.
> > He would help if he could, but ... chances are, I will
> > end up helping HIM port HIS program to a 21st century
> > platform.
> >
> > pps:  The program is calculates comet and asteroid
> > impact hazards.  It will be a damned shame if humanity
> > needs the program to survive someday, but we cannot
> > translate it to contemporary software/hardware :-/
> >
> > --
> > Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com
>