View source for Chinese BASIC

{{Short description|Chinese-localized versions of the BASIC programming language}}
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{{Notability|date=June 2024}}
{{One source|date=June 2024}}
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'''Chinese BASIC''' ({{zh|c=中文培基|p=Zhōngwén Péijī}}) is the name given to several [[Chinese language|Chinese]]-localized versions of the [[BASIC]] [[programming language]] in the early 1980s.

== Versions ==
At least two versions of Chinese BASIC were modified [[Applesoft BASIC]] that accepted Chinese commands and variables. They were built into some [[Taiwan]]-made [[List of Apple II clones|Apple II clone]]s. One of these was shipped with the best-selling Multitech [[Microprofessor II]] (known as [[Acer Inc.|Acer]] today). Another version was shipped with [[MiTAC International Corp|MiTAC]]'s Little Intelligent Computer ({{lang|zh|小神通}}).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ernest |date=2004-01-10 |title=Apple II Clones - |url=http://www.apple2clones.com/?q=image/tid/91 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060503220144/http://www.apple2clones.com/?q=image/tid/91 |archive-date=2006-05-03 |website=apple2clones.com}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=June 2024}}

Multitech also developed a [[Zilog Z80]]-based port of the Chinese BASIC for its own line of high-end computers.

== Example ==
In a typical Chinese BASIC environment, Chinese and English commands are interchangeable. It may also accept Chinese and [[Latin alphabet]] variables. For example, you may use {{mono|PRINT A}} in line 50, {{mono|印 A}} in line 200 and {{mono|? A}} in line 250. They all do the same thing—to print out the value of {{mono|A}} on screen.
[[File:Keyboard layout Chinese Traditional.png|frame|Chinese (traditional) keyboard layout]]
{| class="wikitable"
! Chinese BASIC<br>commands are printed in {{color|darkblue|blue}}
| &nbsp;
! Applesoft BASIC
|-
| {{mono|1=10 卜=0}}
| &nbsp;
| {{code|2=basic|1=10 Y=0}}
|-
| {{mono|1=20 [[wikt:入|入]] 水, 火}}
| &nbsp;
| {{code|2=basic|1=20 INPUT E, F}}
|-
| {{mono|1=30 [[wikt:從|從]] 日 = 水 [[wikt:到|到]] 火}}
| &nbsp;
| {{code|2=basic|1=30 FOR A = E TO F}}
|-
| {{mono|1=40 卜 = 卜+[[wikt:對數|對數]](日)}}
| &nbsp;
| {{code|2=basic|1=40 Y = Y + LOG (A)}}
|-
| {{mono|1=50 [[wikt:下一|下一]] 日}}
| &nbsp;
| {{code|2=basic|1=50 NEXT A}}
|-
| {{mono|1=60 [[wikt:印|印]] 卜}}
| &nbsp;
| {{code|2=basic|1=60 PRINT Y}}
|}

This program calculates the sum of {{math|log (''E'') + log (''E''+1) + log (''E''+2) + ... + log (''F'')}}. The [[Chinese characters]] used as [[Variable (programming)|variables]] are the 24 radicals of the [[Cangjie method]], one of the earliest [[QWERTY]] keyboard-compatible [[Chinese input methods for computers|Chinese input methods]]. 

The significant length of an Applesoft BASIC variable name is restricted to two [[byte]]s. Therefore, the variables {{mono|THISNUMBER}} and {{mono|THATNUMBER}} are treated as the same. In Multitech's Chinese BASIC, a variable can be 3 bytes long (one Chinese character + one numeral).

== See also ==
* [[Non-English-based programming languages]]

== References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20021101061324/http://www.cbflabs.com/academy/story/04.htm A page of the Chinese BASIC manual] (in traditional Chinese)
* [http://www.robomind.net/cn RoboMind: educational programming language in Chinese]

{{BASIC}}

[[Category:Non-English-based programming languages]]
[[Category:Discontinued Microsoft BASICs]]
[[Category:Chinese-language computing]]
[[Category:BASIC programming language family]]