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R. T. RUSSELL

BBC BASIC for Windows



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What users have to say:
A programming interface which is a joy to use.
(R.W., Somerset)

After trying to master C++ and Visual Basic, BBC Basic came along and has done the job as effectively, even better, as any of these others.
(A.H., United States)

Brilliant software.
(B.H., Notts)

Thanks for turning my dull and boring PC work-horse into a new and exciting toy.
(I.J.)

Very impressive!
(G.B.)

Thank you ... for creating such a logical and well thought product. I am very impressed.
(M.H., Worcestershire)

I'd just like to congratulate you on a really good product.
(S.B., Oxford)

BBC BASIC has no real competition in terms of ease of use ... and it's a high-quality, well-supported product.
(T.T., Oxfordshire)

BBC BASIC for Windows has delighted and amazed me with its functionality.
(A.M., Yorkshire)

A dream come true.
(P.W., Shropshire)

... as good (if not better) than many of the mainstream programming products.
(S.A., Jersey)

Best £30 I ever spent on software... the help was A1.
(E.O., Antrim)

I find the implementation, especially the integration with the Windows API, superb.
(D.T., Wiltshire)

BB4W gave me a degree of creative freedom that I haven't found in any other language so far.
(R.J., Dorset)

I haven't had such fun with a piece of software in ages.
(J.K., Essex)

I am amazed at the coverage and depth of the product.
(J.P., Greece)

It is really absolutely fantastic. Extremely good value for money.
(P.N., Somerset)

Great product! Best £30 I've spent for a very, very long time.
(C.M., Aberdeenshire)

This is what I've been looking for! What a wonderful product. I'm having lots of fun.
(J.K., Lincolnshire)

Portuguese version

Serbo-Croat version

Hindi version

Sindhi version (by Samuel Badree)

Urdu version (by EMU Coupon)

Swedish version (by Erin Larsson)

Software Informer Virus Free award
BBC BASIC for Windows
Recommended on FDM
Softpedia 100% clean award

Looking for the free Linux, Mac OS, Raspberry Pi, Windows, Android, iOS or web editions of BBC BASIC? Click here.

BBC BASIC for Windows is an advanced implementation of BBC BASIC for PCs running Microsoft Windows™ (Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1 or Windows 10), providing the programmer with a familiar language but with a modern interface. It combines the simplicity of BASIC with the sophistication of a structured language, allowing you to write utilities and games, use sound and graphics, perform calculations and create complete Windows™ applications. In short, using BBC BASIC you will be able to make your PC do what you want it to!

The Graphical User Interface includes a BASIC program editor with syntax colouring, live indentation, search & replace and many other features (see the screenshot below). Built-in diagnostic aids such as run-time trace, listing of variables and single-step execution make debugging even the most complex programs straightforward.

Up to 512 Megabytes of memory is provided for the user's program, data and stack (subject to sufficient RAM being available). Unlike some older versions of BASIC, you won't suffer the frustration of running out of memory! Line numbers are optional.

BBC BASIC for Windows uniquely incorporates an assembler which generates 32-bit code and accepts all 80486 instructions and some Pentium-specific instructions (except special-register and privileged instructions), including floating-point and Multi Media Extensions. You can access the Windows™ Application Program Interface both from BASIC and from assembler code, allowing an experienced programmer to produce sophisticated applications.

The full version allows you to create a compact (typically less than 100K) stand-alone executable (.EXE) file from your BASIC program, which will run without BBC BASIC having to be installed and without the need for any special DLLs. You can distribute such executables freely without any royalty for BBC BASIC being due.

BBC BASIC for Windows is largely compatible with Version 5 of BBC BASIC resident in the Acorn Archimedes and Iyonix computers. It also retains a high degree of compatibility with the BBC Microcomputer, including emulation of the SOUND and ENVELOPE statements, and the MODE 7 (teletext) screen mode.

However this is by no means a language stuck in the past: it is fully integrated with Windows™ and has many new and advanced features including data structures, PRIVATE variables, long strings, event interrupts, an address of operator, byte variables, a line continuation character, indirect procedure and function calls and improved numeric accuracy.

BBC BASIC for Windows costs only £29.99 including VAT (£24.99 plus VAT, or about US$ 40). Your purchase is 'for life': upgrades and bug-fixes are free, forever! You can pay using any of the following methods:

  • Buy online (e.g. using a credit card or PayPal) and receive a download:

    Make payments with PayPal - Download with PayLoadz

    Please note that from 1st July 2021 I am unable to sell to customers located in the European Union. If you are in that region, and would like to obtain BBC BASIC for Windows, please contact me by email and I will be pleased to supply a free copy.

  • Send a cheque (made payable to R. T. Russell) to this address:

    R. T. Russell
    228 Broomhill
    Downham Market
    Norfolk
    PE38 9QY
    United Kingdom

    Email: info@rtrussell.co.uk
    Tel: 01366 386281 (international +44 136 638 6281)
    Fax: 01366 387486 (international +44 136 638 7486)

    (UK schools or colleges may instead send an official order)

  • Transfer the money directly to our bank account, or receive an electronic invoice via PayPal. If you want to use one of these methods contact us for details of how to proceed.

  • Wire the money using Western Union Money Transfer or MoneyGram.

  • Buy using a credit card from Rakewell Limited:

    Rakewell Limited
    24 Putnams Drive
    Aston Clinton
    AYLESBURY
    Buckinghamshire
    HP22 5HH
    England

    Email: sales@rakewell.com
    Tel: 01296 632491 (international +44 129 663 2491)
    Fax: 01296 342491 (international +44 129 634 2491)

The product is normally supplied on CD-ROM and is delivered by First Class letter post. We aim to dispatch your order within 48 hours of receipt, but in exceptional circumstances it may take up to 14 days. If you order online using a Credit Card or PayPal, you will instead receive instructions on how to download the file (approximately 4½ Mbytes). If you have different requirements please let us know.

A free evaluation version is available. This is fully functional except that the amount of memory available for the user's program, data and stack is restricted to 32K bytes, and the Compile command is not available. You can download it from here.

BBC BASIC for Windows is supplied with more than 50 example programs to illustrate what can be achieved and to give you a head start. For more information see the online manual and beginners' tutorial, which are also supplied with both the evaluation and full versions.

See also the Frequently Asked Questions page where you will find answers to common queries. For details of the current version and recent additions to the online documentation see the latest updates page.

On the links page you will find details of the websites of some users, from where you can download programs written by them in BBC BASIC and 'compiled' to produce Windows™ executables. More ready-to-run executables can be found in the Example Programs section of this web site.

BBC BASIC for Windows is the Copyright © 2001-2021 of R. T. Russell. It is supplied for use on one computer at a time only. Neither the program nor its accompanying documentation may be copied for simultaneous use by the purchaser nor for use by anyone other than the purchaser (however see above for exceptions related to the use of the manual in schools and colleges). Multi-user site licences are available, for example a 10-user licence costs £85, a 20-user licence costs £115 and a 50-user licence costs £185 (all excluding VAT). Contact us with your requirements for more details.


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