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Atari Pascal

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The Atari Pascal Language System (usually shortened to Atari Pascal) is a version of the Pascal programming language released by Atari, Inc. for the Atari 8-bit family of home computers[1] in March 1982.[2] Atari Pascal was published through the Atari Program Exchange as unsupported software instead of in Atari's official product line.[3] It requires two disk drives, which greatly limited its potential audience. It includes a 161-page manual.[2]

Development

Atari Pascal was developed by MT Microsystems, which was owned by Digital Research. It's similar to MT/PASCAL+ from the same company.[3] The compiler produces code for a virtual machine, as with UCSD Pascal, instead of generating machine code, but the resulting programs are as much as seven times faster than Apple Pascal.[3] MT Microsystems wrote Atari Pascal with a planned "super Atari" 8-bit model in mind, one with 128K of RAM and a dual-floppy drive.[3] This machine never materialized, but the software was released because of pressure within Atari, though only through the Atari Program Exchange.

References

  1. ^ "Atari Pascal Language System". Atari Mania.
  2. ^ a b "Atari Pascal Language System Reference & Operations Manual" (PDF). Atari Mania.
  3. ^ a b c d Tillman, Raymond T. (May 1983). "Atari PASCAL - A Good Product?". ANALOG Computing (11).
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