page_title: BASICODE
section_title: The first standard
hierarchical_section_title: BASICODE / BASICODE / The first standard
caption_attribution_description: English: Sinclair 48K ZX Spectrum computer (1982)Türkçe: Sinclair 48K ZX Spectrum bilgisayar (1982)
context_page_description: BASICODE was a computer project intended to create a unified standard for the BASIC programming language. BASIC was available on many popular home computers, but there were countless variants that were mostly incompatible with each other. The project was initiated in 1980 by Hobbyscoop, a radio program of the Dutch broadcasting organisation Nederlandse Omroep Stichting.
  The basic implementation were architecture-specific utility applications that executed calls of subroutines for text, audio and sound defined in the BASICODE language standard according to the abilities of the computer in question. These applications, called Bascoders, also enabled the sharing of data and programs across different computer platforms by defining a data format for the Compact Cassettes that were regularly used as storage media in the 1980s. A BASICODE program stored on cassette could be loaded and run on any computer supporting the language. BASICODE was often called "Esperanto for computers" for that reason.
context_section_description: Around 1980 the Dutch broadcaster NOS began transmitting computer programs by radio. Because programs and data were stored as audio on compact cassettes, it was possible to record such a broadcast on tape and load it into the computer later. However, because of the problems mentioned earlier, the program had to be adapted for nearly all popular types of computers and broadcast multiple times as well. Because the compact cassette has a very low data density compared to today's storage media, the recording of the programs took quite a long time, and only a limited number of programs could be broadcast per show. So, the additional broadcasting of different versions of the same programs was a great inconvenience.
  In 1982 the executives at NOS decided to develop a unified data format. An application that was specific for each computer model, called Bascoder, managed the recall and storage of programs and data in this unified format from tape. The Bascoders were broadcast by NOS as well, but could also be bought from NOS on cassette and shared among friends and acquaintances. The format, which was very well-protected against interference, could be read and written by all popular home computer hardware. The robustness of the format also made broadcasting via mediumwave radio possible, which increased the range and in turn the number of potential users. For example, data broadcast by the Dutch radio station Hilversum could be received in large parts of the German Democratic Republic.
caption: Sinclair ZX Spectrum
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