[Coco] Was this advertisement "true"...?

[Lothan]

Forgot to mention... you can check these sites for confirmation:

http://www.thecocolounge.com/coco2.htm
http://www.trs-80.com/trs80-models-coco.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Shack_Color_Computer

-----Original Message----- 
From: Andrew 
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 9:43 PM 
To: coco at maltedmedia.com 
Subject: Re: [Coco] Was this advertisement "true"...? 

This was posted today on a site I frequent:

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2011/09/27/commodore-vic-20/

Now, Captain Kirk aside, what struck me most about this ad (which I 
commented on if you care to look), was the statement in the table that 
"Microsoft Basic" cost an extra $99.00, and that it was "standard" on 
the VIC-20...

What is the truth here? Didn't the Color Computer always come with 
Microsoft Color Basic in ROM, as part of the machine? Also, what version 
(if anyone knows?) of Microsoft Basic did the VIC-20 come with? The 
VIC-20, AFAIK, didn't have any of the "low-res" graphics commands in its 
basic command set (SET, RESET, POINT, COLOR, etc); any graphics had to 
be done via POKES/PEEKS (ML). I've always considered these hallmark 
commands of Microsoft Basic; similar commands appear in their later 
versions of BASIC interpreters and compilers (up to and including VB - 
heck, I think there's still traces in VB.NET).

If the VIC-20 did come with a version of Microsoft Basic - then it would 
have to have been an earlier version without these commands, such as was 
seen on older 8-bit machines of the era (from what I've read)?

For that matter - what version of BASIC did the Commodore Pet have, if 
anyone knows? I know this is slightly off-topic; my apologies...

:)

Andrew L. Ayers, Glendale, Arizona

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