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

[Lothan]

That's pure marketing smoke. The 26-3026 and 26-3027 models were identical 
with the difference that the 26-3026 model included the Color BASIC ROM and 
had a second socket so it could be upgraded to Extended Color BASIC while 
the 26-3027 model included the Color BASIC and Extended Color BASIC ROMs.

The same was true of the 26-3134/A/B Color Computer 2 and the 26-3136/A/B 
Color Computer 2. Both were identical but the 26-3134 had an empty socket* 
for Extended Color BASIC ROM. *My memory is fuzzy here and the ROMs may not 
have been socketed in the Korean models.

If I remember correctly, Radio Shack did sell the Extended Color BASIC 
upgrade as a separate package for models that did not included it.

-----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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