I am the author (and copyright owner) of the Bywater BASIC interpreter,
currently at version 2.10 with a couple of modifications floating around.
This version was released in November of 1993. I originally wrote the
interpreter as an exercise in cross-platform programming and was happy
that it was found useful by folks across the world. Version 2.10 was
released according to the GNU General Program License and grants free
copying of the source code so long as it is distributed in the form in
which I released it. I have also sold several commercial contracts for the
interpreter that allow vendors to sell binaries based on it. This
development surprised me, but I still have requests for commercial
contracts. Commercial users consistently want it as a basis for an
included interpreted script language for their products.

This places me in a serious quandary, since I really don't have time to
devote to future development of the interpreter, answer questions, draw up
contracts, etc. So I thought I might consult net users for some advice. As
I see it, these are my options:

(1) Sell the interpreter as a whole. But Bill hasn't called yet. Oh yeah,
that's right, he already has a BASIC interpreter. Doubt anybody wants to
buy it outright. Not that serious.

(2) Give it to a College/University Computer Science Department or some
other not-for-profit instituion or foundation in exchange for their
promise to support it and perhaps a receipt for its value as a donation to
charity. But I wouldn't know who would be interested.

(3) Find a "jobber" who could handle at least the commercial licenses and
perhaps some promotion (which I have never tried) for a percentage. But I
don't even know if such organizations exist. Do you?  So can you think of
other ways to dispose (appropriately) of a somewhat useful collection of C
code that makes a BASIC interpreter?  I would prefer that you send me
email in response to this if you have ideas.  

- Ted Campbell

-----------------------------------

However, as my employment contract forbids me from assisting any competitors
or potential competitors, I'm afraid I can't help you without risking some
serious backlash here at BASIS.

However, a number of people have said good things about Bywater BASIC and I
wish you success in whatever you decide to do with it.

--
  ++   ++   "Well Samwise: What do you think of the elves now?"


  ++   ++------------------------------------------------------

-> interpreter as an exercise in cross-platform programming and was
-> happy that it was found useful by folks across the world. Version
-> 2.10 was released according to the GNU General Program License and
-> grants free copying of the source code so long as it is distributed
-> in the form in which I released it. I have also sold several
-> commercial contracts for the

Since you've already given away the right to copy your code - albeit
under a slight restriction - I doubt that the remaining rights to it
constitute much of a saleable item.

I suspect my own inclination, if I were in your shoes, would simply be
to add a disclaimer to the thing, saying that anyone who uses it does so
at his own risk, then release it completely into the public domain,
posting it on the Internet and wherever else you can think of. Then
you'd have done your bit for humanity, and would have nothing to worry
about.

In your disclaimer notice, you could ask anyone who uses it to send you
a picture postcard of their home city. I have done that sort of thing,
and have found it produces some interesting mail!

                             dow

: Since you've already given away the right to copy your code - albeit
: under a slight restriction - I doubt that the remaining rights to it
: constitute much of a saleable item.

That isn't right.  Didn't he say he was already making money selling it
to various parties?  Clearly there's value for dollars there.  

Carl
--
------------------------------------------------------------------

 author of Liberty BASIC, a 1996 PC Magazine Awards Finalist!
 http://world.std.com/~carlg/basic.html

[Re: bwbasic 2.10]

FYI: There are at least 2 versions of bug fix patches for bwbasic 2.10
floating around on the net.

I've used bwbasic, patched to 2.20.1.  It's slower but much more
complete than the other 3 or 4 portable (c source code) versions of
Basic floating around on the net.  YMMV.

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#include <canonical.disclaimer>          // only my own opinions, etc.