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Try computing like it's 1975 on the HP ACCESS BASIC time share system!

HP ACCESS BASIC

HP ACCESS BASIC was a popular time sharing system during the early-to-mid 1970s. It ran on a dual-processor architecture that used two HP2100 computers: one processor handled the time share service (the system and user code) while the other acted as an I/O processor for connected users and devices. This installation can serve up to 32 simultaneous users. In the 70s users connected remotely using a modem and a teletype or a direct RS-232 line. Here, you will use secure shell (ssh) to connect to the simulator.

Directions

Login to the host server 

ssh tek@tichy.che.udel.edu
pw: ats19716

You’ll automagically connect to an HP ACCESS BASIC system... 

Connected to the HP 2100 simulator MUX device, line 0

Type RETURN RETURN CTRL-J a few times. You’ll see: 

PLEASE LOG IN

Type: hello-b002,basic 


UD CHEMICAL ENGINEERING TIME SHARE BASIC

HAVE A NICE DAY!

Type your first program: 

10 PRINT “HELLO, WORLD”
20 END
RUN


HELLO, WORLD

DONE

The character delete key is CTRL-H. The line delete key is CTRL+X.

To log out, type BYE 

bye
0001 MINUTES OF TERMINAL TIME 

Disconnected from the HP 2100 simulator

Commands

Here are some HP ACCESS BASIC commands (all commands can be substituted by their first three letters): 

CATALOG .............. file list in personal library
GET-filename ......... load a program (yes, you need the dash)
RUN .................. run loaded program
LIST ................. list program
BYE .................. log out
TIME ................. check current elapsed and total system use
LENGTH ............... check current and total disk use

SCRATCH .............. clear program (aka NEW in other BASICs)
NAM-filename ......... name a program (do this before saving)
SAVE ................. save the file (if file already exists, purge it first)
PURGE-filename ....... delete file from disk

Group and master libraries

User b002 belongs to the b000 group, which shares a library of files. These are accessible by the command GROUP (recall that commands can be substituted by their first three letters.) 

GRO
 NAME    LENGTH RECORD   NAME    LENGTH RECORD   NAME    LENGTH RECORD
AMAZE   U     7         FATTIE  U     2         LINEAR  U     1
LOVE    U     5         PUNCHN  U     2         PUNCHW  U     2
PUNW2   U     3         PUNW3   U     6         SQR     U     2
TEN     U     1         VELO    U     5

To load a group program, use the get command with an asterisk before the filename. 

GET-*LOVE

List the master library with the command LIBRARY. (Currently there are no files in the master library.)

Documentation

The BASIC language shares many features across its different versions, including line numbers, commands derived from short english words, and numerical variables that don't distinguish between floats and integers. However, one version of BASIC can also be quite different from another. The following references will help you get started with HP ACCESS BASIC.