Microsoft Open-Sources Bill Gates’ 1970s BASIC Code That Powered Early Computers

Nearly 50 years after its creation, Microsoft has open-sourced the original 6502 BASIC interpreter written by Bill Gates and Ric Weiland in the 1970s. This historic code powered early home computers like the Commodore PET, VIC-20, and Apple II, and is now available on GitHub under the MIT License. Labeled “BASIC M6502 8K VER 1.1,” the release includes early fixes by Gates and Commodore engineer John Feagans. With features like floating-point math and string handling, the code remains functional and educational. Its release celebrates Microsoft’s programming roots and supports retro computing communities and software preservation efforts worldwide.