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8-Bit Software

The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

Comal

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An Article by Alasdair Davis

Comal is a programming language that was developed by Benedict Loefstedt and Borge Christensen in 1973. It has been developed for many platforms, including the BBC, The PC, The Mac and the Amiga. Comal is a language similar to BASIC but has many advanced features that are similar to PASCAL.

As Comal is a language for beginners it is used in education and this is where the BBC comes in. AcornSOFT developed a version for the BBC MicroComputer, because many schools all over the country had these computers, so Comal came into widespread use as an introduction to programming, In fact some schools still use Comal on BBCs. I met Comal in my school where I did programming on a BBC Master, there was a room full of them! Sadly they have been replaced by Apple iMacs.

As this has been happening all over the country (BBCs are being replaced by Apple Macs or PCs) Comal has been ported to many different platforms, see below. However I still use Comal on a BBC in my home, I also have the version for the MacOS and a demo of the version for the PC. If you would like to contact me and ask some questions about Comal, or the BBC then please do. I will try to help.

   * If you have a BBC computer, model B, B+ or Master and you would like to use Comal,  8BS sells Comal ROMs which you can put into a free ROM slot and start to use Comal.

   * If you have a PC and would like to use Comal then use this link to the Macharsoft website. Macharsoft sell a version of Comal, called UniComal, which will work on your PC.

   * If you have a Apple Mac and would like to use Comal then use this link (C.J.R. This link does not work. Alisdair is looking for one that does) to the Comal for Mac OS site. Iain Merrick has designed a version of Comal for use on the Mac.

   * Finally if you have an Amiga then follow this link to a site on Aminet. Scroll down the page to "Comal.lha" where you can download it and use it on your Amiga.

I hope you found the information useful. I really enjoy using Comal, on my BBC Master, and I'm sure you will too (on whatever platform). Please e-mail me if any of the links above don't work, or if you would like further information on Comal. I am hoping to develop some simple games and programs in Comal, watch this space, I will put them on this site for download.

 

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