B32 Business Basic: A Legacy in the Evolution of Business Programming Languages
The development of programming languages has been integral to the evolution of computing, particularly in the business world where speed, accuracy, and reliability are paramount. Among the many programming languages that shaped business computing in the 1980s and 1990s, B32 Business Basic stands out for its competitive edge, speed, and innovative features. Released in 1986 by B32 Software, it served as a competitor to the already well-established Data General Business Basic (DGBB), offering numerous improvements that attracted users in both traditional and evolving computing environments. This article explores the development, features, legacy, and eventual acquisition of B32 Business Basic.
The Birth of B32 Business Basic
B32 Business Basic was developed by Murray Haszard in 1986, aimed at addressing the limitations of its competitors, particularly Data General’s Business Basic (DGBB). While DGBB was the dominant language for business applications running on Data General computers, it had several constraints, especially in terms of performance, memory limitations, and compatibility. B32 Business Basic emerged as a direct response to these shortcomings, providing an alternative with enhanced capabilities.
B32 initially ran on the Data General Eclipse MV line of computers, which was a popular choice in the 1980s and early 1990s for its robust performance in running business applications. Its compatibility with DGBB was one of its key selling points, allowing businesses that already used Data General systems to transition to B32 without significant disruption. However, B32 wasn’t just a copy of DGBB; it also incorporated various improvements that would set it apart in the highly competitive market of business computing.
B32’s Compatibility and Innovations
One of the defining features of B32 Business Basic was its high level of compatibility with Data General Business Basic (DGBB), but with several enhancements that made it a more attractive option for businesses looking to improve the performance and capabilities of their systems. The B32 interpreter maintained compatibility with DGBB’s structure, allowing programs written in DGBB to run seamlessly on the B32 platform. Yet, it also offered significant improvements in several key areas that made it stand out.
Performance Improvements
B32 was designed to be considerably faster than DGBB, boasting performance gains of more than 100% in critical areas such as number crunching, string manipulation, and disk I/O. These improvements were particularly beneficial in business applications that required high-speed calculations, large data processing, or quick file operations. Businesses that ran complex financial models, for example, found that B32 could execute tasks in a fraction of the time it took on DGBB.
The enhanced performance was largely due to B32’s ability to perform arithmetic at “quad precision,” or 64-bit. This allowed B32 to handle large numerical computations more effectively, avoiding the inconsistencies often found in other systems that used lower precision. The language could emulate the “triple precision” and “double precision” modes of DGBB at runtime, which made the transition to B32 seamless for users who had relied on those features in DGBB.
Memory and File Management
B32 extended the memory and file management capabilities compared to DGBB, allowing more memory to be allocated for programs and enabling users to open more files simultaneously. For businesses managing large datasets, the ability to access more memory and handle more files at once was a significant advantage. This improvement helped businesses manage growing data requirements without having to invest in more hardware, which was often costly at the time.
Additionally, B32 removed several internal restrictions that were present in DGBB. For example, DGBB had a limit of 9,999 line numbers, which could be restrictive for large applications. B32 allowed up to 32,767 line numbers in its earlier versions, which later increased to 65,535 line numbers. This change significantly boosted the flexibility and scalability of the language.
Enhanced Language Features
In terms of language enhancements, B32 Business Basic introduced several new features that were absent in DGBB. These included a high-speed internal sort routine, support for “do-while” loops, and the ability to step backward through an indexed file. These additions made B32 more versatile, allowing developers to write more efficient and flexible code for a wider variety of business applications.
Debugging was another area where B32 excelled over its competitors. It offered superior debugging tools compared to DGBB, providing developers with more robust facilities to identify and resolve issues in their code. Given the complexity of business applications, having advanced debugging tools was crucial for reducing development time and minimizing errors.
Terminal and Cursor Support
B32 also improved terminal support, particularly for non-Data General terminals. It allowed programs to run with full cursor positioning and attribute support on terminals that were not part of the Data General family. This was especially important for businesses that used a mix of different terminal types but still needed to run legacy programs that had been hard-coded with Data General-specific control sequences.
The Transition to Unix and DOS
While B32 Business Basic was initially designed to run on the Data General Eclipse MV line, the company behind B32, B32 Software, understood that the future of computing would likely involve more general-purpose operating systems, particularly Unix and DOS. As a result, B32 was ported to Unix in 1989 and DOS in 1991, significantly expanding its user base.
The Unix and DOS versions of B32 were highly compatible with the operating systems of the time, implementing all the commonly used system calls of Data General’s AOS/VS and RDOS operating systems. For instance, the Unix version of B32 included its own implementation of symbolic links on SCO Xenix, a popular Unix-like operating system, and emulated key system calls used in the Data General environments. This made B32 an appealing option for businesses that had transitioned to Unix or DOS-based systems but still needed to maintain compatibility with their older Data General applications.
The Competitor’s Response: The “Features War”
By the early 1990s, B32 Business Basic faced increased competition from other programming languages in the business computing space, particularly Transoft’s Universal Business Basic. This led to what could be called a “features war,” where both companies introduced new features in an attempt to outdo each other.
B32 responded by adding a Bluebird Business Basic emulation mode, allowing users to run programs designed for Bluebird Business Basic, another popular language at the time. Additionally, B32 made line numbers optional and introduced subroutine calls by name with parameter passing, a feature that enhanced the modularity and readability of the code. These updates helped solidify B32’s position in the marketplace and gave it a competitive edge against its rivals.
Acquisition by Transoft
Despite its improvements and innovations, B32 Software faced financial constraints compared to its larger competitors. In 1992, Transoft, a company with more substantial financial resources and a stronger marketing presence, acquired B32. Following the acquisition, Transoft focused on integrating B32’s features into its own product line, particularly Universal Business Basic. As a result, the DOS and Unix versions of B32 were discontinued, as Universal Business Basic had already filled that niche.
However, the Eclipse MV version of B32 continued to be sold as long as the MV line of computers was in use. As the MV line was phased out, the demand for B32 on those platforms dwindled, and Transoft eventually ceased support for B32. Some of B32 Software’s staff in Blue Ash, Ohio, moved to Transoft’s new office in Atlanta, Georgia, while the New Zealand-based staff went on to establish a new company called Binary Research.
Conclusion: The Legacy of B32 Business Basic
Though B32 Business Basic is no longer in widespread use today, its legacy remains significant in the history of business programming languages. It demonstrated how a competitor could not only match but exceed the capabilities of an established system by focusing on performance, flexibility, and compatibility. B32’s innovations in areas like precision arithmetic, memory management, and debugging tools set new standards for business-oriented programming languages.
Moreover, B32’s ability to run on multiple platforms, from Data General’s proprietary systems to Unix and DOS, demonstrated its adaptability and foresight into the changing computing landscape. Although its time in the spotlight was brief, B32 Business Basic’s impact on business software development is undeniable, and it represents an important chapter in the evolution of computing during a transformative period in the tech industry.
As the business world continues to evolve and embrace new technologies, the lessons learned from early programming languages like B32 Business Basic continue to shape modern software development practices.