Microsoft Pascal
Encyclopedia
Microsoft Pascal was an implementation of the Pascal programming language that was developed by the Microsoft Corporation for compiling
programs for running on its MS-DOS
operating system and, in later versions, on OS/2
(like many other Microsoft programming tools, albeit they were only capable of generating 16-bit programs for the latter).
Microsoft Pascal version 3.2 was released in 1986. The last version of Microsoft Pascal to be released was version 4.0 in 1988, when Microsoft Pascal was superseded by (the somewhat short-lived) Microsoft QuickPascal, a cheaper development tool that Microsoft produced in order to compete with Borland
's Turbo Pascal
. Microsoft Pascal was priced at around $400, whereas QuickPascal was priced between $25 and $50, and the differences between the two were similar to those between Microsoft BASIC
Professional Development System and Microsoft QuickBASIC
.
Unlike the ISO compliant Microsoft Pascal product, QuickPascal went after the ultimate compatibility with Turbo Pascal. This included not only source-level compatibility, but rather complete binary compatibility with widely available unit libraries for the competitor's compiler. To achieve this level of compatibility, QuickPascal moved away from the common file format (OBJ) and tool set (LINK, LIB) shared by Microsoft's other compilers.
It is interesting to note that Borland's Turbo Pascal V4 had a few quirks, the most notable of which was that it would occasionally ignore one or more lines of source code when said code was compiled. QuickPascal had exactly the same quirks and ignored exactly the same lines.
Compiler
A compiler is a computer program that transforms source code written in a programming language into another computer language...
programs for running on its MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
operating system and, in later versions, on OS/2
OS/2
OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as part of the same generation change release as IBM's "Personal System/2 " line of second-generation personal...
(like many other Microsoft programming tools, albeit they were only capable of generating 16-bit programs for the latter).
Microsoft Pascal version 3.2 was released in 1986. The last version of Microsoft Pascal to be released was version 4.0 in 1988, when Microsoft Pascal was superseded by (the somewhat short-lived) Microsoft QuickPascal, a cheaper development tool that Microsoft produced in order to compete with Borland
Borland
Borland Software Corporation is a software company first headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, Cupertino, California and finally Austin, Texas. It is now a Micro Focus subsidiary. It was founded in 1983 by Niels Jensen, Ole Henriksen, Mogens Glad and Philippe Kahn.-The 1980s:...
's Turbo Pascal
Turbo Pascal
Turbo Pascal is a software development system that includes a compiler and an integrated development environment for the Pascal programming language running on CP/M, CP/M-86, and DOS, developed by Borland under Philippe Kahn's leadership...
. Microsoft Pascal was priced at around $400, whereas QuickPascal was priced between $25 and $50, and the differences between the two were similar to those between Microsoft BASIC
Microsoft BASIC
Microsoft BASIC was the foundation product of the Microsoft company. It first appeared in 1975 as Altair BASIC, which was the first BASIC, and the first high level programming language available for the MITS Altair 8800 hobbyist microcomputer....
Professional Development System and Microsoft QuickBASIC
QuickBASIC
Microsoft QuickBASIC is an Integrated Development Environment and compiler for the BASIC programming language that was developed by Microsoft. QuickBASIC runs mainly on DOS, though there was a short-lived version for Mac OS...
.
Unlike the ISO compliant Microsoft Pascal product, QuickPascal went after the ultimate compatibility with Turbo Pascal. This included not only source-level compatibility, but rather complete binary compatibility with widely available unit libraries for the competitor's compiler. To achieve this level of compatibility, QuickPascal moved away from the common file format (OBJ) and tool set (LINK, LIB) shared by Microsoft's other compilers.
It is interesting to note that Borland's Turbo Pascal V4 had a few quirks, the most notable of which was that it would occasionally ignore one or more lines of source code when said code was compiled. QuickPascal had exactly the same quirks and ignored exactly the same lines.