True BASIC, developed by John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz (the creators of the original BASIC language), was more advanced than the BASIC included with the Commodore 64 (C64) in several key ways. Here’s an explanation of the differences:

1. Structured Programming

   • True BASIC: Introduced structured programming features, such as IF...THEN...ELSE, FOR...NEXT, WHILE...WEND, and DO...LOOP constructs. This allowed for better-organized and more maintainable code. • C64 BASIC (Commodore BASIC 2.0): Relied heavily on line numbers and GOTO statements, which often led to “spaghetti code” that was difficult to read and debug.

2. No Line Numbers

   • True BASIC: Did away with mandatory line numbers. Instead, it allowed for procedures and labels, making programs easier to write and understand. • C64 BASIC: Required line numbers for every command, which could make editing and organizing large programs cumbersome.

3. Built-in Graphics and Sound Support

   • True BASIC: Included built-in support for graphics and sound commands, making it easier to create multimedia applications. • C64 BASIC: Had minimal built-in commands for graphics and sound. Users often had to resort to PEEK and POKE commands or assembly language for advanced features.

4. Advanced Data Structures

   • True BASIC: Supported advanced data structures such as user-defined functions, subroutines, and multi-dimensional arrays. These features made it more suitable for complex programming tasks. • C64 BASIC: Had limited support for arrays and relied heavily on global variables, with no true subroutines or user-defined functions.

5. Portability

   • True BASIC: Designed to be portable across different platforms, adhering to the ANSI standard for BASIC. This made it useful for developers who wanted their programs to run on multiple systems. • C64 BASIC: Was tied closely to the Commodore 64’s hardware, with many commands specific to the platform.

6. Error Handling

   • True BASIC: Included better error handling mechanisms, making it easier to debug and recover from errors in programs. • C64 BASIC: Provided very basic error messages, which were often cryptic and unhelpful.

7. Development Environment

   • True BASIC: Typically offered a more modern development environment with features like better text editing and debugging tools. • C64 BASIC: Lacked these conveniences, requiring programmers to work with a simple line editor.

In summary, True BASIC represented an evolution of the BASIC language with a focus on modern programming practices, portability, and ease of use, while C64 BASIC 2.0 was a minimalistic and hardware-specific implementation that reflected the constraints of the early 1980s.