IBM-PC systems originally shipped with BASIC in ROM, as did many computers of that era. After BASIC left ROM, IBM-compatible machines continued to ship with GW-BASIC. Hackaday reported on October 4, 2026, that Thoreau BASIC revisits that model for modern hardware.
Thoreau BASIC aims to be code-compatible with all old GW-BASIC code, including line numbers and GOTOs. It can boot on modern x86 PCs through UEFI or run under Windows. The system supports 64-bit memory and multithreading. Graphics run at 24 bits in any resolution the monitor supports, and sprites and 32-channel sound are included.
Programs can be compiled for Windows and for bare-metal execution on UEFI x86 machines. Thoreau BASIC is therefore not limited to interpretation. The project is not open source. It is offered on Itch.io under a pay-what-you-want model, where examples are also available. Hackaday places it alongside other BASIC revival projects, including MoonBASIC and BASIC-256, while noting that BASIC is unlikely to regain its former dominance.
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