History of the question mark

[Dimster]

Does anyone know the history of how it came to be that "?" became a short form for "PRINT". Has it always been built into the bones of QBasic. Could have been ported over from some other language. Just curious.

[bplus]

I do know that it works in SmallBASIC but not in Just Basic (nor LB).

[CletusSnow]

I do not know an answer, but it would be funny to have more like this. Maybe | for input and § for screen.

[Kernelpanic]

The "?" sign for "Print" goes back to GW-Basic. If you used the program editor you could use it to output: "?2 + 2".
The idea behind is probably that "?"  stands for the question: "How much is" 2 + 2.

[dbox]

The question mark (?) as a shortcut for the PRINT statement was first introduced in Microsoft BASIC. This feature became widely recognized and used in various implementations of Microsoft BASIC, including:

1. Altair BASIC (1975): One of the earliest versions of Microsoft BASIC, where this shortcut likely appeared.
   
2. BASIC-80: Also known as MBASIC, used on the CP/M operating system.
   
3. Commodore BASIC (1977): Based on Microsoft BASIC, used in Commodore computers like the PET, VIC-20, and Commodore 64.
   

The use of the question mark as a shorthand for the PRINT statement was popularized through these versions of BASIC, making it a common feature in many early personal computers that used Microsoft BASIC derivatives.

... or at least that's what ChatGPT thinks.

[SMcNeill]

I knew I'd seen this before: https://retrocomputing.stackexchange.com...iate-print

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Answers in the BASIC Programming group suggest "?" for PRINT was introduced in Microsoft Level-2 BASIC, while Microsoft Level-1 BASIC had the "P" abbreviation for PRINT.

[Dimster]

It would have had to have been one or two programmers who came up with it. I wonder if Kemeny or Kurtzas would know (or have tracked ) their Basic language evolution over time?

[hsiangch_ong]

In True Basic. The exclamation point begins remark. Not apostrophe.

I got this from a book: Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I allowed abbreviation of keywords. But also had to use period. Like "P." for "PRINT". "I." for "INPUT". "GOS." for "GOSUB" because "G." already taken for "GOTO".

[Pete]

You know what a better shortcut isPRINT... oops, ? It's the one to SCREEN 0. What is it? Nothing! SCREEN 0 is the default screen! Who made it that way? God. He did so by sneaking back into the office on the 7th day.

Pete

- You can't do everything in SCREEN 0, but since you can't do everything anyway, it's perfect!