Thoreau BASIC started as a joke interpreter but evolved into a full-featured x64 environment. Version 3.2 blends classic Microsoft BASIC syntax with modern capabilities. The language retains line numbers, GOTO, and GOSUB, while underneath features native x64 JIT compilation, PARFOR multithreading, and SSE2/AVX2 acceleration.
It supports 64-bit addressing, complex and quaternion hypercomplex numbers, and arbitrary-resolution 24-bit graphics. A complete sound system handles 32 instrument channels, 64 effect channels, and 256 voices with real-time control. Beyond visuals and audio, the update adds TCP/IP networking, file browsing, and an integrated profiler.
A key design goal is parity between Windows and bare-metal UEFI execution, allowing programs to boot directly without an operating system. Demos include real-time Mandelbrot explorers and 3D sprite programs. The project poses the question: what would BASIC look like if it had never gone out of fashion?.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing