Is there a shareware or freeware version of basic for dos/windows?
(I've mostly been using macs for a while and haven't used dos or windows
for a while).  I'll be programming some pic16f688 chips and need to
write a programing program (taking hex files for input) to use a
parallel port programer (similar to most of those on the piclist web
site).  Once it's working i will of course post the schematic for the
programmer and the software as open source.

i'll be using a programmer very similar to <
http://www.rotgradpsi.de/mc/picprog/picproge.html> except that i'll be
using 2 adjustable voltage regulators so i can adjust the vcc during
verify and adjust the programming voltage as well, and i'll be using
mosfets to switch the Vcc and Vpp and an open collector inverter with a
pullup resistor to drive the biderectional data line.

when i have some time i'll also be designing a serial programmer for the
mac and pc and writing the code in C which i'm still learning (i have a
copy of code warrior which makes it relatively easy to write a program
for dos and the mac os in C or C++ ).  I'll try and design this
programmer to handle several different chips with some sort of a chip
"definition" file for each chip type so that it's more universal
(including non pic chips).

for now though, i just need to get these 16f688 chips programed for a
clock chipping project (it will be a serial port controlled oscillator
adjustable from 1 mhz to 133 mhz in 100khz steps and about the size of a
surface mount crystal oscillator, later i'll work on a faster version
for more recent machines but a lot of people like me still enjoy playing
with older, slower macs, some of which use a crystal that's half the
chip speed).  Thanks.

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