Also, Apple could have developed a fully in-house AppleSoft replacement by 1985; It’s unfortunate Sculley was not in a position — or did not realize software could be developed — to call Microsoft’s bluff.
Little more to it than that. Bill Gates and Microsoft held the cards and killed it - Because Apple still depended on AppleSoft BASIC in the Apple ][ and their license expired during this time. Apple would have to stop shipping AppleSoft BASIC in Apple ][ without the license.
My point is that, by 1985, Apple had the resources to develop a floating point BASIC of their own for the Apple II series. BASIC isn't that hard even with the primitive tools of the era; you may recall there were simple "open-source" versions in early personal computer magazines.
Still wonder how different the world might have been if there had been an excellent Mac-native BASIC available early on.
Microsoft’s BASIC was garbage on the Mac for a long, long time; it didn’t support the toolbox properly until very late, and when it did it was still kind of unpleasant to use.
https://www.folklore.org/MacBasic.html
https://www.folklore.org/MacBasic.html
Microsoft’s BASIC was garbage on the Mac for a long, long time; it didn’t support the toolbox properly until very late, and when it did it was still kind of unpleasant to use.