Action was the best 8-bit programming language

Summary

There were many programming languages available for 8-bit computers, the most common being BASIC and Assembly Language, but there were also other lesser-used languages such as Logo, Forth, and Pilot. The languages that would go on to dominate 16-bit computing, C and Pascal, were also available but were usually severely limited. An 8-bit computer generally did not have enough horsepower to run those more complex language compilers.By 1983 Optimized Systems Software (OSS) was renown in the Atari world for its great updated versions of DOS (DOS XL), BASIC (BASIC XL/XE) and assembler (MAC/65), so it was no surprise that they were the ones to introduce a new language, Action!, into the Atari market.Created by Clinton Parker, Action! was an all-new compiled language that was designed and optimized for the 8-bit 6502 CPU. It was a 16K cartridge and had everything you need integrated into one package: the monitor, compiler, text editor and debugger. In some ways, Action! was the first IDE (integrated development environment) for an 8-bit computer.Back in the 80s I never used Action! and instead mostly used BASIC and OSS BASIC XE for my programming. I did like reading Action! program listings in magazines, though. But I now have the Action! cartridge and just recently acquired an Action! user manual, so I felt it was time to take a closer look at this amazing software development tool.The version of Action! that I now have is the classic orange cartridge, paired with a small 3-ring yellow binder containing the documentation. Action! was also available in the yellow label cartridge and its manual was also in a larger binder and then later, perfect bound (like the BASIC XL and BASIC XE manuals I have). Having the manual in a binder would have certainly been more useful in the 80s when you had to refer to it frequently.Action! retailed for $99 in 1983 (about $320 in 2025) and was only available for the Atari 8-bit computers. Early advertisements indicated there would be forthco...