David Simons
Simons' BASIC creator
The young British programmer who created Simons' BASIC for the Commodore 64, adding 114 commands that made game development practical in BASIC.
Overview
David Simons was a teenage programmer who created Simons’ BASIC, a BASIC extension for the Commodore 64 that added 114 commands for graphics, sound, and sprite handling. Published by Commodore in 1983, it transformed the C64’s limited BASIC V2 into a viable game development environment. Simons was reportedly just 16 when he wrote it.
Fast Facts
- Born: ~1967
- Created: Simons’ BASIC (1983)
- Age at creation: ~16 years old
- Publisher: Commodore
- Platform: Commodore 64
- Commands added: 114
The Problem He Solved
C64 BASIC V2 was notoriously limited:
| Feature | BASIC V2 | Simons’ BASIC |
|---|---|---|
| Sprites | POKE only | Direct commands |
| Graphics | POKE only | HIRES, PLOT, etc. |
| Sound | POKE only | MUSIC commands |
| Development | Difficult | Practical |
Key Commands
What Simons’ BASIC added:
| Category | Commands |
|---|---|
| Graphics | HIRES, PLOT, DRAW, CIRCLE |
| Sprites | SPRITE, MOVSPR, SSPR |
| Sound | MUSIC, VOL, ENVELOPE |
| Programming | PROC, EXEC, REPEAT |
| Toolkit | FIND, AUTO, RENUMBER |
Impact
Simons’ BASIC enabled:
- Game development without assembly
- Learning structured programming
- Quick prototyping
- Magazine type-in games
- A generation of bedroom coders
The Teenager Phenomenon
Simons exemplified the era:
- Young programmers making professional tools
- Publishers signing teenagers
- No formal credentials needed
- Skill demonstrated through work
Legacy
While other BASIC extensions existed, Simons’ BASIC had Commodore’s official backing and wide distribution. It showed that a single talented programmer—even a teenager—could fill a gap that a major corporation had left unfilled.