The only implementation of BASIC for the Macintosh that is remotely similar to
"Rocky Mountain BASIC" for the HP9000 series is Microsoft QuickBASIC. There
are numerous differences, especially considering the machine-specific details
of each BASIC. Rocky Mountain BASIC uses many commands and parameters that
mean nothing to computers other than HP9000 systems. Likewise, Microsoft
QuickBASIC uses Macintosh-specific commands that do not exist on other
computers and a command syntax in traditional Microsoft BASIC style--a style
much different than that of Hewlett-Packard's BASIC.
They do share the important ability to use subprograms and functions, but the
method of implementing these is quite different between the two languages.
Microsoft QuickBASIC would give you a powerful BASIC. However, porting
anything other than the simplest programs from Rocky Mountain BASIC will not be
a trivial task. This is especially with programs that are I/O-intensive,
because these tend to be the areas where the languages differ the most.
There are some definite benefits to using Microsoft QuickBASIC over HP's BASIC,
like advanced debugging features (breakpoints and animated tracing for
source-level debugging) and a simpler mouse interface. Users can quickly grow
accustomed to the Microsoft QuickBASIC product, while Rocky Mountain BASIC has
a cruder interface and takes more time to master. Of course, you are already
using Rocky Mountain BASIC, so the change in programming environment will have
an impact to the degree that you are familiar with Macintosh user interface
conventions.
If you need additional information on Microsoft QuickBASIC, we suggest that you
contact Microsoft directly. They should be able to provide more up-to-date
information and could, perhaps, assist in deciding if their product will fit
your requirements. For more details, search the Technical Info library under
"Microsoft Corp AND WA"
We should mention that at least one company sells what is essentially a clone
of Rocky Mountain BASIC for MS-DOS computers. These products provide a command
set and environment that is very similar to HP's. Unfortunately, we do not know
of any plans for similar products for the Macintosh. The closest would be to
use one of these BASIC clones on an MS-DOS emulator, like SoftPC or Mac286--not
a very elegant solution.