Classic Computer Magazine Archive COMPUTE! ISSUE 58 / MARCH 1985 / PAGE 10

Translating BASIC
Can any of the programs published in COMPUTE! be used on an Osborne I computer?
Bertrand Kushner

The articles accompanying all the programs we publish state which computers the programs have been tested on, as well as the hardware requirements for each computer.
    Beyond that, the only way to know for sure if a certain program is compatible with a different computer is to actually try it out. However, as a general rule, a program will not run on a different computer unless it is written in very plain BASIC, with no PEEKs, POKEs, CALLs, machine language subroutines, graphics, or sound. Even clearing the screen in text modes is handled differently on various computers.
    Your best bet is to pick a program which is written in very straightforward BASIC and try to fix the lines which cause errors on your machine. Unfortunately, the best programs are also the most complex and machine-specific. If you're a skilled programmer, it's often easier to rewrite the program from scratch, borrowing only the original concept.