18
User's
Handbook to the Atari
400
/
800
Computers
The Atari's
operating
system
is
stored
permanently
in
ROM
. The
operating
system
is
contained in a
plug-in
module
in
the
.A.tari
800.
Languages
Programs are generally
written
in a high-level language that
is
different
from
the
instructions the
computer
uses
. A
program
known
as
an
interpreter
must be used
to
translate the
high-level
language
into
a
form
that
the
computer
can
comprehend.
BASIC
is
the
high-level
language generally used
with
the
Atari.
The Atari
BASIC
interpreter
is
contained
on
a
ROM
cartridge
which
can be
plugged
in
under
the hatch
of
either
the Atari
400
or
800.
Applications Programs
Appl
ications programs are those
written
to
accompl
ish
a specific
task.
Examples
of
applications programs are games,
word
processing
programs,
financial
forecasting
programs,
and
accounting programs. Generally, applications programs are
stored
on
cassette
or
diskette and are transferred
into
RAM,
where
the
program
is
available to the
computer.
Applications
programs
for
the
Atari can also be stored in a
permanent
form
on
a
ROM
cartridge. This
ROM
cartridge can
be
plugged in
underneath
the
hatch
on
the
Atari. Examples
of
ROM
plug-in
cartridges are shown in Illustration 2-4.
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