BIP (Basic Interpretation Program) is a programming language and compiler developed by Dennis McCarthy in the early 1970s. It was one of the first high-level programming languages to be used on mainframe computers.

Here are some key features and facts about BIP:

**Key Features:**

1. **High-level language**: BIP was designed to be a high-level language, meaning it abstracted away many low-level details, making it easier to program.
2. **Compiled language**: BIP was a compiled language, which means that the code was converted into machine code before execution.
3. **Mainframe-centric**: BIP was primarily designed for use on mainframe computers.

**History:**

1. **Development**: BIP was developed in the early 1970s by Dennis McCarthy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
2. **Release**: The first version of BIP was released in 1972.

**Notable uses:**

1. **Mainframe computing**: BIP was widely used on mainframe computers in the 1970s and 1980s for a variety of applications, including business software, scientific simulations, and operating systems.
2. **DOS**: BIP was also used to develop some early versions of MS-DOS.

**Legacy:**

1. **Influence**: BIP's design influenced the development of later high-level programming languages, such as PL/I and COBOL.
2. **Legacy code**: Many legacy systems still use BIP or its variants today.

While BIP is no longer widely used, it played an important role in the early days of mainframe computing and had a lasting impact on the development of high-level programming languages.