Someday all terminals will be smart. •.•.

••
• 128 Functions-software controlled • 82 x 16 or 92 x 22 format-plus graphics
• 7 x 12 matrix, upper/lower case letters • Printer output port
• 50 to 38,400 baud-selectable • "CHERRY" keyboard

CT-82 Intelligent Terminal, assembled and tested $795.00 ppd in Cont. U.S.

SOUTHWEST TECHNICAL PRODUCTS CORPORATION

219 W. RHAPSODY
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78216

CIRCLE 120 ON READI;R SERVICE CARD

 Mode1Z-2D System Two
Model Z-2 One or two disks Dual disk
Up to 512K of RAM/ROM Up to 512K of RAM/ROM Up to 512K of RAM/ROM
Up to 184K of disk Up to 184K of disk

Fill your computer needs

with the industry's
most professional microcomputers
#1 IN RELIABILITY Up to 512 kilobytes of RAM and •Cromemco card support of more
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When you choose Cromemco you process control, business sys-
get not only the industry's finest tems, and data acquisition in-
microcomputers but also the indus- cluding cards for A-D and D-A
try's widest microcomputer selec- conversion, for interfacing daisy-
tion. wheel or dot-matrix printers, even
What's more, you get a computer a card for programming PROMs.
from the manufacturer that compu- • The industry's most professional
ter dealers rate #1 in product re- software support, including
liability. * COBOL,FORTRANIV,RATFOR,
Your range of choice includes 16K Disk-Extended BASIC, Z-80
our advanced System Three with Macro Assembler, Cromemco
up to four 8" disk drives. Or choose Multi-User BASIC, Data Base
from the System Two and Z-2D with System Three
Management System, Word Proc-
5" drives. Then for ROM-based work Two to four disks
Up to 512K of RAM/ROM essing System - and more com-
there's the Z2. Each of these com- Up to 1 megabyte of disk
ing.
puters further offers up to V2 mega- • Rugged, professional all-metal
byte of RAM (or ROM). • 30-amp power supply - more construction for rack (or bench
We say these are the industry's than adequate for your most
or floor cabinet) mounting. Cabi-
most professional microcomputers demanding application.
nets available.
because they have outstanding fea- • 21 card slots to allow for un-
tures like these: paralleled system expansion us- FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW
ing industry-standard 5-100 Cromemco computers will meet
• Z-80A microprocessor - oper-
cards. your needs now and in the future
ates at 250 nano second cycle
time - nearly twice the speed of • 5-100 bus - don't overlook how because of their unquestioned tech-
most others. important this is. It has the in- nical leadership, professionalism
dustry's widest support and Cro- and enormous expandability.
*Rated in The 1977 Computer Store memco has professionally imple- See them today at your dealer.
Survey by Image Resources, Westlake mented it in a fully-shlelded There's no substitute for getting
Village, CA. design. the best.
CIRCLE 132 ON READER SERVICE CARD

[3 cromemeo
incorporated
Specialists
280 BERNARDO
in computers
AVE., MOUNTAIN
arid peripherals
VIEW, CA 94040 • (415) 964-7400
 Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor ... Every Chieftain is complete with
Doctor, Lawyer: .. the Chieftain's here. system software and is totally burned-in
as well as tested to further insure high
No matter whether you're a serious reliability.
hobbyist or a serious businessman, the And it's expandable to 64K memory
Chieftain 6800 microcomputer with ca- with up to 2 megabytes floppy disk
pabilities that surpass the Z-80 is made storage.
for you. So see your nearest Smoke Signal
Smoke Signal's quality-.packed dealer, he'll be glad to show you how to
Chieftain I features two 5.25-inch mini- get your wampum's worth. Systems
floppy drives and Chieftain II fea- start at $2,595.
tures two 8-inch floppy drives.
Both microcomputers
provide 32K static memory, o Send information on your Chieftain
microcomputer
two serial I/O ports, a 2 o Send name of nearest dealer
MHz processor board, a 2K Name _
RAM monitor, a nine-slot
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motherboard with built-
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City _
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CIRCLE 127 ON READER SERVICE CARD

\~------~~~------~--~----------------~~~~--~~-------
 Dear Programmer
Publisher David H. Ahl Advertising Sales Mahy companies are entering the
software business today and promising
Editor John Craig Western States, Texas amazing amounts of royalties based on
Jules E. Thompson ridiculous sales projections and pipe
Managing E9itor Burchenal Green Hearst Building, Suite 1111 dreams. At Creative Computing we have a
5 Third Street very straight-forward policy based on the
Associate Editor Steve North San Francisco, Ca 94103 current and future realities of the market.
(415) 362-8547 1. We are seeking programs for:
Contributing Editors Frederick Chesson A. Radio Shack TRS-80
Southern California i. Level I Basic 4k cassette
Margot Critchfield Bert Charlton
Thomas W. Dwyer ii. Level I Basic 16k cassette
Mary Jo Burger iii. Level II Basic 16k cassette
Bill Etra 2560 Via Tejon
Louise Etra iv. Level II Basic 16k floppy diskette
Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90247 B. Apple II, up to 16k, cassette and floppy
Lee Felsenstein (213) 378-8361
StephenB. Gray diskette
Ed Hershberger C. PET, 8k
Mid-Atlantic, Northeast
Arthur' I. Karshmer D. Sol-20, cassette
Charles Lynch E. Ohio Scientific Challenger IP and liP
Theodor Nelson 36 Sohier Street
Trish Todd
F. Exidy Sorcerer
Cohasset, MA 02025 We have many other computers in our
Stanley Viet (617) 383-6136
software center and our future line will
Karl Zinn
broaden but these are the ones for which we
New York, New Jersey
Bob Nelson intend our initial software releases.
Nils Lominerin
Ralph Miller 2. Programs submitted should be com-
Sandra D. Sax plete, well documented, and on the medium
342 Madison., Ave., Room 830
New York City, NY 10017 (cassette or floppy) that they are to be
Editorial Assistant Jennifer Burr released. Record two copies in case the tape
(212) 661-9234
has a dropout.
Administrative Manager Betsy Staples 3. Creative Computing tapes and disks
Elsewhere
Burchenal Green will contain five to ten programs each,
Marketing Manager Patricia Rust preferably from one programmer.
(914) 739-1144
4. Creative Computing software is
Bookkeeper Jearine Tick' thoroughly reviewed and, if necessary,
refined in house. If extensive modifications
Software Development Steven Neitz .are required, it is returned to the original
Jeffrey Yuan programmer. We will let you know if we
Ann Corrigan intend to use your program within 12 weeks,
Randy Heuer
This generally less. Please include 3 first class
stamps with your submission for return of
Retail Ma~keting

Customer Service
C.J. Whitaker

Ethel Fisher
Publication .... cassette or disk.
5. Creative Computing has contracted
with popular, well-known writers of science
fiction, adventure and educational books ..
Subscriptions Sheryl Scalley movies and TV shows to enhance its
software with humor, lively dialog and
Book Service Barbara Shupe punchy graphics where necessary.
Joe Ortiz 6. Creative Computing software is record-
ed by putting the programs on the ap-
New England Rep. Jane Fletcher propriate computer, recording directly on a
high-quality reel-to-reel recorder and filter-
'Eastern Penna. Rep. Paula Mann ing the signal for pure square waves. It is
then recorded on the very fihest quality,
So. Calif. Rep. Valmere Kranak cassettes or disks. It is recorded twice, once
on each side for maximum reliability.
United Kingdom Rep. Hazel Gordon 7. Packaging includes two labels on each
cassette, two-color box insert, instruction
booklet and a Norelco-style hard plastic
box. Disks are similarly labeled and packag-
ed.
8. Cassettes retail for $7.95 and disks for
$17.95. The programmer receives 10% of the
OK To Reprint
is Available in list (retail) price. An advance royalty on the
sales of the first 100 units is paid on
Material in Creative Computing may be acceptance (on a tape cassette this
reprinted without permlsslon
and college publications,
by school
personal comp-
MICROFORM amounts to $79.50 at the time the programs
are accepted, not months later.) If more
uting club newsletters, company house For Complete Information than one programmer is represented on a
cassette, royalties are apportioned propor-
organs, and non-profit publications. Only WRITE: I tionately.
original material may be reprinted; that is, University 9. Creative Computing provides retail
you may not reprint a reprint. Also, each. dealers with attractive, high-quality wood
reprint must carry the following notice on Microfilms and plexiglass display cabinets for
the first page of the reprint in 7-point or software, point-of-sale posters and
larger type (you may cut out and use this
International literature so sales will be as much or more as
notice if you wish): Dept. F.A. with any other supplier.
Dept. F.A.
Copyright © 1978 by Creative Computing 300 North Zeeb Road 18 Bedford Row Creative Computing today has a line of
51 Dumont Place, Morristown, NJ 07960 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 London, we: R 4EJ software more comprehensive and
U.S.A. England professional than virtually any manufac-
Sample issue $2.00;
turer or software supplier. If your programs
One-year subscription $15.00
qualify, we would be pleased to add them to
Plese send us two copies of any our line.

( )
publication that carries reprinted material. Send submissions (with 3 stamps) to:
Send to attention: David Ahl. Creative Computing Software
PO Box 789-M
Morristown, NJ 07960

4 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 • 32K Memory Expansion
• 16K EXPANDAPET.
• PET to RS232 Serial.
• 2 Way Serial/Communication,
•Modem Board for PET,
• PET to S100 (4·slot).
• Second Cassette Drive.
• Parallel Printer Interface
• PET Printer (Feb.'79),

DUAL DISK
(200KB) $1295

$35 of Software with

purchase of any
computer on this page
"'-'-SOFTWARE-
Word Processing For PET.
With this program in hand, you can
create text and add, delete, center,
recall lines and move text around on
page or between pages. Use either
PETor terminal keyboard. S45.00

PET SOFTWARE
EDUCATION GAMES
Basic BaSIC 14.95 Osero and Reverse
D.iet Planner & T.arget Pong and
Biorhythm 14.95 Off The Wall
Basic Math Package 29.95· A Treasure
6502 Assembler in Trove of Games
BaSic 24.95 Galaxy Games
(For PET and Apple II) Draw Poker
10 Builder Series 13 to Adult Black Jack
10 Builder- Analogies 9.50 Space Fight
10 Builder-Vocabulary 12.50 Spacetrek
10 Builder- Number Backgammon
; Series 9.50 Gr!lnd Prix Golf
Preschool 10 Builder 9.50 Bridge Cllallenger
Step By Step 29.95 ~:r::mStartrek
Microchess

. Radio Shack
The folowiilq program titles Preschool 10Builder
are now available for RADIO Step By Step
SHACK TRS BO Computers. Microchess
Annual Report
Analyzer
- ASC II Code Stock Analyzer
-15cpsPrintout Options
- HighQualitySelectivePrinting Stockscreen
- Use Keyboard lor PET Electric Pencil
- Reliable heavy duty Mechanism
- Completely Relurbishedby A.J.
- Service in 15 Major Cities
Serial. Parallel

$1195 $1095
MATH TUTOR-with Checkbook, Bio- PERSONAL FINANCE I
BUSINESS COMPUTERS APPLE II rhythms,Math Dice,and Recipe. PERSONAL FINANCE II
CHESS-with Acey Deucey&Line 5 EaUITY

DATA GENERAL (For ACPle II only) STARTREK-with

OTHELLO-with
Lunar Lander,
Dice & Concentration
BONDS AND SECURITIES
BLACKJACK
micro NOVA Check ook $20.00
Startrek/Starwars 15.00 HANGMAN-with Math Tutor, 2 on 10
The ultimate in small business computers
when matched with COMPUTER FAC·
Color Demo/Breakout 7.50 The following are $24.95 each
TORY's minicomputer; sottware . Accounts Applesoft II/Fp Demo 20.00
Receivable!Payable,lnventoryControll Hi Res Graphics/Hi TEXT EDITOR-ASSEMBLER
. Order Entry, General 'Ledger, Payroll Svs. Res Shapes 7.50
temsfrom about$13,500 Ram Test Cassette 7.50
Color Math Demo/ PlJ"U""1 10 Rule 206(41 IfAJ(31 of The

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7.50 1.---
i .' '1-,
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The low cast solution for all small business Machine 7.50 ', == VISA
problems. A wide variety of software is Biorhythm/
available forall your needs Mastermind 7.50
PCS series include dual floppies, J2K RAM, Finance 1-2 Cassette
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 ut I.,
Ou·put

Arcade Owners, Unite!

what you have and what condition they're in.
Dear Editor: Please, help a guy try to get back into the mainstream of
As an owner of a Bally ARCADE, I want to thank you for computer science.
publishing Mr. Zinn's article/review on Bally BASIC. Local Scott J. Walker
outlets have not yet received the BASIC cassette, but after R.R. #2
reading the review, I am quite anxious to try it. Pine Island, MN 55963
I first picked up your magazine only 2 issues ago, and I am
very pleased to have discovered it. Creative Computing is quite a We do our best to keep such over-complimentary letters out of
boon to computer newcomers like myself, as it presents here ... but occasionally one sneaks through!-John.
technical data in an understandable manner. I am also happy to
see you stress software in your editorial content. Perhaps with
the growing number of Bally ARCADES being distributed in
the US, you will publish other programs designed for Bally
Some Words About Service
BASIC like the "Guess the Number" program with Mr. Zinn's Dear Editor:
article. We enjoy the magazine thoroughly and want to pass on our
Recently, I heard rumors of a nation-wide ARCADE users experience for the benefit of your other avid readers. We found
organization based in California called the ARCADIANS. If our ideal computer company with the COMPUCOLOR II
you or any Creative Computing reader has any information on people. We recommend them to anyone who wants good, old-
how I can get in touch with this group, I'd very much like to hear fashioned customer service. We received our beautiful Com-
about it. pucolor II several weeks before the promised date (unheard of)!
Once again, thanks for such an excellent magazine. They have a Hot Line for immediate, authoritative help on
Guy W. Mcl.imore, Jr. software and hardware problems, give same-day service and
2304 Harding Avenue seem to have a no-argument warranty plan ..
Evansville, IN 47711 We have been pleasantly surprised at every contact with them
and know from experience how much this will be appreciated by
Guy, you and all the other Bally owners want to get in touch with hobbyists too long frustrated by the incomplete, late and
Bob Fabris who has organized the Arcadians User Group. lackadaisical service given by many computer manufacturers.
Subscription to the newsletter is $5 per year. Address is: W.A. Shanks
Arcadians, 3626 Morrie Dr., San Jose CA 95127.-John. 3 Honey Lane West
Miller Place, NY 11764

A Big Mistake
Dear Editor:
What Does Big Foot Wear?
I must confess that I have committed the "Crime of the Dear Editor:
Century", even greater that the Brinks Robbery, yet it had Iam writing to point out an error in "My Friend, Big Foot",
nothing to do with theft, murder, or anything else like that: I appearing in the Input/ Output column on page 12 of the
simply didn't subscribe to Creative Computing for the first 3 September-October 1978 issue, contributed by Lou Elkins. The
YEA RS of its publication. calculation given will not answer the question, "What does
I realize now what a mistake I made for I was finally Bigfoot wear?". The correct answer may be obtained however
convinced to subscribe just a little while ago. After reading my from this calculation:
first copy I knew that I had been letting life (and Creative
Computing) pass me by. And me, an aspiring young student 8 x 17 x 39 x 10,000 + 5618
hoping for a job in the computer field! (turn over calculator for answer)
I am happy to say that I'm now trying to reform. In my
attempt to salvage something ofthe last 3 years I have purchased Your readers might be interested in this correction.
volume 3 from Creative Computing Press. And, should you Jeff Miller
decide to publish this testimonial, I would like to tell all those PO Box 27501
dedicated Creative Computing readers that if they have any Tucson AZ 85726
copies of this wonderful magazine from volumes land/ or 2, or
number I from volume 4, that they would like to get rid of (now Thank you, Jeff, thank you. It was a minor error, or shall we say
that they have "The Best of Creative Computing-Vols. 1&2" shortsightedness, on Lou's part ... and it's doubtful if many
instead) I'll gladly pay for them. Just send me a letter telling me people even caught it.-John.

6 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 Our programs will let you realize the full potential of your hardware.
We developed these programs because we needed them • Periodic newsletters which include users' ideas and
in our businesses, and, try as we might, could not purchase information exchange, plus tips to owners on further increas-
them. They're on-line now, working for us and others around ing benefits of the package through updated operational flexi-
the country. bility.
. As users ourselves we know the problems from your • Availability of software technicians to provide im-
perspective - not just as a manufacturer of software. The mediate answers to questions, via phone or mail.
bugs are out and they're ready now to go to work helping make • Customer rewrites and adaptations available on re-
your life easier, keeping you in better control of your business. quest, at added cost.
Our first four program packages are: • Apartment CBASIC-2 free
Management • Cash Register • Inventory • Payroll It takes the world's most powerful commercial basic to
Here's a typical program run our programs and we deliver it to you free.
To give you an idea of the thoroughness of these pro- Each of our program packages contains a disk with
grams, here's a summary of what the inventory package does CBASIC-2 Compiler, CBASIC-2 Run Command and your
tor you. Gives a detailed listing of items in inventory and Graham-Dorian software programs in INT and BAS file form.
Itemizes all goods sold from inventory, including which sales You also receive User's Manuals and Hard Copy Source List-
person soldwhat, when it sold and for how much recaps on ing. At a price which pays for itself!
one sheet this same inventory activity information investi- CBASIC-2 was developed and written by SoftWare Sys-
gates and changes any information in inventory, on request... tems, the people who wrote CBASIC, and includes many
prints list of items to be re-ordered ... provides profit analysis powerful enhancements" All systems are compatible with any
comparing sales personnel and/or various products. And it Z-80 or 8080 CP/M@)system. They are deliverable in standard
can be inter-connected with our cash reulster package as well, eight-inch disk - either double or single density - or mini-
for total program management. floppy disk.
. Each of our initial programs is conceived proven and
offered with this same exacting thorouuhness and attention to
detail.
We stay with you after the sale
W'e re In
. thlIS f or th e Iong hid
. iIII&
G~ ~
Give us a call or fill out the Reader Service Card in this
issue. We promise a response within 24 hours of receipt.
That's the kind of information service we expect,
and know you do too.
au an our suppo rt 'CBASIC-2 may be purchased separately

DE
~. tram Granam-Dorian Sottware Systems tor $8995
program is dedicated to that objective. Registered ..
program owners receive: Graham-Dorian Software Systems
A Division of Graham-Dorian Enterprises'
Master Charge and Visa cards accepted 211 N. Broadway / Wichita, Ks. 67202 / (316) 265-8633

CIRCLE 119 ON READER SERVICE CARD

BASIC and the Personal Computer! A Sexist Magazine?
Dear Editor, Dear Editor:
This is both a fan letter and a request for a reprint. I was appalled and surprised to find you assume all your
I am not a programmer, but my husband is. Our house is full potential readers are men. I have enclosed a few of the blatantly
of programming magazines, and I have recently started reading sexist pictures and comments you published in your Sept / Oct
them. I find your magazine to be the best. Many articles are clear 1978 issue. To show women doing drudge housework while men
and graspable by the lay reader (at least to me, a psychology are shown doing all the interesting computer work (except for a
teacher). Your humour is outrageously funny; your graphics are few elementary school girls) shows you are years behind in social
superb. I love your magazine, and look forward to reading it the awareness. How can you thus expect to maintain credibility as a
minute I can wrench it from my husband's hands each month. magazine in the forefront of computer technology?
One article (actually a series of articles) which particularly I was pleased to see Margot Critchfield's inclusion on your
impressed me was Thomas Dwyer's 'The 8-Hour Wonder." We Associate Editor staff. But, if your working conditions are akin
have parts 2, 3, and 4. After reading part 2, I sat down and wrote to your editorial policy I can't imagine bright women of her
my first program, using nested For-Next loops. It was my first caliber will stay around long.
programming experience, and it ran!!! Wow! Anyway, now, I I have enjoyed many of the articles in Creative Computing
am going crazy to get a copy of the issue with part I (July- and am sorry to have to seek out a magazine edited by people
August 1977). I contacted our Data Processing Dept., the school with a less tunnel visioned sense of the world.
library, computer and electronic stores to no avail. If you could Linda Malorie
send me a reprint of that article in the July-Aug 1977 issue, I Computer Consultant
would be very grateful. Seattle WA 98115
Lynn Buckley
Miami-Dade Community College Yuu were appalled and surprised? I was appalled and surprised
South Campus that you would pick on that poor cartoon showing three women
doing housework l! The cartoon was there to illustrate the
11011 S.W. 104 Street
Miami, Florida 33176 problem ... not offend super-sensitive feminists who are so hung
up on their trip that they can't find anything better to do than
search through magazines lookingfor "offensive" material! And
We don't have reprints of the article you were asking about what is it that you dislike about Barbara Corser's face? Is it
although the four back issues are available for $2.00 each. unpleasant to look at? Is it the two staple holes you put below
However, those articles were excerpts from a book Thomas each ofher eyes? Then lovehave the "Ask Your Dad About Girls"
Dwyer was writing. The book has now been published, by cartoon. You're graspingfor straws, Linda. I really think you're
Addison-Weslev, and is called "BASIC and the Personal getting desperate on that one. However, I will concede that the
Computer." It 'is, without a doubt, one of the best books on cover of the Colossal Computer Cartoon Book is sexist (in my
Basic I've ever seen! It's available from Creative Computing opinion) and in relatively poor taste.
Press for $12.95 plus $1.00 shipping.-JTC As far as our staff goes, why did you single out Margot
Critchfield? Our managing editor, Burchenal Green; associate
editors Louise Etra and Trish Todd; editorial assistant Jennifer
Burr and art director Sandra Sax felt quite left out. Indeed of
our total stall of 39, 19 are women, about as close to a 50-50
A TRS-80 Bug? balance as you can get.
I took the photo shown below in Berkelev, California. You
Dear Editor: haven't made any visits there lately, have you?-John.
TRS-80 owners might want to know that they have at least
one bug in their Level-I BASIC interpreter. They shouldn't
always suspect their hardware when funny things start happen-
ing.
I discovered the problem quite by accident, while playing
Radio Shack's own Blackjack game. About to choose a hit or
stay, I accidentally indexed "II" instead of "I". The program
correctly rejected the entry. However, Blackjack blew up once
the proper number had been entered. I found that the first line of
the program including the line number, had been overwritten
with data!
Fearing the worst, I visited two local Radio Shacks in order to
try to reproduce the problem on their machines. I succeeded, on
both 4k and 16k systems and with their Blackjack tapes. So the
bug appeared to be a firmware problem.
After a few hours of work, I isolated the error to the following
routine:
=
10 F. M I to I
20 IN. X
30 ON X G. 1400, 1500
40 G. 20
1400 P. "OK"
1500 N.M: P. "OK"
Start the above program. Index "II", ENTER. Then index "I",
ENTER. If you list the program upon its completion, the first
line (10) should contain garbage. .
The bug arises because an "ON GOTO" (or "ON GOSUB")
instruction is nested within a "FOR" loop. Everything works ok
unless the variable used by the GOTO contains a value outside
the expected range of branch addresses. The solution is to
always verify that value with "IF"'s.
Gary L. Barrett
Box 40
Brower Avenue
Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456

8 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 What every educator should .
!mow about ilesk-topromputers.
It's easy to get into classroom computing. What's tough desk-top computer, you'll be using Apple in ways you
is to do it right. With so much talk about computers in never dreamed of. That's when the capabilities of the
the classroom, educators like yourself want all the facts computer you recommend will really count. You don't
before they recommend any system for classroom use. wantto be limited by the availability of pre-programmed
That's why Apple Computer's new "Curriculum Materials cartridges. You'll want a computer, like Apple, that you
Kit" can help, with answers to your questions and some can also program yourself. You don't want to settle fora
very important data you may not have considered before. black and white display that limits you to just putting
words and numbers onto the screen. You'll want a com-
Who uses desk-topcompufers. puter, like Apple, that can turn any color tv into a dazzling
Hundreds of innovative educators have already discov- array of color graphics:" The more you and your students
ered the Apple Computer for instructional applications learn about computers, the more your imagination will
from kindergarten through college. Apple gives you demand. So you'll want a computer that can grow with
computer-assisted instruction capabilities, including drill you as your skills and experience grow. Apple's the one.
and practice, tutorial, problem-solving, games,
simulations, and more. How to learn more.
Apple engages student The quickest way to
interest with sound and learn more about desk-
color video. In fact, your top computers is to
students will be able to request your free copy
write programs and of Apple's Curriculum
create high-resolution Materials Kit (specify
graphics. And you can level). Get yours by call-
use your Apple for testing, ing 800/538-9696; in
counseling, even class- California, 408/996-1010.
room data processing. Or by writing us. Then
That's just the beginning. visit your local Apple
dealer. We'll give you his
What to look for. name and address
Once you've unlocked when you call.
the power of the •Apple II plugs into any
standard TV using an
inexpensive modulator
(not included).
 INTRODUCING
DUAL DRIVE MINIFLOPPY
.
FOR PET!
+ =
"

A FULL RANGE PROFESSIONAL A TOTALLY

OF PERIPHERALS SOFTWARE INTEGRATED
TO COMPLETELY
SUPPORT YOUR PET SUPPORT PET*SYSTEM

NOW THE DISKDRIVER DUAL DRIVE DISK SYSTEM

CAN ADD TOTAL SYSTEM CAPABILITIES TO PET!
• DUAL MINI FLOPPY DRIVE (5.5") WITH lOOK PER DISK SIDE FOR TOTAL 200K ON LINE.
• EXPANDABLE IN MARCH/APRIL 1979 TO 400K ON LINE VIA D.OUBLE DENSITY FORMAT.
• DISKMON·DISK OPERATING SYSTEM (DOS) IS RESIDENT IN PROM VIA DISK CONTROLLER BOARD THAT PLUGS
DIRECTLY INTO THE INTERNAL EXPAI'JDAPET MEMORY BOARD.'
• DISKMON COMMANDS EXIST SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE BASIC: LANGUAGE COMMANDS.
• DISKMON ADDS 16 COMMANDS TO BASIC INCLUDING DISK DATA FILE COMMANDS.
• DESIGNED FOR COMMERCIAL SPEED'REQUIREMENTS - READS AN ENTIRE TRACK AT A TIME.
• DISK DRIVES ARE AUTOMATICALLY TURNED OFF BETWEEN COMMANDS FOR LESS WEAR.
• EXCELLENT DOCUMENTATION AND FULL SOFTWARE SUPPORT VIA FUTURE SOFTWARE.
• DISKMON AUTOMATICALLY SUPPORTS COMMERCIAL TYPE PRINTER (CENTRONICS MODELS) VIA PARALLEL PORT.
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PRT200 CENTRONICS COMMERCIAL PRINTER (MODEL 779-1) WITH FRICTION FEED., $1245
PRT202 CENTRONICS COMMERCIAL PRINTER (MODEL 779-2) WITH TRACTOR FEED." , $1345
PRT100 AXIOM HOBBYIST PRINTER (ELECTROSTATIC 5.5" WIDE PAPER) APPROX , , $ 450
NPK101 NEECO PERIPHERAL KEYBOARD (TYPEWRITER TYPE) AVAILABLE JAN , , $ 140
AsG200 PET ASSEMBLER PROGRAMMER'S GUIDE (SHOWS HOW TO TAP INTO BA~IC) $19.95
ASM789D PET ASSEMBLER 6502 PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE (ON DISK-WITH MANUAL) ,, $49.95
LNK456D AUTOLINK PROFESSIONAL LINKING LOADER SOFTWARE (ON DISK-WITH MANUAL), $49.95
EDT392D ASSEMBLER-EDITOR, ASSEMBLER SOURCE PROGRAM EDITOR (ON DISK-WITH MANUAL) $49.95
DUG078 DISKMON USER'S GUIDE (PROVIDED WITH SYSTEM-CAN BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY) $ 9,95
DKL067 DISKMON (DOS) ASSEMBLER LISTING IN MANUAL FORM , , .. , , .. , . , , , $19.95
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CIRCLE 112 READERSERVICECARD

 Ices
Free Tournament Space Available Now! ACM Elementary and
A challenging project for your strategic A recent advertisement in Science News
Secondary Schools
instincts and your programming skills may from Surge Corporation offers space on the Subcommittee Seeks
be this free computer tournament based on Space Shuttle for as little as $200. The ad
a nifty little game called the Prisoner's promises the opportunity to "prove your
Partic.ipants
Dilemma. In the Prisoner's Dilemma there product in a severe environment develop The recently formed Elementary and
are two players. Unlike most games, such origi nal processing techniques, or evaluate Secondary Schools Subcommittee of the
as chess, the two players are not in total equipment and experiments." Association for Computing Machinery is
conflict. In fact, both can do well or both But why not use a portion of the space to seeking participants to help foster and
can do poorly. put some art into space questions Peter guide the study of and instructional use of
The game will be played for an average of Payack, a widely-published poet and computers at the elementary and secondary
200 moves, and in each move, each player writer? What would be more ap- school levels. Among the tasks which the
can choose either to cooperate or to defect. propriate than calling this project "Space(d subcommittee has set for itself are:
If both cooperate, both do well. But if one out) Art?" At the moment the art is shaping (1) To develop specific and detailed
defects while the other cooperates, the up to be an artificial moon filled with recommendations for computer related
defecting player gets his highest payoff, "imaginative, appropriate Objects." One content to be taught at the precollege level,
and the cooperating player gets taken for a thing Peter and I discussed was that instead (2) To develop specific and detailed
sucker and gets his lowest payoff. The of integrated circuit chips, we should put in recommendations on teacher training, and
catch is that if both defect, both do poorly. some chocolate chips. Maybe even some (3) To address the topic of decidlnq what
To win the tournament you have to get cho.colate chip cookies' arid milk for microcomputer facilities can help meet
the highest total score summed over all the whatever extraterrestrial beings happen to school needs.
games you play. Therefore your object is to. be around. If you have any ideas for Peter, David Moursund, Committee Chairman,
get a good score in each separate game, write him at 64 Highland Ave., Cambridge, has indicated three ways to participate in
but not necessarily to get a better score MA 02139. Incidentally, I recently spent an the work of this committee:
than the player with whom you are current- evening with Peter and he remarked that his 1. Passively. Send your name, address,
ly playing. poems got a more enthusiastic response and a brief description of your involve-
To join the computer tournament you from the readers of Creative Computing ment in the computer education field to
submit a program written in BASIC or than most of the literary and poetry the chairman. You will be put on a
FORTRAN IV which will be a decision rule magazines put together. mailing list to receive copies of the
for the selection of the cooperative or the If you want more information on space on documents produced by the com-
defecting choice at each move. The deci- the shuttle, write or call Surge Corporation, mittee.
sion rule may be based on the history of the Box 922, Palestine, TX 75801 .: 2. Actively, via correspondence. Write a
game so far. For example, a simple and description of one or more oi the major
pretty effective decision rule is TIT FOR problems you would like the committee
T AT: cooperate on the first move, and then to work on. Suggest what the com-
do exactly what the other player did on the Author's GiJide mittee might do, and how you are
previous move. willing to help. Your thoughts on the
For budding contributors of articles,
.Quite sophisticated decision rules can be. three tasks listed above and how these
programs or other materials to Creative
written in as little as 25 lines. COmputing magazirie; manuscripts to problems are being solved in your
This tournament is part of a research school, school district or state would
Creative Computing Press; or proqrarnsto
project to understand the nature of skillful be appreciated ..
Creative Computing Software a 6-page
performance in a two-sided environment Author's Guide is available. For your free 3. Actively, via correspondence and
which is partially cooperative and partially attending ~eetings. The committee
copy, send a self-addressed stamped
competitive. envelope. Contains 15 "Rules of Grammar" will meet during the ACM Conferehce
Each person who completes an entry will
stated in a delightfully entertaining way. December 4.-6 in Washington, DC. It
receive a report describing the results Of will also meet during the Computer
the tournament. The winner will receive a Science Conference February 20-23,
handsome engraved trophy. 1979 in Dayton, Ohio and will meet
To get further details on the tournament, COMING SOON! during the National Computer Con-
write to Professor Robert Axelrod, Institute ference, June 4-7, 1979 in New York.
of Public Policy Studies, The University of Upcoming issues of Creative Computing Persons who are interested in par-
Michigan, 506 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor, will focus on the following subject areas, We ticipating should communicate their ideas
Michigan 48104. are seeking high quality articles, programs, in writing to:
and other material for these issues. (For our Dr. David Moursund
free Author's Guide, send a self-addressed Dept. of Computer Science
Our Face is Red Department stamped envelope.) University of Oregon
lasue Article Eugene, Oregon 97403
Our flash report in the Nov/Oec issue, pg
32 on DoG's agreement with NEC was Date due Date Subject
partially incorrect. It is a joint marketing March Dec 15, 1978 Data base and file management systems
agreement only .and not a purchase of NEC April Jan 15, 1979 Home applications of all kinds
by DG as reported. May Feb 15, 1979 Word processing and text editing

12 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 The NewMSI

Dusiness Comp
A Profitable System The System 12 also
TheMSI System 12 is a low-cost business employs a l3eehive 13-fijiiijj!iiillijiii
computer system designed to help your 100 video display ter-
small business the same way big com- minal and a Centron-
puters help big business ... by ics 779 high speed
saving time and money. printer. The entire sys-
tem is housed in a
Regardless of the size or
single compact desk
type of your business ... the
unit.
System 12 will help you
significantly reduce costs by
increasing the speed, accu- Small Computers for Big Jobs
racy, and efficiency of your MSI is a leader in rhe development of
business operations. small computer systems for business. The
new System 12 has the power and capa-
city to perform aswell as many of the other
The System for Every Application
larger computer systems ... but at a much
The System 12 will
lower cost.
fulfill the data pro- ~~~
cessing needs of If your business is in need of a new or
any type of business advanced data processing system, call or
... service manu- write for detailed literature and the name
facturing profes- of the System 12 representative nearest
sional ...or rnorkennq. u.-.-r""",_\'.->.- you.
At the heart of the
system is the popular
48K RAM MSI 6800
processar . . . the most
powerful and advanced
6800 computer avail-
able. For mass storage,
the System 12 contains
the MSI Fixed/Remov-
able Hard Disk System
with 10 megabytes of
memory. The new SDOSOperating System
integrates the hard dlsk with the MSIQuad
Floppy Disk System which gives you an
additional 1.2 megabytes of memory for
program loading, bock-up. software up-
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220 W. Cedar • Olathe. Kansas66061 • (913) 764-3273 • TWX 9107496403 (MSI OLAn • TELEX 42525 (MSIA OLAn
CIRCLE 139 ON READER 'SERVICE CARD
JAN 1979
13
National Educational Trek with sound effects, string character
editing, a mastermind game and more. Jan
SeeSol®
Network
EDUCOM, a nonprofit organization
mitted to interuniversity resource sharing,
com-
'78 has articles on disk BASIC, Altair clock
mods, a BASIC memory
lanquaqe to BASIC converter program and
test, machine at all these
announced the unveiling of EDUNET - a
national computer service network es-
more.)
We also have a very limited stock of the fine
computer
tablished to meet computing needs in August 1977 issue of Microcomputer
higher education and research. The an- (SCCS) Interface. It contained a discussion
nouncement came at EDUCOM's annual of a possible national computer club, a

centers
Fall Conference held November 14-16 atthe review of the SOL-20, seventeen short
Mayflower Hotel in Washington, on the benchmark programs to compare different
theme of "The Reality of National Computer Basic features, construction hints and
Networking for Higher Education." more. Cover price was $1.50 but we're AL: Birmingham: ICP Computerland,
Heralding the coming of EDUNET, letting them go for the ridiculously low price (205) 979-0707. CA: Berkeley: Byte Shop,
EDUCOM President James Emery stated in of $1.25 postpaid. (415) 845-6366. Citrus Heights: Byte
his opening remarks, "The time for national Uncovered in preparation for our move to Shop, (916) 961-2983. Costa Mesa: Orange
new quarters were several cartons of the County Computer Genter, (714) 646-0221.
networking among colleges and univer-
Hayward: Computerland of Hayward, (415)
sities has arrived. By opening the doorto the Sep/Oct '76 issue of Creative Computing.
538-8080. Modesto: Computer Magic,
outside world of academic computing, Our last issue on newsprint, it featured six (209) 527-5156. Mountain View: Digital Deli,
EDUNET substantially expands the options pieces on computer generated poetry (415) 961-2670. San Francisco: Computer
available to students, professors, and including three do-it-yourself programs. Genter, lnc., (415) 387-2513. San Rafael: Byte
r-esearchers throughout the U.S." Also had articles on Russian computing, Shop, (415) 457-9311. Walnut Creek: Byte
computers in elections, hints for running Shop, (415) 933-6252. CO: Boulder: Byte
In addition, as part of the three full days of
Shop, (303) 444-6550. Denver: Byte Shop,
in-depth seminars, speeches, workshops computer programming contests, two fan-
(303) 399-8995. CT: Bethel: Technology
and exhibits, participants were able to gain tastic stories, many neat problems, puzzles Systems, (203) 748-6856. FL: Miami: Byte
hands-on experience with the specialized and programming techniques. A bargain at Shop of Miami, (305) 264-2983. GA: Atlanta:
hardware and software resources available $2.00 postpaid. Atlanta Computer Mart, (404) 455-0647.
at EDUNET's fifteen supplier institutions. Last but not least, we found a carton of the IL: Lombard: Midwest Microcomputer, (312)
This opportunity came during an EDUNET 495-9887. IA: Davenport: The Computer
Mar/Apr '76 issue of Creative Computing.
Store of Davenport, (319) 386-3330. MD:
Resource Rally in which demonstrations This was our incredibly popular issue on Towson: Computers, Etc ... , (301) 296-0520.
were given of some of the more than 500 artificial intelligence and future computing MI: East Lansing: General Computer,
resources appropriate for research and technology. It had an article on the (517) 351-3260. Troy: General Computer,
instruction in virtually every college dis- SMALL TALK language, three great games (313) 689-8321. MN: Minneapolis:
cipline. Current sources of EDUNET supply and the classic story "Computers Don't Computer Depot, (612) 927-5601. MO:
include the computing facilities at Dart- Florissant Computer Country, (314)
Argue" by Gordon Dickson. We need the
921-4434. NH: Nashua: Computerland/
mouth, Cornell, University of Illinois, MIT, space so we're letting these go for only Nashua, (603) 889-5238, NJ: Cherry
three Michigan universities participating in $2.00 postpaid. Hill: Computer Emporium, (609) 667-7555.
the Merit Computer Network, University of Also, don't forget we're offering complete Iselin: The Computer Mart of New Jersey,
Minnesota, SUNY at Albany, University of sets of all nine issues of ROM for the low (201) 283-0600. NY: Endwell: The Computer
North Carolina, Notre Dame, Rice, Stan- price of $14. And if you've missed any of the Tree, (607) 748-1223. New York: The
ford, University of Wisconsin and Yale. 1977 or 1978 issues of Creative, they're all Computer Mart of New York, (212) 686-7923.
White Plains: The Computer Corner, (914)
EDUNET represents the association of available (at least for now). You'll find an ad 949-3282. NC: Raleigh: ROMs 'N' RAMs,
these suppliers in addition to the more. than for these elsewhere in this issue. (919) 781-0003. OH: Akron: Basic
60 institutions that have already used Want a real package deal? One of Computer Shop, (216) 867-0808. Columbus:
EDUNET resources during its two-year everything described above (21 Computer The Byte Shop, (614) 486-7761. OR:
prototype operation. The Princeton-based Notes, SCCS Interface, 2 1976 Creative Beaverton: Byte Shop Computer Store, (503)
central staff, working' with appointed 644-2486. Portland: Byte Shop Computer
Computing, all 9 ROM), a $34.25 value for
Store, (503) 223-3496. Salem: Computer
liaisons at supplier schools, facilitates such only $30.00! Pathways, (503) 399-0534. PA: King
use by collecting and disseminating Please send a self-addressed stamped of Prussia: Computer Mart, (215) 265-2580.
resource information, handling accounts, envelope with your order so we can return RI: Warwick: Computer Power, Inc., .
arranging for communications access, and your check if your order arrives too late. (401) 738-4477. SC: Columbia.The Byte
providing remote user support. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. These are Shop, (803) 771-7824. TN: Kingsport:
For more information write Rodney Microproducts & Systems, (615) 245-8081.
all real classics - get 'em before they start
Mebane, EDUCOM, P.O. Box 364, TX: Arlington: Computer Port, (817)469-1502.
going for $5 apiece. Arlington: Micro Store, (817) 461-6081.
Princeton, NJ 08540, Telephone (609) 921- Send your check or Visa or MasterCharge Houston: Interactive Computers, (713)
7575. number today to: . 486-0291. Houston: Interactive Computers,
Classic Merchandise Offer (713) 772-5257. Richardson: Micro
Store, (214) 231-1096. UT: Salt Lake City:
Creative Computing
Home Computer, (801) 484-6502. VA:
P.O. Box 789-M
COLLECTOR'S ITEMS! Morristown, NJ 07960
McLean: The Computer Systems Store, (703)
821-8333. WA: Bellevue: Byte Shop
Creative Computing has' taken over Computer Store, (206) 746-0651. Seattle:
Computer Notes (MITS' excellent hobbyist Byte Shop of Seattle, (206) 622-7196.
computer magazine). As part of our WI: Madison: The Madison Computer Store,
(608) 255-5552. Milwaukee: The Milwaukee
. arrangement, we have a very limited stock of
Computer Store, (414) 259-9140.
back issues of Computer Notes. "Very CANADA: London, Ontario: The Computer
Limited" means what it says - we have 18 Circuit Ltd., (519) 672-9370. Vancouver, B.C.:
sets of twenty of the twenty-six issues Basic Computer Group Ltd., (604) 736-7474.
published, and between 2 and 13 copies of AUSTRALIA: Victoria: Sontron Instruments,
each of the other six issues. (03) 569.7867. PHILIPPINES: San Juan,
Metro Manila: Integrated Computer Systems,
Our amazing offer: we will send 21
lnc., 784-071. JAPAN: Tokyo: Moon
different issues of Computer Notes post- base Shinjuku, (03) 375-5078. GREECE:
paid to the first 18 people who send in a Athens: NKA Attikos, Inc., 360-7542.
check for $15. UNITED KINGDOM: Huntingdon, England:
We have somewhat larger stocks of the Comart, Ltd. (0480) 215005. MEXICO: Mexico
Nov. '77 and Jan '78 issues - $2.00 gets you City: lndustrias Digitales, 905-524-5132.
VENEZUELA: Caracas: Componentes Y
these two plus one other of our choosing.
Circuitos Electroriicos, 355-591. SWEDEN:
(Nov '77. has articles about practical Stockholm: Wernor Elektronik, (0)8-717-6288.
programming, a letter-writing program, Star
ProcessorTechnology
14 CREATIVE COMPUTING
Sol:The small computer that won't
fence you in.
A lot of semantic nonsense is spectrum. They stand up to the has a full set of extensions designed
being tossed around by some of the capabilities of mini systems for the "stand alone" computer
makers of so-called "personal" costing four times as much. environment.
computers. To hear them tell it, an No wonder we call it the Our PILOT is an excellent text
investment of a few hundred serious solution to the small oriented language for teachers.
dollars will give you a computer computer question. Sold and serviced only by the
to run your small business, do Sol is the small computer best dealers.
financial planning, analyze data in system to do the general ledger and Sol Systems are sold and serviced
the engineering or scientific the payroll. Solve engineering by an outstanding group of
lab - and when day is done play and scientific problems. Use it for conveniently located computer
games by the hour. word processing. Program it stores throughout the U.S.
Well, the game part is true. for computer aided instruction. and Canada.
The rest of the claims should be Use it anywhere you want For more information contact
taken with a grain of salt. Only versatile computer power! your nearest dealer in the
a few personal computers have the
Build computer power adjacent list. Or write Department
capacity to grow and handle
with our software. B, Processor Technology,
meaningful work in a very real
At Processor Technology we've 7100 Johnson Industrial Drive,
sense. And they don't come
tailored a group of high-level Pleasanton, CA 94566. Phone
for peanuts.
languages, an assembler and other (415) 829-2600.
Remember, there's no packages to suit the wide In sum, all small computers
free lunch. capabilities of our hardware. are not created equal
So before you buy any personal Our exclusive Extended BASIC and Sol users know it to their
computer, consider Sol~ It is a fine example. This BASIC everlasting satisfaction.
costs more at the start but less in features complete matrix functions.
the end. It can grow with your It comes on cassette or in a
ability to use it. Sol is not cheap. disk version which has random as
But it's not a delusion either. well as sequential files.
Sol small computers are at the Processor Technology FORTRAN
very top of the microcomputer is similar to FORTRAN IV and ProcessorTechnology
CIRCLE 125 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Graphics for small systems
were too expensive. . .
Until Now
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CIRCLE 190 ON READER SERVICE CARD
 785/252 435/278
CHESS AND MICRO-
COMPUTERS PROCESSOR
by D. Levy APPLICATIONS
MANUAL
Pub. price, $12.95
by Motorola,
Club price, $10.50 Inc.
Pub. price, $35.00
773/009
Club price, $25.00
MINI-
COMPUTERS: 767/513
Structures and PROGRAMMING
Programming LANGUAGES:
by T. G. Lewis & History &
J. W. Doerr Fundamentals
Pub. price, $13.95 byJ. E.
Club price, $11.75 Sammett
Pub. price, $25.00
770/913 Club price, $19.95
PROGRAMMING
MICRO- 168/075
PROCESSORS AUTOMATIC
byM.W. DATA
McMurran PROCESSING
Pub. price, $9.95 HANDBOOK
Club price, $8.45 Edited by
The Diebold
783/845 Group, Inc.

THE 8080A Pub. price, $34.95

BUGBOOK Club price, $23.75
MICRO~
COMPUTER 770/115
INTERFACING A DISCIPLINE OF
AND PROGRAMMING
PROGRAMMING by E. W.
by P. R. Rony, Dijkstra
D. G. Larsen & Pub. price, $19.95
J. A. Titus
Club price, $15.75
Pub. price, $9.95
Club price, $8.45 771/928
7841701 ILLUSTRATING
DATA BASE BASIC (A Simple
SYSTEMS: Programming
Design, Language)
Implementation, by D. Alcock
and Management Pub. price, $10.95
by R. G. Ross Club price, $8.95
Pub. price, $19.95
Be sure to consider these books as well- 771/952
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GETTING
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PROCESSOR PROGRAMMING COMPUTER PROGRAM PROGRAMMABLE COMPUTER
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FOR COMPUTER COMPUTERS & ORGANIZATION Models and by C. Sippi Beginners
HOBBYISTS by J. C. Cluley by J. Hayes Measurements Pub. price, $13.95 by L. Solomon
by N. Graham Pub. price, $17.50 Pub. price, $22.00 by J. Spirn Club price, $11.50 & S. Veit
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Club price, $10.95 Club price, $14.25 Club price, $8.35

r-- MAIL THIS COUPON TODAY --..,

save time and money COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS' Book Club
P.O. Box 582 Princeton Road, Hightstown, New Jersey 08520
by joining McGraw-Hill's
Please enroll me as a member and send me the three books indicated. I am to receive the
COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS' two bonus books at the introductory price of $2.95 plus my first selection, plus tax,
postage. and handling. If not completely satisfied. I may return the books within 10 days
and request that my membership be cancelled. If I keep the books, I agree to take a
BOOK CLUB minimum of three additional books during the next. two years at special Club prices
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T HIS professional
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club is designed
practical
prices. If you'ra.rnissinq out on important
to meet your day-to-day

technical literature-if
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books in your field on a regular basis at below publisher
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in which to return the card and you will credit my account fully, including postage, if this is
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of reading curbs the growth of your library-here's the solution to your problem. the four· book purchase requirement has been filled. This order sotuecuo acceptance by
The Computer ProfesSionals' Book Club was organized for you, to provide an McGraw·HiII. Orders from outside the continental U.S. must be prepaid. Company,
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the McGraw-Hili Book Company, all books are chosen by qualified editors and new members only. A shipping and handling charge is added to all shipments. Members
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How the Club operates: Thirteen times a year you receive free of charge The bonus book selection here bonus book selection here book selection here
Computer Professionals' Book Club Bulletin, This announces and describes the
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book at all-you notify the Club by returning the card enclosed with each Bulletin.
As a Club Member, you agree only to the purchase of four books (including I Address _
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joining the club, you save both money and the trouble of searching for the best I EXTRA SAVINGS: Remit in full with your order, plus any local and slate tax,
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-----------------------
 Com
Cata
We welcome entries from readers for the magazine format. Its purpose is: in the words decision-oriented charts and graphs, in-
"Compleat Computer Catalogue" on any of General Manager Wesley Dehn, "To troductory text on personal computers, over
item related, even distantly, to computers. establish communication with all the people 120 manufacturers and over 500 products
Please include the name of the item, a brief who purchased (IMSAI) equipment, (and) represented, large II" x 14" format. Price is
evaluative description, price, and complete as the capabilities, the usefulness and the $3.95 (includes, postage & handling).
source data. If it is an item you obtained performance of our product are improved or For more information contact: W. Craig
over one year ago, please check with the expanded, to make that information Tenney, Micro Age, 1425 W. 12th Place,
source to make sure it is still available at the available." To customers, it is available by I #101, Tempe, AZ 85281, (602) 967-1421.
quoted price. subscription at $4.00 per year.
CIRCLE 204 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Send contributions to "The Compleat For further information contact: Barbara
Computer Catalogue," Creative Com- Otto, IMSAI· Manufacturing Corporation,
puting, P.O. Box 789-M, Morristown, NJ 14860 Wicks Blvd., San Leandro, Ca. 94577,
07960. (415) 483-2093. MASTER LIST OF COMPUTER
CIRCLE 203 ON READER SERVICE CARD
BOOKS
The "MASTER LIST OF COMPUTER
MAGAZINES, BOOKS" is a new catalog containing over
125 computer-related titles, with summary
JOURNALS and price, from over 15 publishers. The
catalog is divided into five sections: Section
I-Introduction to Computers (16 titles);
Section II - Microprocessors/ Microcom-
PRIVACY puters (46 titles); Section III - Hardware
PRIVACY JOURNAL has published its (30 titles); Section IV - Software -
annual Compilation of State and Federal Machine and Assembly Language ( 13titles);
Privacy Laws, listing more than 30 new laws Section V - Software-BASIC (21 titles).
in the past 12 months that protect the The catalog is available for only $1.50
confidentiality of personal information. postpaid. ($3.00 International).
The Compilation describes and cites more The Computer Bookstore, 796 Navy
than 400 state and federal laws that regulate Street, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548.
record keeping about individuals-criminal CIRCLE 205 ON READER SERVICE CARD
information. financial and tax records,
school records, government data banks,
Social Security numbers and medical files.
The l66-page book also lists laws on
wiretapping and polygraphing.
The book is available for $14.50 from
NEW BYTE SHOPPER
AVAILABLE
PERIPHERALS
PRIVACY JOURNAL, P.O. Box 8844,
Washington, D.C. 20003. The new Spring, 1978, edition of the APPLE ANNOUNCES DISK II
BYTE SHOPPER, a unique guide to the
CIRCLE 202 ON READER SERVICE CARD fascinating world of personal computing, is' Apple Computer, Inc. today announed
now available through MicroAge. In keep- Disk II, the newest intelligent peripheral for
ing with microcomputer industry trends, the its popular Apple II personal computer. The
new edition provides the reader with a new device is the easiest to use, lowest priced,
VENDOR complete key to computer system selection,
and a guide to disk drive selection. New
and the fastest minifloppy disk drive yet
offered by any personal computer manufac-
LITERATURE sections focus on systems designed
specifically for business applications.
turer.
Disk II's rapid access to programs and
Recognizing the need for education, the data makes home applications, such as
BYTE SHOPPER is also an introductory personal finance easier; for example, a user
CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER text to personal computing, providing a can store a year's worth of financial records
FROM IMSAI glossary of computer buzzwords, and in one place and sort them quickly. Likewise,
graphic visualizations of how microcom- a week's worth of stock prices on the New
The IMSAlder, a customer newsletter puters work and where they can be useful. York Stock Exchange can be stored and
from IMSAI Manufacturing Corporation, is Expanded to 72 pages it has a complete processed on a single diskette. Moreover,
now a bimonthly publication in a new glossy description of microcomputer systems, Disk II allows the Apple II to handle a wide

18 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 range of business applications including generator is user-reprogrammable to which all system software has been inter-
inventory, general ledger, payroll, etc. Each provide any user defined 5x7 dot matrix faced. This allows the system to be simply
of these functions is made possible because characters. The 128 character ASCII unpacked, plugged in and brought up
Disk II permits rapid storage and retrieval of decoder supplied is also user- immediately. The I/O routines can then be
large quantities of information. reprogrammable to accommodate alternate modified with the included system software
The Disk II subsystem consists of an character codes or code sets. at the user's convenience.
intelligent interface card and either one or The blinking full field cursor can be Software included in the DISCUS I base
two mini-floppy drives. The computer will directly positioned in any screen location, or price features an integrated DISK/ ATP"
handle up to seven controller cards and turned off for a clean graphic display. A system containing most utilities: Disk
fourteen drives for instant access to more nondestructive read screen function Operating System, File Management,
than 1.6 million bytes of data. The combina- transmits the ASCII code for the character System Debugger, Text Editor, Batch
tion of a bootstrap loader in ROM (read at the cursor position to the user, with Processor and 8080 assembler.
only memory) and an operating system in automatic spacing. Other features include Also included in the base price is BASIC-
RAM provides powerful disk handling clear screen, bell code and wrap-around. V". a virtual disk BASIC With the ability to
capability with the following features: The VTE-I provides a 75 ohm composite address up to two megabytes, and to
*Full disk capability for systems with as video output that will directly drive any U.S. accommodate a wide variety of data types
little as 16K bytes of RAM compatible black and white television including string-oriented arrays with an
*The ability to load and store files by monitor, or the optional MON-I monitor unlimited number of dimensions. BASIC-V
name available from E&L. Standard TV sets may will be delivered in late summer 1978.
*Random and sequential access be connected through readily available VHF Also included are patches for CP / MT".
*Automatically generated file-name direc- converters, or modified by qualified ser- For users wishing to supplement the
tories (catalog detailing diskette contents for vicemen to provide a direct video input DISCUS I software, several extra-cost
I each diskette) connection. options are available. CP / MT" for Digital
*Storage capacity of 116 kilobytes per List price of the VTE-l is $600.00 fully Research 'is available for $70. Microsoft
diskette assembled, or $450.00 in kit form. Optional Extended Disk BASIC ($199) and Disk
*Ability to be driven from Appli II power MON-I monitor (assembled only) is priced FORTRAN ($349) are also available.
supply with no other power required at $210.00. E&L Instruments, 61 First St., Memory products designed and manufac-
*Unique patented design that reduces Derby, CT 06418, (203) 735-8774. tured by Thinker Toys now includes the
power consumption and motor wear while CIRCLE 207 ON READER SERVICE CARD
DISCUS IT" full-size floppy disk, Disk
permitting the drive mechanics to operate at Jockey IT" universal S-IOO disk controller,
higher speed. Supe Ram'" 32K and Supe Rarn 16K static
The measures of Disk II's performance are memories, and Synchro Fresh'" 8K dynamic
summarized below: - memory.
Parameter: Disk Capacity; Data transfer For further information: Neila Rich-
rate; Track access time. mond, Thinker Toys, 1201 10th Street,
Specification: 116K bytes (soft-sectored Berkeley, CA 94710, (415) 524-5317.
format); 156K bits/second (I9.5K bytes/sec-
ond); 200 milliseconds average; 600 milli- CIRCLE 208 ON READER SERVICE CARD
seconds maximum.
Disk II will begin shipping in June 1978 at
an introductory price of $495. This price
includes both controller card and Disk II
Drive.
CIRCLE 206 ON READER SERVICE CARD

DISCUS ITMFULL-SIZE FLOPPY THE "NO-FRILLS" TE"RMINAL

DISK COMPLETELY Computer Peripheral Corporation has
ASSEMBLED AT $995 announced the introduction of a "no-frills"
marketing approach unique to the computer
Morrow's Micro-Stuff/Thinker Toys is terminal industry. The COPS 10 and the
delivering the new DISCUS I full-size floppy COPS 20 computer terminals, which offer
disk memory for S-100/8080 all standard design and performance
E&L INSTRUMENTS VTE-1TM .microprocessor systems. features, will be sold directly to the user at a
VIDEO TERMINAL The DISCUS I system is sold as a .substantial cost savings under the new
complete system, completely assembled and :marketing plan ..
Used with a television set or monitor, the tested, with all required hardware and The COPS 10 and COPS 20 terminal
VTE-I Video Terminal Electronics system software, for $995 (plus tax and handling). 'designs offer all standard features among
provides a full ASCII keyboard, reprogram- Hardware included in the DISCUS I .thern a detachable upper /lower case
mabie character generator, cursor and system includes a Shugart 800R full-size disk typewriter style keyboard; switch selectable
flicker-free refresh. Full duplex and local drive fully mounted in a custom, all-metal i upper /lower case; 12 inch non-glare screen;
operation are possible, with RS232C and 20 cabinet with an independent power supply, a cursor control keys and direct X- Y cursor
mA current loop interfaces operating at Disk Jockey "M S-IOO controller with a addressing; transparent/tape mode; and
speeds of 75 to 9600 baud. capacity for seven additional disk drives, and several special features such as reverse video
The standard character set contains 64 all necessary cables and connectors. by character and buffered keyboard
upper case alphanumeric ASCII characters. The controller offers an extraordinary ,transmission.
Lower case is optional, and the character convenience: an on-board serial I/O port to' Another positive marketing feature for the

JAN 1979 19
COPS "no-frills" display terminals is emula- Objective Design, P.O. Box 20325, orga:niz'ational facility that supports sequen-
tion. Computer Peripherals Corp. offers Tallahassee, FL 32304, (904) 224-5545. tial, random access] and hierarchical chained
emulators for the Hazeltine 1510 and the (Codasyl-like) data structures on any ran-
CIRCLE 211 ON READER SERVICE CARD dom access device.
DEC VT52.
The COPS 10 "no-frills" terminal is being FM-ll allows preallocation of file space
offered at a cost of$750. Currently, there is a completely under programmer control, and
thirty day delivery on units ordered. performs all maintenance functions for
Contact Computer Peripherals, 1225 inserting or deleting records in a sequential
Connecticut Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06607, (e.g., indexed) file. FM-ll is most at home in
(203) 333-8339. highly sophisticated data base applications
and provides multiuser file interlock, multi-
CIRCLE 209 ON READER SERVICE CARD ple owner record linkage and a complete
access/update function group for associated
records in a chained structure.
NCC ENHANCES MODEL 43 The package is now available as a user
TELETYPE library or integrated into a licensed RT-ll
operating system. Priced between $495 and
Added value at reduced cost is the $895, depending upon configuration and
advantage National Computer Com- distribution medium.
munications delivers to prospects for
For more information contact: MultrCept
Teletype's Model 43, 30 cps, matrix UNIVERSAL INTERFACE Corporation, 201 West Pine Street, Rome,
teleprinter. Called NCC 1043, the basic CONTROLS EXOTIC
product offers Model 43 performance, N.Y. 13440 (315) 337-1000
features and options, but as discounted PERIPHERALS
CIRCLE 213 ON READER SERVICE CARD
prices of $965 per unit. An NCC 1043[[ A single RS-16-H, requiring one parallel
version includes NCe's Bell-compatible 1/0 port, can be used to control many
AC 103 modem attachment. EIA RS232C or different peripheral devices as directed by a
current loop interfaces are available. microcomputer. The device provides all MITS 88006
For more information contact: William F. electronics needed to drive 16 outputs TELECOMMUNICATION
Tilley, President, National Computer Com- (relays, motors, lamps, solenoids) and sense
munications Corp., 171 Worcester Road, SYSTEM
16 to 24 inputs (TTL or switch contacts,
Wellesley Hills, MA 02181; (617) 235-7055; including magnetic reed switches) with all The Microware-PBS has announced a
or Robert M. Loonin, CEO, National inputs and outputs brought to a 44 pin edge telecommunication system for the MITS
Computer Communications Corp., 26 Sixth connector. If the interface ever fails, a special Altair 8800b microcomputer. This system
Street, Stamford, CT 06905, (203) 325-3831 diagnostic connector can be substituted. enables the MITS 8800b to be used as an
or (800) 243-9006. Failed lCs can then be found and replaced intelligent terminal in two way communica-
CIRCLE 210 ON READER SERVICE CARD using the diagnostic BASIC program tion with a remote time sharing device over
provided, without need for factory repair. the telephone lines using an acoustic coupler.
Each output line can be individually set or The telecommunication system consists of
cleared using BASIC, machine code, or an assembly language routine and another
HARDWARE other language by means of 1/ 0 read or write
commands. A special command (or the
program written in MITS disk extended
Basic. Control commands are provided to
manual reset button) can be used to clear all enable the operator to switch command
outputs simultaneously. If desired, simple console communication from the remote
COMPUTER JUGGLES MANY switches can be wired to allow manual device to MITS and vice versa. This system
override of the computer's commands. may be used to communicate and transfer
TASKS Since all peripheral device inputs and any kind of data files to and from a remote
S-l 00 computers can handle simultaneous outputs pass through an edge connector, time sharing device at speeds up to 300 baud.
problems when outfitted with the M U LTI- electric trains, stereos, burglar alarms or The hardware requirements are MITS 8800b
T ASKER, an interrupt handling board from other devices can be wired to individual with 32K core memory and one or more
Objective Design, Inc. Having interrupts in connectors and the RS-16-H can be plugged floppy disks. It is supplied on an 8" floppy
the system allows one computer to do the into anyone of these. disk with an 18 page User's Manual. The
work of many. For example, with an Completely assembled and tested with system is priced at $195.00 which includes
interrupt driven system you can: handle handsome case, sample BASIC programs the source listing. The User's Manual may be
program development on several terminals and installation manual at $229. The purchased separately for $20.00 for system
at once; run household appliances and play installation manual alone is $5, and can be evaluation and its, cost may be app!ied
games at the same time; and continue using applied toward purchase for 90 days. Cooper towards the purchase of the telecomrnunica-
the computer while a: slow printer is churning Computing, P.O. Box 16082, Clayton, MO tion system at a later date.
out a listing. 63105. For more information contact: Mr. Mark
Unlike less sophisticated interrupt boards, Shelton, Microware-PBS, P.O. Box 47,
CIRCLE 212 ON READER SERVICE CARD Blacksburg, VA 24060.
the M UL TIT ASKER does not use forced
'RESTART' instructions-which tie up the
CIRCLE 214 ON READER SERVICE CARD
near-zero address space. It can be located
anywhere in memory-and will generate
'CALL' vectors to any location. The com- SOFTWARE CP/M MACRO PACKAGE
plex assembly language software required
for handling interrupts is available on Structured Analysis Systems has
PROM (which goes into space provided on developed SP80, a set of structured
the board), making the interface into a high FM-11 FILE MANAGEMENT programming macros for the 8080/ Z80.
level language relatively easy. SYSTEM Macro libraries are available for the TDL
Another M UL TIT AS KER board option Z80 assembler V2.2 and the Intel macro'
is a crystal derived Real Time Clock. Timed MultiCept Corporation announces the standard. SP80 provides all common struc-
interrupt intervals are hardware selectable FORTRAN-compatible FM-ll file tured programming consructs; DO for count
from 100 microseconds to 100 milliseconds. management package for the DEC RT-II iteration, IF-ELSE for two path conditions,
Software counters can extend this time into operating system. As a replacement for SELECT-CASE for multiple path
days or years. FORTRAN file I/O or as an additional branching, REPEAT-UNTIL and WHILE
MUL TIT ASKER without PROM in kit capability for FORTRAN or MACRO loop constructs as well as a special LOOP-
form is $205.95. Shipping costs are $5.00 applications, FM-ll supplies the EXITIF-ENDLOOP which allows multiple
Canada; $20.00 overseas. programmer with a powerful data base exits from imbedded loops. All constructs

20 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 the $988 Surprise •••
If you haven't looked carefully This means TRS-80's memory Radio Shack's 58 years of con-
at the Level-II 16K TRS-80, is equivalent to a 28K RAM- sumer electronics leadership,
you're in for a big surprise! based system. our 50 regional repair centers
Level-II BASIC gives TRS-80 New for 1979- TRS-80's (growing to 100 this year), our
advanced features like com- numeric (calculator) keypad new Radio Shack computer
prehensive string handling, included on every 16K com- centers, and our NYSE-listed
multi-dimension arrays, puter, and available as an billion-dollar parent, Tandy
multi-letter variable names, add-on for present owners. Corporation, insure ~hat cus-
named cassette files, full edit- tomer support is always avail-
ing, integer arithmetic, TRS-80's modular design able right where it should
single (o-digir) and double allows easy expansion. Add be-locally.
(Io-digit) precision arithme- up to 48K RAM, Expansion
Interface, printers, 1 to 4 So if you haven't seriously
tic, formatted printing,
Mini-Disks, RS232C, tele- looked at TRS-80 yet, ask
memory-mapped video (print
phone acoustic couplers, your local Radio Shack for our
directly at any of 1024 screen
Voice Synthesizer, dual cas- new 20-page fact-filled catalog
positions), 128x48 video
sette recorders, our System and be prepared for a $988
graphics (may be intermixed
Desk and Printer Stand. Sur- surprise. Surprising power-
with text), error trapping, auto
prisingly, these are not prom- features-price-support!
line numbering, TRACE,
ises of things to come, but teal Level-II 16K systems include
PEEK and POKE ... to name
products being delivered right everything pictured, plus the
just a few. Because Level-II is
now. Software from games to manual. Better to be surprised
in ROM, TRS-80 powers-up
General Ledger are available, now ... before you choose
ready to go with the full 16K
the wron microcomputer
RAM available for your use. with more cassette and disk
software being added
f
system. '.
monthly,
allow signed and unsigned relational tests WORD PROCESSING
(EQ, NE, LE, LT, GE, GT) and condition
code testing. Availa ble with the TD L version SOFTWARE
is the use of conjunction (AND) and Prornedics Data Corporation, a turnkey
disjunction (OR) in any construct. computer system and software company, has
As an example, to find the first non- announced a Word Processing System for
numeric in an input buffer, the following professional applications. The software is
SP80 code could be used. The code requires very flexible in nature and has features found
19 bytes and has an average loop execution only on larger more expensive computers.
time of 46 T-states (23 microseconds). These features include disk storage of files,
LXI H,BUF, ;LOAD START OF automatic date insertion, global search and
BUFFER . replacement, block text move or copy, bell
LOOP warning at end of line, ruler option,
MOY A,M; GET MEXTCHARACTER automatic centering, underlining, cursor
EXITIF. A, GT, 39H, OR,. A, LE, 2FH backspace and erase, automatic new line
EXIT IF A NOT ASCII 0-9 generation, paging and multifile concaten- FLOPPY DISK STORAGE
INX H; CHECK NEXT CHARACTER ation. SYSTEM
ENDLOOP The software is written in BASIC and runs
Why use structured programming macros on any system supporting a BASIC compiler The FLOPPY DISK STORAGE
for microprocessor assembly programming? . and interpreter. The software is currently SYSTEM (Pat. Pend.) insures data integrity
Faster program development; easier running under the CP I M operating system by providing a safe environment for your
maintenance; self documenting code; same and under RSX-II M with BASIC+2. The diskettes from coffee spills, cigarette burns,
SP80 program can be used with Z80 or 8080 software is available to both end users and creases, folds or a bad case of the bends.
macros; reduced learning time; reduced OEMs. The single user license fee is $750 or The uniqueness of this design offers fully
debugging time; shorter program listings; a complete turnkey system including general indexed, instantaneous, retrieval of your
efficient programs; no software required ledger and accounts receivable is available most frequently used diskettes through easy
other than your macro assembler. for $13,500. push button control.
A manual containing listings of all macros For further information contact SPECIFICATIONS AND PRICES: 15
in the two libraries, a discussion of macro Promedics Data Corporation, 1032 Elwell slots-4 lbs., 4V4"W x 9X"H x Io Yl"D,
syntax, constraints, memory and execution Ct., Suite 240, Palo Alto CA 94303. $69.95: 30 slots-·8 lbs., 8"W x 9W'H x
time requirements, a detailed example with 10Yl"D, $119.95: 50 slots-13 lbs., 13"W x
CIRCLE 217 ON READER SERVICE CARD 9W'H x 10!;S"D, $179.95.
corresponding conventional program, and
general notes and suggestions is available for MATERIAL: High Impact Plastic
$19. A diskette containing the macro COLOR: Eye Pleasing Beige
libraries is available for $19 in CP/M file
format.
MISCELLANEOUS For further information contact: The A-
Team, lnc.. P.O. Box 719, Broomfield, CO
Structured Analysis Systems, P.O. Box 80020.
2745, Reston, YA 22091.
CIRCLE 219 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CIRCLE 215 ON READER SERVICE CARD

MICRO BUSINESS SOFTWARE FLIPPY-DISK-KIT

Designed to run on an 8080 processor Square I now makes a kit available that
these ,business programs are coded in lets the user make "flippy" diskettes out of
FORiRAN and are therefore not hampered his "floppy" diskettes. Most diskette
by the overhead of an interpreter. manufacturers coat and finish both sides of
The General Ledger was designed for the diskettes, but package them in such a way
CP A's and is thus very generalized and that they are only usable on one side. With
flexible. There are over twenty programs in ordinary care, the user can modify the jacket
the system. It allows up to 200 accounts, with .of the diskette so the spare side can be used.
9 levels of totals, percentages (current and ICalled the FUPPY-DiSK-KIT, it contains
YTD) on P&L, capabilities for run time . NEW BATTERY WIRE· I all the necessary tools to locate and accurate-
selection of detail on the P&L and Balance ly punch the extra holes in the jacket of the
Sheet, forces balanced entry of transactions, WRAPPING TOOL
diskette. Instructions guide the user through
verifies accounts are valid, automatically Model BW-520 battery tool is the newest the "anatomy" of a diskette explaining
puts II E totals in Balance Sheet, and many member of the Wire wrapping tool family clearly the function of each hole and opening
more features that you would expect on it from OK Machine and Tool Corp" It is in the jacket, then the method of marking
farge computer. interchangeable with the previous model and punching the holes and testing the newly
Payroll prints checks, calculates multi- BW-515 and features improved indexing and available side. Square I claims over 85
state taxes, local taxes, handles multi-pay drive mechanisms at no increase in price .. percent of the 5V4-inch diskettes can be
periods, bonuses, salaried and hourly Rated to accept bits for 22-30 A WG (0, 65-0, successfully made usable on the "flip" side.
employees, W2's, 941's, check register, 25mm) wire, the tool operates on 2 standard The kit is designed to be used with North
department. rel?orting, hand written checks C-size Ni Cad batteries and is constructed of Star, Horizon, Polymorphic, Vectorgraphic,
can be entered, check numbers and tax tables high durability reinforced Lexan'", Also Vista, or any other 5V4-inch hard sectored
can be changed by users, and other features. available with optional anti-overwrapping mini-diskette drive. Once the user buys the
Accounts Receivable and Accounts device as model BW-520-BF. The tool is also kit, he then gets the use of both sides of every
Payable are under development with Job available in a reversing model BW-520-U for diskette he buys, thus in effect, getting a 50
Costing for Payroll planned. Available for power unwrapping when equipped with a percent discount on his disk purchases. The
CP I M with G I L also currently available special unwrapping bit. The tool is reversed kit contains instructions, double sided
under ISIS. simply by flicking a switch located on top of "nippy-plate," a unique pencil for making
G/L, P/R (object code) $775 each; AIR, .the tool. The reversing version may also be highly visible marks on the black diskette
AI P $495 each, or all four for $2250. Users equipped with the anti-overwrapping device jacket, and a specially ground and polished
manuals $15 with credit towards purchase of as BW-520-BF-U. Prices start at $108.70 hand punch for making the holes. Priced at
software. including batteries. In stock, $9.95 plus $1.00 shipping.
Arkansas Systems, Inc., 8901 Kanis Road, OK Machine & Tool Corporation, 3455 Available from: Square I, 614 Eighteenth
Little Rock, AR ?2205, (501) 227-8885. Conner Street, Bronx, NY 10475, (212) 994- Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025.
6600.
CIRCLE 216 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 216 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 220 ON READER SERVICE CARD

22 CREATIVE COMPUTING
TO: Microsoft, 10800 NE Eighth, Suite 819, Bellevue, WA 98004

o Send me free TRS-80 FORTRAN 'overview.

o Send me TRS-80 FORTRAN and Z-80 development soft-
ware for $350.00.

o Check enclosed 0 Master charge 0 VISA

Card Number Exp. Date _

Cardholder's Signature _

Name _

City ~State Zip--

 /

I\rsonal
Electronic
Transactions
by Gregory Yob
I am happy to hear from you, and encourage
your correspondence. I will try to acknowledge all
correspondence, and a SASE makes things easier
for both of us. Please send your letters to
"Personal Electronic Transactions" c/o PO Box
354, Palo Alto, CA 94301.

Presently there is an incredible several "TV" signals which may be modulator, such as a Pixie-Verter, to
variety of hardware and software combined to provide the composite make the composite video into a signal
products on the market for the PET. video used by most television for your TV antenna input - get in touch
Due to the void we all have experienced monitors. (Note: If you have an or- with your TV repairman. If you try this,
during the past year, there is a tenden- dinary TV set, you must use a RF the picture will not come out very well-
cy to applaud every new product as so try and find a monitor.)
FIGURE 1 PET USER PORT DIAGRAM s PINOUT INFORMATION
The simplest and cheapest circuit
really great. However, once something
better arrives, often the earlier product that does this is shown in Figure 2. The
is seen in a more realistic light. total cost is around $2.00. More than
Unfortunately, some of you will be one monitor can· be attached if re-
stuck with the earlier model. quired. The integrated circuit used is a
There isn't much I can do about all 74LS02.
this unless I make this column mostly
reviews - which I won't do. When I see
~ 111111111111 / TOP VIEW
Exploring PET Random Numbers
There are many situations where you
something especially good or bad, I TOP.;.,1
======~12 need random numbers - for example, I
will mention it to you. EDGE V I EW
games which roll dice or shuffle cards, '
A Plug and a Non-Plug simulations which vary starting con-
If you want to extend your PET's PET us E R PO RT ditions or have "acts of God" and so on.
memory, along with several other The PET has a function,-RND, whiCfi-
options, my recommendation goes to: PINOUT INFORI>'ATION ( USER PORT ) will provide you with a random number
. Expandapet by Convenience Living . 12 post+tcns with 24 contacts. 0.156" splicing. Keys between
pins I and·2. ;:and pins 10 and 11. (Finding thIs connector can be
with value between 0 and 1.
Systems, 648 Sheraton Drive, Sun- difficult - take a 22 ccst trcn, 44 ccn+ec+ connector and a hacxsev A quick way to see how the RND
and make your own. The leftover part fits nicely on the cassette
nyvale, CA 94807 (408) 733-0688. If you port.l function works is to enter this program
give them an inquiry, mention this TOP BOnOM
into your PET and RUN it: .
column. 1 Ground A Ground
10 INPUT R
If you are interested in the PET's ,
2 TV Video
IEEE SRQ C
B CA1
PA 0
20 PRINT RND (R)
ROM and what's inside it, several 4
5
IEEE EOI
o 11Ignost rc Sense
0
E
PA
PA
1
2
,30 GOTO 20
vendors are selling "PET ROM Dis- 6
J
Tape Re<!ld I 1
T1Ipe Read I 2
F
B
PA
PA
,
4
If you try a negative number, such as
assemblies." I don't know of one that is 8
9
Tepe WrIte
TV ver-ttca t Synch
J
K
PA
PA
5
6
-2.987654, you will see the same value'
worth more than the paper it comes on. 10
11
. TV Horl zonta!
Gr-ound
Syr)ch L
M
PA J repeated on the screen. (In this case.:
CB 2

The PET ROM includes many different 12 Gr-ound N Ground you get .12782608) NOTE: The
things besides the 6502 code, and the negative integers tend to give con-
disassemblies I have seen tend to sistently small values, such as
ignore such small details. . 4.20313882 E-08 for -45.
FIGURE 2 COMPOSITE VIOEO MIXER FOR PET TO TV MONITOR
If you try zero, you will see values
Some Data on the User Port
Many of you are in the situation of around .5 to .6, with .620111383
having a PET, and no information appearing about half the time.
about the various ports on the rear. f C is 74LSG2
If you try a positive number, the
Figure 1 shows the pinouts and signals numbers will be different and seem to .
for the User Port, which is the middle be random. If you want to see the
connector in the back.we will be using HORIZ
numbers at a readable pace, press RVS
this port for making PET noises and to slow the display, or STOPto stop the
music. . PET
390n
program.
VIDEO
PET This gives us some rules for the PET
PET Slave Video Display o GNO"'!:-- RND function:
Those of you in a teaching situation Rule 1: RND(negative number) will
may have use for more than one display always give back the same value
PET Video Hixer by Conmodor-e Pet Users Club
of the PET screen. A close look at the of England - Newsletter issues 1 & 2, page 9
each time it) is used with a
lines on the top of the User Port reveals particular nurpber.

24 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 Rule 2: RND ( 0 ) doesn't work. INT(RND(1)*6)+1 for power. When the connectors were
RLlle 3: RND (positive number) gives 20 GOTO 10 hooked to the PET, I glued the perf-
random numbers. It's handy to define a general purpose board onto the connectors, making a
Now turn off your PET arid turn it on random function by: one-piece unit that's easy to hook up or
again. Then enter: DEF FNR(X)=INT(RND(1)*X)+1 remove,
PRINT RND(5) .tor any positive If a range of numbers is desired, say If you use this unit, DON'T FORGET
integer) from X to Y, the expression becomes: THE 47 OHM RESISTOR!! The +5
.576189016 INT(RND(1 )*(Y-X+1 ))+X supply for the PET second cassette can
If you repeat this procedure, turning only supply around 100mA arid the
off the PET and printing a random speaker will appear to be a short circuit
number, you will get the same result- when the transistor is on. The 47 ohm
this gives us another rule: resistor prevents the +5 supply from
Rule 4: PET always starts its random burning out!!
numbers from the same place The PET sounds are made via the
. when you turn on the power. User Port line called CB2. This line is
As you can see, this means if you usable in several modes, two of which
come home from work, and want to pay are good for making sounds. One
a hand of poker with your PET, you will warnihg: When you fool with CB2, you
keep getting the same hand every day. will usually remove the PET's ability to
To get around this, let's look at another SAVE or LOAD tapes. To restore
thing: normal operation, use these
Turn on your PET again, and obtain PET Sounds and Music statements:
the first five random numbers. The PET arrives to you in a mute POKE 59466,0:POKE 59467, O:POKE
.576189016 condition-giving it a voice is quite 59468,12
(Done with: FOR J=1 TO 5:?RND(5) simple to do, and now you can play So, when working with sound, SAVE
:NEXT) "music" or add some sound effects to on tape before you RUN the program.
.306654204 yourqarnes or make an alarm clock or Clicks
.377004198 anything you can imagine that can use The User Port is controlled by 16
.739710661 simple sounds. memory addresses in the PET. For
.124558778 Figure 3 shows a very Simple circuit musical purposes, four of these have
Now reset your PET again, and enter: that can be hooked to your stereo or meaning:
PRINT RND (-1.234) other audio amplifier. If you want more 59464 Frequency Control
.27232287 freedom,use the device in Figure 4. I 59466 Timbre Control
For J = 1 TO 4:PRINT RND(5); NEXT took a3" x 5" perfboard, a 44-position 59467 Shift Register Mode Control
.69531946 edge connector and some epoxy glue 59468 Click Control
.593247651 to make mine. Theedqe connector was If you want to learn more about the
.0105296875 sawed Into two pieces, one for the Use'r other User Port addresses, get the
.69904041 Port, and one for the 2nd Cassette Port MOS 6522 specification from MOS
The sequence is now different! This Technology.
leads to Rule 5: The CB2. line is set high by the
FIGURE 3 VERY SIMPLE CIRCUIT FOR' PET SOUND VIA CB2
Rule 5: RND(negative number) statement POKE 59468, 224 and low
resets the random number . PET CH2 by: POKE 59468,192. If you enter these
generator at a new starting place 220K'O lines on your PET, when you press
determined by the negative RETURN you will hear a faint click from
number. HI FI your speaker. To get another click, you
There is one trap to avoid with TAPE OR AUX must enter the opposite POKE, since
INPUT
resetting the random number function. changing high to high or low to low
47KO
The best way to see it is to try this doesn't make a sound.
program: PET GND If you do this rapidly enough, you
HI Fl 6ND,
10 INPUT P can get a buzz. Try:
20 P=RND(-P) Connect the output to a standard ReA plug & audio cable FOR J.=1TO 1000:POKE 58468,192:
30 PRINT P and hook, to the Aux or Tape input of your sound system. POKE 59468,224: NEXT
40 GOTO 20 You will hear a buzz for about 20
When you RUN this, the results will not seconds. The most rapid possible buzz
be random. Instead, two values will can be made with:
alternate with each value varying FIGURE 4 SELF CONTAINEO PET SOUNDHAKER CIRCUIT A=59468:B=192: C=224: FOR-
slightly each time. If some of you want J=1T01000:POKEA,B: POKEA,
to check the PET RND function further, C:NEXT
F1ndorscroungea2or3inchspeaker +5Volts
I suggest the tests in Knuth's "The Art and any handy NPN transistor
of 200 ma current. The 47 Ohm
capable This gives a 5 second buzz which will
of Computer Programming, resistor
larger.
should be 1/2 watt or
My unit was put on a 3"x5"
vary in tone. (The variance in tone '
Seminumerical Algorithms, Vol 2" perfboard with connectors
one edge which makes it easy to
glued to
comes from the fact that the FOR-
put on my PET. Use the PET +5 from
which can be found at most technlcal the 2nd Cassette Port. NEXT· loop changes in speed as J
bookstores. Let's go on to some simple increases - the experimenters among
applications for RND. you can try powers of two for the loop
If you want a number from 1 to limit and see what happens.)
whatever, Use this expression: A "practical application" is to provide
INT(RND(1) *whatever)+1 feedback when keys are pressed. Here
For example, to throw a die, you would Any handy NPN transistor is a little program that clicks for each
use INT(RND(1)*6)+1. Here is a dice- (capable of sinking
key and makes a little buzz' when
200 milliamperes)
thrower for craps or monopoly: CB2 RETURN is pressed:
10 PRINT INT(RND(1)*6)+1 + Ground
10 GETA$:IFA$="" THEN 10 (""

JAN 1979 25
 is a null string) 20 POKE 59466, 15 (Timbre to
20 PRINT A$; square wave)
30 C=1: IF A$=CHR$ (13) tHEN 30 FOR F= 200 TO 10 STEP -1
WANT TfJ SAllE C=5 ( 13 is RETURN) 40 POKE 59464,F (Set freq)
40 FOR J=1 TO C 50 NEXT F
50 POKE 59468,192 60 GET A$: IF A$="" THEN 30
TIME AND MfJNEY'? , 60 POKE 59468,224 70 POKE 59466,0
70 NEXT J This makes a "whooping" sound. The
80·GOTO 10 lines 60 and 70 provide a nice way to
I leave you with the exercise of com- stop the program with silence-it gets
Il!el .Ajtollo do it
bining this with a false cursor and annoying to stop a program and have
making a nice string input routine. . the tone on. If you want a police car,
Tones change line 30:
The CB2 line can be put into a "free- 30 FOR F = 200 TO 10 STEP -11
running" mode where it can make a A more regular· siren is done by
tone while your BASIC program is sweeping back up-add these lines:
• computer processmg doing other things-something your 50 FOR F=10 TO 200 STEP 11
• key punching clicks program can't do. To make a 52 POKE 59464,F
• programmmg tone, enter: 53 NEXT F
- and POKE 59467,16 Have fun "tuning" this one up-try
• systems design POKE 59466,15 100,200 Step 3 and so forth.
POKE 59464,200 "Space Sounds" can be made by
You will now hear a tone in the octave changing the "whooping" program
below middle C. But! There's no end to lines:

APOLLO this tone-to turn it off, use POKE

59466,0. Let's take a look at what these
POKEs mean. First, the POKE 59467
30 FOR F=1 TO 100
40 POKE 59464,255*RND(1)
Addinq a delay makes random
puts the CB2 line into Shift Register music:
Mode-this statement must be done 45 FOR J= TO 100: NEXT
CALL & ASK FOR exten4~On 263 first, or the others won't work. It needs Changing the timbre can have in-
to be done only once, however. The teresting effects too. Try:
128 PASSAIC AVENUE, FAIRFIELD, NEW JERSEY 07006
59466 controls the timbre of the sound, 30 POKE 59464, 150
TELEPHONES '201) 228·5000 - (212) 349-'5080 - (516) 538·5147 with 0 or 255 making no sound at all. 35 FOR F=O TO 255
The PET is continually moving the bits 40 POKE 59466,F
CIRCLE 109 ON READER SERVICE CARD in this address out the CB2 line" so all And, remove line 45 and do it again!
high or low will not provide any sound. This one is more noisy-sort of like
Using the screen editor, try these wind in a pipe to my ear.
MORE THAN A CASSETTE! variations on 59466: Well, that should be enough to get
1 and 254 sound the same. you going on your favorite games.
Loading or storing programs or data? 1,2,4,8,16,128 sound the same Making a good sound effect takes
Sottsystems Technoloqy'vs SOFTRAK'· 15 gives a "purer" sound some time and care-remember to vary
is the blank tape specially made for per- 17 will be an octave higher all three things: 1) frequency, 2) timbre,
sonal computers. 85 is 3 octaves higher and 3) how far and how fast 1) & 2)
If you convert these values to binary, change. Send me listings of your more
Tired of buying unused and wasted ordi-
you can see why the above results nifty ones and I will publish the best of
nary cassette tape? For highest quality,
happen. Now POKE 59466 back to 1, them.
trouble-free tape-order SOFTRAK'"-
and change 59464 to 100:
with recording time of either five or ten
POKE 59466,1:POKE 59464,100
minutes per side. SOFTRAK'"is ideally The memory cell is 59465 controls the
suited to memory capabilities of most rate at which the PET shifts the timbre
personal computers. If your computer bits out. The value is a count-down, so
has a larger memory, SOFTRAK'·is also the smaller the number, the higher the
available with thirty minutes per side. pitch. The highest pitch I can hear is
the one at POKE 59464,3.

S OFTSYSTEMS T ECHNOLOGY™
CORPORATION
Those of you who want to play music
should note that the frequency made
by CB2 when 59466 is set to 15 is given
by this formula:
Mail Address: P.O. Box 67811
Frequency = 1000000/16*(V+2))
CENTURY CITY, CALIFORNIA 90067
whereV
Please send me the following:
is what you POKE into 59464. Since the
[lST-10S0FTRAK'" 5min/side$1.50ea. PET has a crystal clock, the stability of
[ 1 ST-20SOFTRAK'"10min/side$1.75ea. pitch is more than excellent.
[ 1 ST-60SOFTRAK'"30min/side$2.50ea. Since I am running a little short of
CALIF. RES. ADD 6% Sales Tax space, music playing programs will be
FOR POSTAGE & HANDLING ADD: UP TO $5 ADD $100.
UP TO $10 ADD $1.50 - OVER $10 ADD $2.00.
covered in the next column.
Meanwhile, let's do some sound
Name
effects.
Address The first thing to do is to sweep the
frequency with a loop like this:
City State Zip
10 POKE 59467,16 (set CB2
mode)
~~----------~------------~
CIRCLE 187 ON READER SERVICE CARD
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CIRCLE 101 ON READER SERVICE CARD

 T~S.-80
Srrll1~S
Stephen B. Gray .

In this second column, we'll look at much in tHe market for TRS-80 Dr. Ralph James and Dr. Ronald
another TRS-80 magazine, SoftSide, programs. They offer, on Level-I Lodewyck of University of California at
and at two Radio Shack Programs, the and/or Level-II cassettes, programs by Stanuslaus. 'Both are experienced
Level-I BASIC Course and the In- thei r staff and by outsiders. The range educators and have combined their
Memory Information System. includes games from Checkers at $4.95 talents to produce one of the best
We'll begetting into TRS-80 graphics to Star Trek III at $14.95, business computer-assisted instruction courses
pretty soon, within the next issue or programs such as modular inventory we have seen. It is a totally interactive,
two. There's a lot of good-looking management at $20, and personal self-paced system designed to teach
computer art you can generate with software, including Biorhythms at you how to use your TRS-80 to its
rather short programs. $4.95. fullest potential. If you are new to
SoftSide. According to the editorial Also offered are programs taped programming, this course is for you."
page of the first issue, "SoftSide was from listings in the Radio Shack The Contents part of Lesson 1 takes
conceived and born within four weeks manual, for those too busy or too lazy a little less than a minute to run, and
of frantic activity, and this first issue is to key them in: the math subroutines consists of a title page, the information
fraught with all the rough edges that are the ROM test, at $3 each. A nice that holding down the down-arrow key
any fledgling publication is heir to. touch is offering three of the programs will cause the program to pause "to
Please be patient, it's our beginning." printed in this first issue: Cribbage control the pace of your course," a
The first issue does have some rough ($4.95), Pillbox ($3), and Calculator table of contents, the exhortation "Let's
edges, but mainly in the high ratio of ($3). launch right into the world of BASIC"
advertising to programs. Otherwise, The contents page notes, "For uni- with a clever Radio Shack rocket that
the first issue looks quite nice. The 56 formity, we have adopted the Radio blasts off skyward (be sure to list this
pages are typeset, the layout is pleas- Shack TRS-80 Level-II BASIC as the part and figure out how the ingenious
ing, and the new photographs of BASIC dialect within the pages of this movement is programmed), and a note
programs taken directly from a TRS-80 magazine. It was chosen because it that to continue, you must CLOAD the
screen are the best I've seen yet. stands to become the most commonly next part. According to the User
The major article in this first issue, used dialect among microcomputer Instruction Manual, which gives the
dated October 1978, is a 20-pager on a users, and because it shares a common Table of Contents and also procedures
long cribbage program. Its outstanding heritage with the many microcomputer for cassette loading, pause control,
feature, which I'd like to see more languages produced by Microsoft." and student input, pauses are con-
programmers use, is that the program SoftSide is published monthly by trolled by the upward-arrow key.
is divided into sections, each section is SoftSide Publications, Box 68, Milford, Actually, either key will halt the RUN
given a name, and the purpose and NH 03055, at $15 for one year, $28 for for as long as you hold it down.
process of each section is described in two. The cover price is $1.50. The second part of Lesson 1, the
some detail, line by line' when SoftSide is owned by managing Introduction, takes 80 seconds to load
necessary. This is even better than editor Christopher E. Smith and by and, without pauses, 65 seconds to run.
REM lines, since it's much more software editor Roger W. Robitaille, Sr. The actual run time, however, depends
detailed. All listings are TRS-80 print- The latter owns The TRS-80 Software on how fast you read and how fast you
outs, a great help in eliminating Exchange, although there's no indica- INPUT your responses.
typog raph ic errors. tion in the pages of SoftSide that the The first program is three lines long,
The other programs in the issue are a two organizations are related, other calculates how many days old you are,
state capital quiz, Death Star' game, than that they're both in Milford, New and asks if you would like to see the
calculator program, and a Hampshire. program run again. If not, the next
battleground game, Pillbox. Those Level-I BASIC Course. For $12.95 program is presented, converting
take up 33 pages. Of the other 23 you get what at first looks like a one- Fahrenheit to Celsius, with your input.
pages, 17 are ads, all for programs inch-thick book with a black-and-silver Then you have to load the next part.
generated by The TRS-80 Software cover. But inside, as the TRS-80 The next part introduces line
Exchange. Over 41 percent of the catalog says, is a four-cassette Level-I numbers by adding a line to the age
magazine is bread rather than meat, a BASIC course that "contains eight program, to calculate how many
rather high ratio unless you're very lessons with 26 programs. Written by months old you are. And before you

28 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 know it, it's time to load the next part .. written, memory limitations force the structure like PASCAL, or a math
Of course, this is because only so much coverage' to be quite brief, and the workhouse like APL, or a universal
of a lesson can be stored in 4K of constant need to CLOAD (over two language like BASIC, but it is nice tor
memory. And the boxes used frequent- dozen times altogether) can be an- easing gently into programming and
Iy to surround text and examples, noying. However, as during TV com- for educational applications. Judging
although giving a nicely formalized mercials, CLOAD time gives you ample from the documentation, this particular
, appearance to the lessons, do take up opportunity to write checks for paying implementation looks like a go~<:!
several lines per box. bills, file your nails (or throw them PILOT,- but unfortunately - the
After the line-numbers part, you're, away), or have a snack. preproduction copy did not include
asked to proceed by loading Lesson 2~, I'd recommend the Level-I BASIC documentation on how to write and
But if you turn the cassette over to 'Instruction Course to a beginner execute PILOT programs, so we didn't
Lesson 2 on the other side, you get a wanting a very good quickie course, or actually try it.
WHAT?, because you're only halfway' for somebody who has trouble concen- Following the PILOTs are BASIC
through the first side. How come? trating on the Level-I manual, and who programs. The first 25 are financial and
.Because, as on all Radio Shack needs a course that will force him to investment applications, for problems
program cassettes, each lesson is follow instructions and answer such as calculating the present value of
recorded twice, just in case of questions. a future sum, number of days between
problems. So when you turn the Incidentally, the little book-like cover dates, nominal and effective interest
cassette over, you're somewhere in the is quite ingenious, storing four rates, future value of regular deposits,
middle of Lesson 2, not at its begin- cassettes in a closed container. I was depreciation, and so on. These
ning.Soyoueitherhavetofast-forward going to ~suggest that Radio Shack programs are menu-driven and self-
Lesson 1 to its end, or rewind Lesson 2 consider offering these (and perhaps prompting, so at each step you know
to its beginning. also the three-ring binders that hold exactly what you can type in, and error-
eight cassettes) in empty, unlabelled checking features are included. Next
The lessons are very well written, form, as they'd be just right for TRS-80 there are ten CAI programs in history
with examples of how to use variables, users (or for anybody else using and geography, with such topics as
for instance, and examples of how not cassettes, for that matter) to store their capitals of the states, inventors and
to use them, plus novel features such own personal tape libraries. inventions, authors, presidents,. etc.
as characters blinking to call attention But on querying Hadio Shack to find The student can select the category he
to them, and using graphics blocks to if any such plans were underway, I was wants, and then the type of question,
underline or to point out a loop, for told there's been an item in the Radio such as truejfalse, multiple choice, and
example. The user is asked to INPUT Shack catalog for some time, for matching. Finally, there are some other
information for programs, and is also storing music cassettes. It's a "folding miscellaneous games and math drills,
asked which of several given inputs has cassette storage album," on page 57 of including two Star-Wars-style games,
the wrong format. A correct answer the 1979 catalog, storing 24 cassettes two word jumblers, two memory
results in compliments such as "RIGHT ($4.95 for item 44-609, which has a testers, and even two very familiar-
ON!" A wrong answer will cause the handle) or 12 cassettes ($2.59 for item looking games, Rock-Scissors-Paper
program to tell you what was wrong 44-612). Looks to be very much like the and Russian Roulette (could swear I
with that answer, and then the question same type of plastic cassette holders saw them somewhere before, but it's
is repeated. used in the TRS-80 program binders. probably my imagination).
Subsequent lessons teach INPUT, 100 programs for $49.50 is certainly a
LIST, RUN, PRINT, TAB, PRINT AT, bargain, but none of the ones we tried
END, LET, IF/THEN, GOTO, READ, The Library 100 from The Bottom are going to make you say, "Wow, I'm
DATA, DIM, FOR/NI::XT, ABS, INT, Shelf (Box 49104, Atlanta, GA 30359) glad I bought a TRS-80 so I could run
RND, SET, RESET, POINT, GOSUB, consists of 100 TRS-80 programs. We this program," though Tiny PILOT
ON/GOTO, ON/GOSUB, and received a preproduction copy of the might have been an exception. Per-
RESTORE. first fifty for a 16K Level II machine. The sonally, I'd rather buy a few really
The very last program gives a clever tape includes two versions of Tiny fantastic programs than a truckload of
use of RESTORE to search through PILOT - one in 4K, one in 16K. For the average ones. On the other hand, if you
DATA statements for a matching uninitiated, PILOT is a computer need a wide assortment of financial
INPUT number. language designed for writing CAI calculations and other things this may
Although this course is very. well dialogs, not a real heavyweight on be for you. •

L.OVE AMOA/6 n-ie-

COMPVr£CJ/L)S - NeW
00 y /,IV 70U/A./

,,1'+8 .'?/J
JAN 1979 29
 ,),

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164 West 83rd Street Berkeley, CA 94710
The OEMs (Original Equipment
New York, NY 10024 (415) 524-5317
Manufacturers) who buy CP/M from
(212) 580-0082
Digital Research usually will configure VECTOR GRAPHIC, INC.
a version for your particular system ... MSD, INC. 31364 Via Colinas
and certainly offer one configured for 2765 S. Colorado Blvd. #110 Westlake Village, CA 91361
their system. Following is a partial list Denver, CO 80222 (213) 991-2302
(those who authorized release of their (303) 758-:7411
VISTA COMPUTER COMPANY
names) of OEMs who support, and
MICRO V CORPORATION 2807-F5 Oregon Ct.
offer, CP/M:
17777 S.E. Main Torrance, CA 90503
AL TOS COMPUTER SYSTEMS Irvine, CA 92714 (213) 320-3880
2378 B Walsh Avenue (714) 957-1517
EAS-Electro Analytic Systems, Inc.
Santa Clara, CA 95050
MICROMATION INC. PO Box 102
(408) 244-5766
524 Union Street Ledgewood, NJ 07852
COMPUTER MART OF NEW JERSEY San Francisco,CA 94133 (201) 584-8284
ICOM format, MICROPOLIS format (415) 398-0289
Commercial Computer Inc.
501 Route 27
RESEARCH MACHINES LTD. 9742 Humboldt Avenue South
Iselin, NJ 08830
PO Box 75 Minneapolis, MN 55431
(201) 283-0600
Oxford, England (612) 884-8003
DIGITAL MICROSYSTEMS, INC. 086549793
Northwest Microcomputer Systems
4448 Piedmont Avenue
ROTHENBERG INFORMATION 749 River Ave.
Oakland, CA 94611
SYSTEMS, INC. Eugene, OR 97404
(415) 658-8532
260 Sheridan Avenue (503) 688-6771
DYNABYTE, INC. Palo Alto, CA 94306
Rex Computer Corp.
1005 Elwell Court (415) 324-8850
3014 Univ. Ave. S. E.
Palo Alto, CA 94303
SCOTT ENTERPRISES Minneapolis, MN 55414
(415) 965-1010
MICROPOLIS format (612) 379-4800
GENERAL TECHNICS, INC. 627 Orangewood
The CP/M User's Group is up to
DIGITAL GROUP format Newbery Park, CA 91320 THIRTY-THREE VOLUMES! You
1515 W. Main
SPACE BYTE COMPUTER CORP. mightwantto drop a line to them at: 164
Peoria, IL 61606
646 Sunset Blvd. Suite 530 W. 83rd St., New York, NY 10024. Ask
(309) 673-8080
Los Angeles, CA 90028 for their list (North Star, Micropolis and
GNAT COMPUTERS, INC. (213) 468-8080 standard diskettes) and enclose $4 (to
7895 Convoy Court, Unit 6
r•• get on their mailing list ... and get the
S. D.SALES
. San Diego, CA 92111 initial list). Each diskette is $8 (diskette,
3401 W. Kingsley Rd. copying & shipping).
(714) 560-0433
Garland. TX 75040 United Software Applications, 342
IMSAI (800) 527-3460
Columbus Ave., Trenton, NJ 08629,
14860 Wicks Blvd.
has a modified version of CP/M, called
San Leandro, CA 94577
OS/M, which you might want to check
(415) 483-2093

30 CREATIVE COMPUTING·
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~

Stand Alone ASCII Keyboard Specification

'=:=':':- ==,,=._- ..===:- :~:::'-:."~"'.' i:? 4 SIMULTANEOUS OUTPUTS AVAILABLE: THE ONLY ONE ON THE MARKET
1. SERIAL TTL LEVEL
2_ BUFFERED 8 BIT (TRI-STATE LATCH) PARALLEL OUTPUT WITH VALID DATA
SYNC PULSE AND LEVEL
3_ 20 MA OPTO-ISOLATED CURRENT LOOP, POLARITY INDEPENDENT
4_ EIA RS232C
i:? SINGLE + 5 VOLT 300 MA (NOMINAL) POWER SUPPLY (REQUIRED)
i:? INDUSTRY STANDARD 2 KEY ROLLOVER ENCODER
i:? ANSI - COMPATIBLE KEY SET; FOR SLIM-LINE "HIDEAWAY" PACKAGING
i:? SEGMENTED SPACE BAR ALLOWS FAST MULTIPLE-SPACING WITHOUT
REPEAT KEY
i:? REPEAT KEY REPEATS AT CHARACTER RATE
i:? USER SELECTABLE UPPER CASE ONLY (KSR/ ASR/33 REPLACEMENT) OR
UPPERjLOWER CASE
i:? FACTORY SET AT 110 BAUD BUT EASILY ADJUSTED BY USER TO ANY BAUD

-
RATE FROM 110 TO 9600 BAUD
i:? FLEXIBLE PARITY

•
l"J]
E:: COMPONENT
Orders accepted by phone or mail.
MASTERCHARGE " VISA" COD"

SALES INC.
CHECK"

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MONEY ORDER

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$
i:?
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i:?
LED INDICATOR FOR SHIFT-LOCK KEY ELIMINATES CASE UNCERTAINTY
24 PIN DUAL - INLINE CONNECTOR
LOW PROFILE CASE (OPTIONAL) $40_00

9 70 ~us$:.!~~d~n~~!_~a~o~~e~e~~~!~
~es tax,

CIRCLE 152 ON READER SERVICE CARD

TRS-80 USERS;
We've got the stuff
that makes it tick !

Stephen B. Gray

Computers, Computers, Computers, In Fiction and In Verse.

D. Van Tassle, Editor. Thomas Nelson Inc., New York, or
Your home computer is only as useful Creative Computing book service. 192 pp. Hardback. $6.95.
1977
as what you put into it, and every These eleven short stories, well chosen by Dennie Van
month SoftSidetm publishes original Tassel, represent a perspective on human beings living in a
debugged software that's bound to world whose lifestyle is dependent on computers. The writing,
delight, entertain, educate and serve for the most part, is excellent, and the worlds created by the
- free for the transcription in a form writers in which the computer is so much a reality are
both you and your computer can convincing backgrounds wherein the characters live and grow,
understand. providing the reader with ample ground for insight into the
various ways computerization may influence people's very
Subscribe today, and ENTER a whole conceptions of themselves. There is a good variety in the
new world of software for personal outlooks the authors have on what computerization will mean
use! to humanity, and I think these portrayals offer invaluable
h Scj ham radio children's quizzes insight to the hundreds of thousands of people who are now
ellc•·
(JllJe footbal:l, o~~\\~Ll"-':;~.'T working on shaping a computerized future.
My three favorite stories are Mack Reynolds "Criminal in
%ltlillg Utopia", Michael Shaara's "2066: Election Day", and Barbara
word Paul's "Answer 'Affirmative' or 'Negative'''. "Criminal in
Utopia" develops the plight of Alex Moron, supposedly poor
and desperate, a thief in a society controlled by the computer
and a computerized credit card system that is given credit for
having abolished the means and profit of thievery. "2066:
Election Day" depicts the need to fool the computerized system
of selecting a president the year no one is qualified. Although it
Bored with is a committee that takes the tests, Shaara elucidates why
"zap the Klingons" Professor Larkin becomes President of the U.S. "Answer
programming fare? 'Affirmative' or 'Negative?' is a delightful story about a
The TRS-80 Software Exchange computer that answers questions in poetry, a 'precise'
language. All of these stories are depictions of human
offers an alternative. At the back of attributes as affected by the computerized lifestyle so familiar
each issue of SoftSidetm, The TRS-80 to them, and are avenues of insight to the reader on the
Software Exchange Market Basket dimensions of our experimentations.
lists programs that serve a variety of The book also offers pointed commentary to round out the
interests. Are you a pilot? How about portrayals of the fiction. Dennie Van Tassle's introduction is
a computerized flight plan? If you're disappointing, knowing the range of his perspective on
interested in using your TRS-80 for computer fiction and his quick pen, but this is more than
compensated for by his excellent selection of stories and
business, we've got programs to
commentary that show how people might be in a life shared
handle accounting, payroll, inventory with and dependent on computer technology.
management - even a cash register
program! Whether you're interested
in statistical analysis, or Tarot cards,
or even real estate, you're sure to
•••••
find something in The TRS-80 So You Want to Buy a Computer!, by Roger W. Brown.
Software Exchange Market Basket Scientific Research Inst., Box 490099, Key Biscayne, FL 33149.
155 pages, paperback $4.50.
Where can you get it? Roger Brown tells it like it is, with a great deal of straight-
Only in SoftSide ! from-the-shoulder talk that will make some hardware (and
software) companies shudder. However, it all needed to be said,
and this book is highly recommended to anybody thinking
about buying a microcomputer for personal or business use.
Among his valuable pieces of advice are: don't get hung up on
the chips (ask rather, will the computer do what I want it to do?),
use a standard floppy rather than a mini-floppy disk for business

-
1 Year (12 issues) for $15.00
applications, and "stay away from converted Selectric

-
Send check or money order to:
VISA SoftSide Subscriptions
PO Box 68 Milford, NH03055
t.• typewriters."
The products of 24 companies are discussed, from Apple to
Vector Graphics in personal computers, and from Alpha to
Wang in business computers. Some are praised, others have
VISA! Master Charge orders accepted. their "major shortcomings" described in detail. Peripherals are
Send signature, account #, expodate of discussed, and software is thoroughly examined.
card and interbank # (M I C only) along The last chapter, "Helpful suggestions before spending
with r order.
CIRCLE 185 ON READER SERVICE CARD 32 CREATIVE COMPUTING
money," is alone worth the price of the book. The addresses of
dealers and manufacturers take up the last 23 pages.
Before you buy anything, especially if you're just getting into
IMIII
microcomputers, buy this book .

•••• SUPER SPECI11S

IMSAI's New Series of Dual-Floppy Com-
How to Buy and Use Minicomputers & Microcomputers, by puter Systems. All fully assembled.
William Barden, Jr. Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc., 4300 West 62
St., Indianapolis, IN46268. 240 pages, paperback $9.95. 1976. Each includes 8085 processor, dual 5% If
The first five chapters provide an introduction to minicom- floppy driver, 32K RAM, Serial and Parallel
puters, covering history, the basics, hardware, software and
peripherals. An imaginary computer is used to introduce 1/0, IMDOS software. Just add your favorite
assembly-language programming, after which Motorola ~800 terminal.
assembler and then BASIC are discussed, and for some CUriOUS Item List Cash
reason a 3~-page tic-tac-toe program is given. . Code Oescription Price Price
The chapter on how to select and buy a mini involves making IM-PCS-40 180KB Disk Storage $2695. $2291.
up a comparison chart as an evaluation check list. The chapter IM-PCS-42 400KB Disk Storage $2995. S2546.
on Programming Your System consists almost entirely of IM-PCS-44 l80KB Disk Storage $3695. $3141.
flowcharts. IMSAI's Great Video Data Processor Series Complete computer
Chapter 8, 64 pages long, is on Microcomputer Profiles. systems Include, Keyboard 9" CRT, 32K RAM, 8085 processor,
Actually, it is largely a review of four microprocessors-the Serial and Parallel 1/0, Dual 5'1." disk drives, IMDOS software.
8080, 6800, F8 and 6502-with long charts of the instructions,
IM-VDP-40 t 80KB Disk Storage $4495. $3821.
plus 13 pages detailing ten hobby computers, several of which IM-VDP-42 400KB Disk Siorage $4695. $3991,
are no longer on the market: MITS Altair 8800, IMSAI 8080, IM-VDP-44 l80KB Disk Storage $4995. $4246.
Sphere 310, Micro-Sphere 200 (which never even got on the
market), Southwest 6800, Wavemate Jupiter II, Systems
Research SRI-500, Microcomputer Associates JOLT, EBKA
6502 Familiarizor arid MOS Technology KIM-I.
The last chapter contains 44 pages of profiles: DEC PDP-8, TM
Data General Nova, Computer Automation LSI-3/05,
Interdata 6/16. An interesting appendix gives three sets of
software benchmarks. P.O. Box 7.1
Fayetteville, NY 13066

•••• CIRCLE 102 ON READER SERVICE CARD

Maze Craze 4. Charles Duncan, Troubador Press, 40 pages,

paperbound, $1.95. 1978.
This latest sequel in the Maze Craze series features twenty-
one boldly designed mazes, reproduced from the original
silkscreen prints of Charles Duncan. The mazes are printed in
maroon on a heavy tan stock which provides a nice effect.
Personally, I like mazes that can be done by sight (without
pencil) in a minute or two without becoming completely
confused in your mind but which also provide a non-trivial
challenge. This book meets those objectives nicely. A nice
break from a frustrating computer program or the pressures of
the job.

••••
Getting Acquainted With Microcomputers, by Louis E.
Frenzel, Jr. Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc., 4300 West 62 St.,
Indianapolis, IN 46268. 288 pages, pa('erback $8.95. 1978.' .
Lou Frenzel has taken the time to wnte, very carefully, one of The North Star Horizon Computer System.
the best introductions to micros you can get, a welcome contrast (With wooden cover and all standard iterns.)
to some of hurriedly assembled "quickies" around. Lou knows Item List Cash
what he's talking about. Until recently, he was Director of Code Oescription .Prlce Price
NS-H-l Horizon 1 kit $1599. $1299.
Computer and Education Products at Heath, where he started NS-H-l/A Horizon 1 Assembled $1899. $1559.
the entire computer effort that resulted in the H-8 and H-11 NS-H-2 Horizon 2 kit $1999. $1639.
computers and their peripherals, as well as all the Heath NS-H-21 A Horizon 2 Assembled $2349. $1926.
educational products. Now that the computer line is well North Star S-100 Boards
NS-ZPB Z-80A 4 mhz Processor kit $ 199. $ 163.
established, Lou has become Director of Education and NS-ZPB/A Z-80A 4 mhz Processor Assembled $ 259. $ 212.
Publishing, to expand the educational business at Heath. NS-16K 16K 250ns RAM kit $ 399. $ 327.
As the preface says, "this book was written for engineers, NS-16K/A 16K 250ns RAM Assembled s 459. $ 376,
technicians, scientists and others who need to know about
microcomputers." It's written so clearly and simply that any
hobbyist over the age of 12 will find it a great help. After two
TM
chapters on the basics, you learn how to build or buy a
microcomputer trainer. The chapters on software, program-
ming and programming practice are alone worth the cost of the
book. The last chapter on hobby and personal computing is a P O. Box 71 Fayetteville, NY 13066
thorough and thoughtful look at the whole area and at several
CIRCLE 103 ON READER SERVICE CARD
JAN 1979
33
 BUILDING BLOCKS FOR
MICROCOM~UTER SYSTEMS,
CONTROL & TEST EQUIPMENT

specific machines, ending with tips on how to buy a system.

Seven appendixes provide lists of microcomputer manufac-
turers, bibliography, magazines, courses, parts suppliers, 6800
instruction set and ASCII code. e

If you want to learn all about the basics of micros, this is the
book to buy.
R2 I/O
2K ROM
3 SERIAL PORTS
2 K RAM
1 PARALLEL PORT ••••
The BASIC Workbook: Creative Techniques for Beginning
Programmers, by Kenneth E. Schoman, Jr. Hayden Book Co.,
Inc., Rochelle Park, NJ. 127 pages, paperback $5.50. 1977.
This hand-on book is an expanded series of lecture notes.
Because only 20 keywords are introduced, it's not really a
BASIC text, but as the preface notes, "With this limited
vocabulary, however, one can do many things."
TT-10 The book began as a graded collection of problems, and its
main feature is the end-of-chapter problems, each at the top of a
TABLE TOP MAINFRAMES page, with the rest of the page blank, for working it out. If the
student were to use his own paper to work out these 69
problems, the book could be about 44 pages shorter.
The first chapter, Computers and Problem Solving, starts out
very slowly, with LET, PRINT and END in a three-line
program, and ends with INPUT. Subsequent chapters are on
Elementary Statements (IF-THEN, NEW, LIST, RUN), The
Art of Programming (GOTO, REM, flowcharts), Loops (FOR-
NEXT-STEP), Functions, Subscripted Variables (DIM), More
About Input/ Output (READ, DATA, RESTORE), Strings
ECT-100-F (LINPUT), Developing Larger Programs (GOSUB, RETURN,
RACK MOUNT CARD CAGES STOP), and Introduction to Simulation (craps, queuing). The
best appendix is the third, More About Plotters.
The text is well-written and the problems good and varied,
with helpful hints, but no answers given .

••••
COBOL For Students, by Andrew Parkin. Edward Arnold
(Publishers) Ltd., London; distributed by JSBS, Inc., Box 555,
Forest Grove, OR 97116.221 pages, paperback $8.95. 1975.
The book is in two parts. Part I concentrates on the
fundamentals of the language and takes the student to a level
where he can write a modestly sized COBOL program using
PURCHASE PER MONTH serial files. Part 2, which is best used after the students have
DESCRIPTION PRICE 12 MOS. 24 MOS. 36 MOS. reinforced their knowledge of Part I through practical work,
extends the student's knowledge of the language (direct-access
DECwriter II $1,495 $145 $ 75 $ 52 file-handling, for example) and of techniques (such as two-
DECwriter III, KSR 2,195 210 112 77 dimensional arrays and program design).
DECwriter III, RO 1,995 190 102 70 Each part has ten sections that can accompany a course often
DECprinter I 1,795 172 92 63 lectures. The text consists of a few frames of fast-moving
VT100 CRT DECscope 1,595 153 81 56 narrative followed by questions "designed to be a real test of the
student's understanding of both concept and detail." Detailed
TI 745 Portable 1,875 175 94 65 answers are given at the end of each section.
TI 765 Bubble Mem. . .. 2,995 285 152 99 The text is machine-independent and follows ANS COBOL.
TI 810 RO Printer ..... 1,895 181 97 66 The preface includes a checklist of the points of difference in
TI 820 KSR Terminal .. 2,395 229 122 84 the various dialects of COBOL, so that the reader may "make
QUME, Ltr. Qual. KSR. 3,195 306 163 112 notes of the variations that apply to the particular computer" he
QUME, Ltr. Qual. RO .. 2,795 268 143 98 is to use, such as the maximum length of a numeric literal.
ADM ·3A CRT.. .. .. .. .. 875 84 45 30
HAZELTINE 1400 CRT.
HAZELTINE 1500 CRT 1,195 115
845 81 43
67
30
42
••••
HAZELTINE 1520 CRT. 1,595 153 81 56 Robots on Your Doorstep, by Nels Wink less and Iben
DataProducts 2230 .... 7,900 725 395 275 Browning. Robotics Press, 30 N.W. 23rd Place, Portland, OR
DATAMATE Mini floppy 1,750 167 89 61 97210. 188 pages, paperback $6.95. 1978.
FULL OWNERSHIP AFTER 12 OR 24 MONTHS Subtitled "A Book about Thinking Machines," this is not a
10% PURCHASE OPTION AFTER 36 MONTHS
how-to text, but an examination of robots "in the past, present
ACCESSORIES AND PERIPHERAL EQ PMENT and future."
ACOUSTIC COUPLERS. MODEMS. THERMAL PAPER the first two chapters are heavy going, getting into the Anlage
RIBBONS. INTERFACE MODULES. FLOPPY DISK UNITS of creation, heterocatalysis, and biocoenose,just to put robotics
PROMPT DELIVERY. EFFICIENT SERVICE into context, but necessitating a six-page glossary to explain
these and 60 other buzzwords.
Four of the remaining chapters present "a tutorial narrative
1RANSNET CORPORATlO:'V that gradually reveals the design of an artificial intelligence
2005 ROUTE 22, UNION, N.J, 07083

I..---.:..,--CIRCLE
201-688-7800
105 ON READERSERVICECARD ---....,....~
CREATIVE COMPUTING
 its
system," but which is mostly about a simple pattern-recognition ytes
ooks.
system that can differentiate between a triangle and a square, for
example.
The remaining chapters offer various observations on
intelligence in general, the structure and operation of the brain,
and on certain characteristics of robots (mostly learning curves).
The last chapter, one page long, says that if the "average
argalns
puzzled reader" seeks "an evaluation of this book from an
authority, he will probably be told this is chiefly nonsense." Not
really nonsense, but of interest only to hard-core robotniks .

••••
Instant BASIC, by Jerald R. Brown. Dilithium Press, 30 N.W.
23rd Place, Portland, OR 97210. 179 pages, paperback $9.95.
1~7. .
The main feature of this "active participation workbook," Technico· IMSAI
whose full title is "Instant Freeze-pried Computer Program- Vector· Cromemco
ming in BASIC," is the "zaniest, wildest graphics available." Limrose •SWTPC
Anything goes-Beardsley, op art, ancient woodcuts, pointing National Multiplex
fingers and an amazing variety of display-type fonts. Adults may
find it all a little too cutesy, but youngsters will surely find it a Solid State Music
welcome relief from pages of solid text in other books.
The author assumes "you have ready access to your own
We stock various books and
personal computer or a system with BASIC PLUS," and teaches magazines of interest to
"Altair style BASIC and the similar DEC BASIC PLUS." The the engineer and computer
text is divided into READ and DO IT sections, the latter being hobbyist. We also have
programs to run. Each chapter ends with problems; answers are
in the back of the book, mostly programs you're asked to write,
available a large selection
from Slot Machine to Sales Report. of components and used
An informal writing style, a detailed examination of BASIC, electronic test equipment.
a great many examples, and a highly imaginative use of graphics
make this an ideal book for young people, and even for
grownups who can catch the spirit. MARKETLINE SYSTEMS, Inc.
The book was originally published by Dymax, whose books 2337 Philmont Ave.
are now being published by Dilithium Press. Huntingdon Valley, Pa. 19006
215/947-6670.800/523-5355

••••
Minimum COBOL, by CBEMA (Computer and Business
Equipment Manufacturers Association). Petrocelli Books, Inc.,
384 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10018. 336 pages, paperback
$10.00. 1977.
The second book in the PBI series "for the computer and data- Add'on Mini·Disc for the TRS'SO*
processing professional," this provides detailed specifications of
American National Standard Minimum COBOL, which is a
subset of American National Standard Programming Language
COBOL, X3.23-l974. The standard, described in this book
"Was prompted by the need for a COBOL language which
provides basic capabilities and yet can exist in environments Dual and triple drives
such as minicomputer and time sharing, which impose resource also available.
limitations."
The press release elaborates, "The most widely used
programming language, COBOL was originally intended to be
easy to master and use. It has evolved to encompass some ofthe
most complex, though useful, statements found in any
programming language. As more complex statements
proliferate, the need to simplify becomes even greater." Hence
this standard.
The first section provides an introduction, a summary of
elements by module, a list of elements showing their disposition
among the various modules, definitions, a discussion of overall
language considerations and a composite language skeleton.
Sections II through XII contain specifications for the Nucleus
and for each of the ten functional processing modules .

•••• only from

$399~
Requires 16K RAM,
[~Ulll(JMl
PERCOM DATA COMPANY, INC.
Level II BASIC and DEPT. C ·318 BARNES· GARLAND). TEXAS 75042
Phone: (214) 272-34,,1 or
JAN 1979 Expansion Interface. Call toll free: 1-800-527-1592
35
CIRCLE 155 ON READER SERVICE CARD
 The Computer in Fiction
Dennie Van Tassel

Broke Down Engine by Ron Goulart. 1971. i92 pages. Collier become more powerful by growing larger and larger. Thus the
Books, 866 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10022. $1.25. world's largest computer is stuck on the moon so it will have
Roh Goulart has collected together 13 of his stories about room and its millions of vacuum tubes can be .easily cooled.
machines. Goulart's stories are funny and the machines never "Sam Hall" by Poul Anderson is one of my favorites. It is about
quite work right which should strike a familiar chord to the downfall of the National Data Bank. A programmer enters a
computerniks. Goulart's stories are populated with walking phoney person "Sam Hall" into the computer data barik and
refrigerators, robot servers and automated disposals fixed by uses him to create a fictional outlaw. The outlaw can't be found
automated repair robots. The trouble is that certain things are even by the national data bank since he doesn't exist. The robot
not quite right in "robotland." Well worth reading. stories are good.

The Compleat Computer by Dennie Van Tassel. 1976. 216

pages. Science Research Associates, 1540 Page Mill Road, Palo A.R.T.H.U.R.: The Life and Opinions ofa Digital Computer.
Alto, California 94304. $5.95. 1975. 66. pages. The University of Massachusetts Press,
Amherst, Mass. 01002. $3.95.
This is a collection of miscellaneous non-fiction and fiction
about computers. The book is meant to be a fun book about This book is a collection of poetry about computers. The
poetry is written from the point of view of a computer. It is
computers. It contains about 10 stories and 15 poems about
difficult to describe but I liked it and thought it quite good.
computers and an article on the computer in fiction. There is
humor by Buchwald, Elliott and Goulding, and serious fiction
Berserker by Fred Saberhagen. 1967. 190 pages. New York:
by Clarke, Bradbury, Crichton and Asimov. The book also
Ballentine Books, Inc. Out of Print.
contains a great deal of cartoons and computer related art
including a series of Doonsbury cartoons. This a special genre of computer related fiction. This book
contains II stories on berserkers. Berserkers are the ultimate in
The Digital Villain by Robert M. Baer. 1972. 187 pages. war machines. They are giant computer run space ships that
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Reading, Mass. 01867. were built by some unknown civilization. A berserker's sole
$5.50. purpose is to destroy all forms of life. These berserkers have now
About half this nice book is devoted to discussing the role of drifted into earth people's system and earth people fight them
for survival. The stories in this book are fairly interesting.
robots and computers in fiction. The book uses excerpts from
eight major pieces of this genre. Baer intersperses the excerpts
with his own running commentary. Some of the pieces excerpted The Fall of Collossus by D.F. Jones. 1975. Berkley Publishihg
are R. U.R., Billion Dollar Brain, Giles Goat Boy and 2001. Two Co., 200 Madison Ave., New York, New York 10016, $ .95.
of the pieces are robot stories and six are computer stories. This These are two books. I believe the first book is out of print.
is a good introduction to the computer in fiction. The first book was made into a movie called The Forbin Project,
which is a classical science fiction movie. The books involve a
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein. 1966.30 I large defense computer which is supposed to defend the U.S.,
pages. Berkley Publishing Corp., 200 Madison Avenue, New but instead it takes over the world. Both books are good. The
York, New York 10016. $1.50. interesting things about the books is that it points out an often
This is one of my favorite computer fiction books. One reason overlooked fact regarding artificial intelligence: any machine
I like it is because the computer is the hero. Quite often the intelligence will be foreign to human intelligence.
computer is the villian. Instead, in this book we have a happy
computer that tells jokes and helps his friends overthrow a The Desk Set by William Marchant. 90 pages. 1955. Samuel
tyranny. The computer is nicknamed Mike and ifhe likes you he French, Inc. 7623 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Calif. 90046. $2.69.
will take care of you, but if he doesn't he will do tricks like jam I am only familiar with two plays on computers: Capek's
your heating control so it is stuck at 105 degrees on a hot day. R. U.R. and this play. Both plays are fairly good. This play
involves a reference department in a large radio-and-television
Of Mice and Machines by Arthur O. Lewis, Jr. E. P. Dutton & broadcasting company. An efficiency expert feels the whole
Co., Inc., 201 Park Ave. S., New York, New York 10003. $3.95. department could be easily replaced by a computer. The girls of
This book is not centered on just computers, itsurveys human the reference department continually outsmart the efficiency
beings' relationship with all machines. The book looks into the expert and are obviously necessary, but the computer wins in the
past and the future, and views machines as both friends and end. Nice play, except for the ending.
enemies. Capek's R. U.R. and E:M. Forester's "The Machine
Shop" are included in this book. Both are excellent stories. The Glorobots by Gloria Maxson. 62 pages. 1977. Order from:
value of this book is that it pulls things together for a very wide Gloria Maxson, 13602 Cullen, Whittier, Calif. 90605. $3.00.
selection of sources and opinions. . Some of you may be familiar with these short poems. Gloria
Maxson has had her poems published in marty computer
Science Fiction Thinking Machines by Groff Conklin. 1954.367 magazines. She has now collected these poems into a small
pages.· Vanguard Press, Inc., 424 Madison Avenue, New York, book. Instead of a review I will give you an example:
New York 10017. $7.95. In an effort at human emotion,
This anthology contains 22 stories-14 about robots, 4 about an old robot drank a love potion,
androids and 4 about computers. The first computer story, and started to pet
"Answer" by Hal Clement, is interesting because of its wrong with an old TV set
guesses. The author predicted that future computers could only in a rush of abnormal devotion.

36 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 Introducing the personal
computer you've waited for.
The EDdy Sorcerer.
I didn't buy my personal computer un- I wanted graphics, and the Sorcerer my system grow.
til I found the one that had all the is super. Its 256 character set-more I wanted a computer that's easy
features I was looking for. than any other personal computer-in- enough for children to use. Ijust con-
The Exidy Sorcerer does everything I cludes 128 graphic symbols that I can nect my Sorcerer to a video display and
wanted to do and a few things I never define. a cassette tape recorder, and if I have
dreamed of. I wanted high resolution video. any questions the easy-to-understand
It isn't magic. Exidy started with the With 122,880 points in a 512 x 240 Operation and BASIC Porgramming
best features of other computers, added format, I get the most detailed illustra- manuals have the answers. .
some tricks of their own, and put it all tions. I wanted to buy froin an exper-
together with more flexibilitythan ever . Iwanted to display more informa- ienced manufacturer. In five years
before available. Presto! My reasons for tion. The Sorcerer displays 1920 Exidy has become the third largest pro-
waiting just disappeared. characters in 30 lines of 64 characters ducer of microprocessor-based video
Iwanted pre-packaged programs. -equal to a double-spaced typed page. arcade games.
Software on inexpensive cassette tapes I wanted a full, professional key- I wanted to spend less than a
for the Sorcerer is available from Exidy board. The Sorcerer's 79-key data pro- thousand bucks. (This is where Exidy
and many other software makers. cessing keyboard provides designated does a little magic.) My Sorcerer cost
.I wanted user programmability. graphics, the complete ASCII character me $895!
The Sorcerer's unique plug-in ROM set in upper and lower case, and a Now, what are you waiting for?
PACTM Cartridges contain program- 16-key numeric pad. Call Exidy for the name of your
ming languages such as Standard (Altair I wanted memory. The 12k of nearest dealer. (408) 736-2110. Or
8k*) BASIC, Assembler and Editor (so
I can develop system software), operat-
ing systems such as DOS (so I can also
use FORTRAN and COBOL) and ap-
ROM holds a Power-On Monitor and
Standard BASIC; the 8k of RAM is in-
ternally expandable to 32k.
I wanted expandability. Serial and
Sunnyvale,
CA, 94086.
1(18
write Exidy, 969 W. Maude Ave.,

~~~~
I
plications packages such as Word Pro-
cessor.
parallel IIOs are built in, and the op-
tional 6-slot S-loo expansion unit lets
EE inc.
* Altair is a trademark of Pertec Computer Corp.
CIRCLE 198 ON READER SERVICE CARD
 Guidance Counselor System
...college placement program

=======================Lou Kirschner ====================

The battle is being waged by the We decided to run a computer number of colleges that are left. The
public asking what schools are doing program on college and occupational more select one is in choosing his or
for our children, what is the role of education on Wednesday evenings. I her college, the fewer the number of
guidance couselors and why is there a talked to high school seniors and asked colleges one can select from.
need for various new programs when each individual senior if they would like
the public doesn't see them or hear to visit on a Wednesday evening with
about them? their parents and use the computer to
With the ever-advancing negative seek and select a college. The
relationship between board of educa- response was amazing in that both the
tion members, teachers and the father and mother nearly always show-
general public, added to the insecurity ed up. It was good to see the father
of the job market, millions of parents involved in this planning process. Too
are wondering what the schools are many times we never see the father
doing for their tax dollar. An informed involved because of job commitments.
public can be a dangerous tool in the The first step was that one counselor
hands of politicians. sat down with thefamilytoexplain how
When you go to the supermarket to the computer is used and with the
buy five pounds of tomatos, or pay for a combination of the youngsters past
new roof on your house, you visibly see records, S.A.T.'s, class rank, personal
what you are getting for your hard guidance and the computer all com-
earned money. The general public bined, we felt that all this would lead to
does not see their child learning to read a better and more accurate selection.
or does not see their child typing sixty After all the above counseling is
words per minute, nor do they know completed, we all sat down at the
that the job counselor has spent many computer and one counselor read out
hours talking to businessmen in an the choices selected while the other
attempt to have them hire high school counselor actually ran the computer.
students for a part time job. Fig. 1 is an actual case handled with a
As a guidance office we do the same male student and both parents present.
communicating that other schools do. The numbers to the left of the sheet are
We send out fliers inviting parents to the code numbers. To the right are the
meet the counselors for scheduling
subjects,
letters
make phone calls, send
and write in the school
,.349 Courses of Study Psychology
Fig. 1

1140 colleges remain ~

newsletter articles pertaining to the 432 Area Mid Atlantic 226 colleges remain
guidance program. Even with a con-
504 Population of 10,000 over 34 colleges remain
certed effort, toq few parents are seen.
student body
The most basic and major deterrent in
508 Co-ed 26 colleges remain
seeing the parents' is, of course, that
515 Public Control 19 colleges remain
the parents work during the day, as do
556 Competitive Level 8 colleges remain
the teachers. Jim Bogan, our career
590 Tuition, Room and Board 5 colleges remain
counselor, and myself set out to inform
689 Med Verbal S.A.T.s 5 colleges remain
the parents on the use of the computer
695 Med Mat SAT.s 5 colleges remain
in the education field and the great
725 Athletic Programs-Football 4 colleges remain
benefits that are offered for them and
their children. Obviously, if Allah could Colleges: Rutgers University
not go to the mountain, the mountain State College N.Y. in Albany
must come to Allah. State College N.Y. in Stony Brook
Lou Kirschner, 1122 Leonard Road, PI. Pleasant, Penn State University
NJ 08742 •••
38
A package o! 100 original, high-quality Level II TRS-80
programs on cassettes.
A phonograph is useless without records, and a Using only six of Tiny PILOT's commands, even a
computer is useless without good programs. The child can program in minutes.
Library 100 was designed to fulfill your general These 100 original, quality Radio Shack TRS-80
TRS·80 Level II programming needs. Using ad- programs, plus Tiny PILOT, are worth more than
vanced Level II techniques and rigid quality control, $500. But you get the entire package for $49.50-
The Bottom Shelf has been able to make available just 49.5 cents per program.
100 programs on five guaranteed-to-loGld cassettes, How can we sell 100 professionally crafted pro-
which load over a wide range due to advanced grams for $49.50? By selling in volume .... that's
recording techniques and methods designed by how. This ts the best bargain in software history-
engineers for The Bottom Shelf. The programs in- from the volume speclallsts, The Bottom Shelf.
clude applications in five areas: Business and
Finance, Education, Graphics, Home and Games.
As an added bonus, you get Tiny PILOT, the first
new high-level language for the TRS-80. It's perfect
for teachers, parents, students and sales trainees.

IOdHUIi lomu !tut!PIl !IiIEREST

""""
""'"
,~ .•..
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~: Present Value of a Future Sum-Simple Interest for Day.- Future Value of a Pres-

""., "'..
36':1eS.8
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".
:lt84<I.4
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mont Loa.n- Day. Between Dates- Term of an Installment Loan- Present Value of a s'eries of
'",., aa .se 0." <'91.19

14~ ""'., m.• 0 .e

sa.a
~.7
Payments-Real Estate Capital Investment-Nominal and Effective Interest Rates-lnternaJ
144 ~.9
'1EA!.{ft~
J:i3.:i8 63.88
$ 4i!1l5e HI
m.'
36<1 tmTHS AT 9.~ ~
Rate of Return-Future Value of·R ••u1ar Deposits=-Regular Deposits for Future Value--
"
ffi1SSootlllOCOllll1£rllOIrnJ.'J110I(lll'_ Depreciation Amount: Rate; Salvage Value; Schedule-Bond Present Value-Bond Yield to
Maturity-Sale--Cost-Marain-Day of the Week-Movina Ad.
EdllClldo.: Multiplication ell: Division-Add-Subtrlct-Fraction ell: Decimal-States ell:
Capitab-States ell: Order of Entry-States ell: Abbrevianon-vlnventors ell: Inventions-World
Capitab ell: Countries-Urban Areas ell: Popularion=-Authors ell: Books-Presidents ell: Order-
Stat •• ell: Lar•••t Ciry=-Basenum.
GntoIda: Left Ria/lt-Random Ad-Graphic-Blocks-Fireside- Snow-Step Ad-Step
Ad 2-.Launch-Ratrace-- War Game- Weird-Herrina:....Blinker-Snoopy.
Ho.e: Me,sAle Board-Expense Account-Nutrition-Miltaac- Remember-s-Phone
Codes-Nijht Check Off=-Dtunkometer-c-Perpetual Calendar-Baby,itter-Calculalor-
Bartender-Christmas List-Vacation Check Off-Conversion.
c.-: Speedy-Odd One=-R. Roulette-Star r tazer-c-Search=. Spyship-« Ti.., Shark-
Jumble 2-Stinl Ray -Stlrs-Sketch- Flipper - ScillOrs- Hone- Doomsday-Craps--
Jumble I-Mem. Quiz Letters-Mem. Quiz Number,-Wheel of Fortune-Decision-Un-
jumbh -Fifteen-- Towers-Life-Star Trek-Race Track-CoUJu-Roachrace-Gl'\>IY·

I.CO"MRT"lU.I~TOQ!!:I!HS
Z.ctJMRTCDfTlrilllSTO(i:AUIS
3. cnMRT J{CJ(lWIS TO fMIlIS
4. ctJMRT!i/M3TOIltm
S.ctJMRT~TOIltm
s • (D'MRTI£(TOO!MSTOCUUS
7 • C&.tI!T KILOO!MS TO PMDS
0. C&,tRT amc T(lISTO mT TIltS
s . roftUTI[TJ!ICT!JtSTOLlJtiTlJ6
10.D:tf,tRTIJ!IiIHSTOrIA'IS
1l.D:tfmJf.MSTOIJm;
12·, D:tf.tRT tuUStolMlS
13.COO'mI'Wm>TO~ILOCMIS
14 • DlMRT IIIi!mIllG!r TO KILIWiMS
IS • DlMRT Nt TIllS TO Ole l(i1S
ElfTD!1I[IU!IfRcr'I(UClKIUP.

The Bottom Shelf, Inc.

P.O. Box 49104
Atlanta, Georgia 30359
Mail: $49.50 + P & H + 4% if shipped to Georgia.
Call: 24-hour phone number (404) 939-6031 to order.
See: Your local computer store.

CIRCLE 163 ON READER SERVICE CARD

 The entire time spent between 8. Religious affiliations, if wanted' There are many strong by-products
parents, youngsters, and running the 9. Admission requirements such as seeing the parents and public
computer was a total of thirty minutes. 10. Competitive level presented with a positive image of the
Psychology was the course of study 11. Application deadline guidance counselor and school and
chosen and there were 1140 colleges 12. Cost-In State or out of State spreading good public relations
that offered degrees in psychology 13. Financial aid throughout the township. Also we are
from the overall number and other 14.Type of Institution-University, now teaching our youngsters how to
selections we were able to bring the College, Tech. run the computer which is a new
number down to 4. There are many 15. Accreditation experience within itself.
other selections a youngster may 16. Special Programs I personally feel that teachers,
choose from if he or she feels they are 17. Campus Life counselors and administrators can
important in choosing a college. If the 18. SAT. requirements spread the gospel of education if they
selection is not important then we do 19. Athletic Program not only reach their students, but also
not feed that number into the computer 20. Clubs involve the parents and the general
(e.g., a youngster does not care if the 21. Emerging new fields public. •
school is public or private control). Needless to say the parents and
Below are all the various choices. students were impressed and. were
1. Four year college saved several months frustration in
2. Course of Study looking through catalogs, pamphlets,
3. Location and other paraphernalia which did not
4. Size of Town or City near by pertain to their needs.
5. Total enrollment The most important product, of
6. Male, Female ratio course, is that we served and helped
7. Public or Private Control the youngster in choosing a college.

MORE UNIQUE SOFTWARE FOR TRS-80!

$10.00 each, on cassette

DO YOU WANT A BETTER MEMORY? GAMES AND INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS

MIND-MEMORY IMPROVEMENT COURSE Steps 1 and 2 foryourTRS-80 computer GT-4 TURKEY BUZZARD - This game will amaze you! Not
can teach you to memorize easily and quickly. The MIND course is a copyrighted. only does it ha~e~n interesting, challenging and amusing
scenano. but It IS perhaps the only game in existance
quality program for the serious minded who want to improve their memory skills. which makes full use of all TRS-90 graphics functions.
Thus, you can actually "see" events encountered in the
Order your MIND course Step 1. only $24.95. Step 2 is $29.95 or save $5.00 and order game! There is even some character animation! Watch
your hu~tjng dog chase his prey! See game birds fly
both for $49.90. (Please add $1.50 each for postage and handling). We will ship your from. th~lr tree roosts! There are all kinds of dangers and
MIND course in its attractive binder which contains 2 computer cassettes. a teaching cormc pitfalls to avoid. Definitely a game worthy for any
true computer gamester!
manual. and also an audio cassette for MIND 2. Please specify Level 1. 4k or Level
11. 16K. GT-6 DRIVER'S ED - This can either serve as an instruc-
ti~nal aid for high school age youngsters learning to
VISA, MC accepted-List name. expiration date, accl. #, 4 digits above name for MC drive or a~ a fun, educatio.nal game for younger children.
Features Include; extensive use of graphics, informing
and signature. user of corre.ct a.nswer whet- he or she misses a question,
and randomization of question order to insure that the
To order or for more information about these or other self-improvement computer t~stee can not answer using a pattern. Actually shows a
picture of each subject it asks a question about.
courses in our Teach Yourself by Computer Series (TYC'") send to:
T Y C Software'" Dept C1 25 Cedar Cliff Drive Camp Hill, Pa. 17011 A PROGRAM FOR SPACE BUFFS
CS-4 PLANETARY WEIGHT - Tell the computer how much
you weigh and it will tell you what you would weigh on
CIRCLE 174 ON READER SERVICE CARD seven other planets and the moon!

ALSO
BT-1 BLANK (leaderless!) CASSETTES - Don't lose pro-
***TRS-80 Software*** grams or data on file because you forgot to advance the
tape beyond the leader! High quality. Our extensive tests
- Quality Level II Software (16K required) - have shown that this special leaderless cassette is best
- Original - Guaranteed - for computer use because it also has an extremely low
incidence of "drop outs", even when compared with the
most expensive low noise cassettes. Package of two for
80-0UT BREAKOUT for the TRS-80! ! $4.00.
Positively Addicting! I $9.95
•Add $1.00 postage and handling.
GALAXY I A truly unique space game. Very challenging - you won't get
All programs executable in Jess than 4K RAM. Choose
bored with this one! ! $7.95 Level-lor II. Available exclusively from
BATTLESTATIONS

DISK PUZZLE
Command the shipboard guns and destroy the enemy air
squadron. Brilliant graphics! $5.95
Try to move 2 to 7 disks from one spindle to another. It's not that
easy! ! .$4.95
-PO
compolrex
Box 536Inman SC 29349-
<>
80-ACROSS A game of strategy. Play against' the computer or 2
players. $4.95 CIRCLE 166 ON READER SERVICE CARD
•• All games use brilliant graphics displays ••
•• Literature of complete program line available ••
•• SPECIAL - Send a blank cassette tof good quality please) with your order and
deduct $1.95 from the price! ! PROGRAMMER (NEW YORK AREA)
- Cal. Residents add 6% sales tax -
LIGORI DATA SERVICES
Excellent opportunity with a growing subscription
P.O. BOX 2482
ANAHEIM, CA. 92804 fulfillment service bureau on Long Island for an individual
with five years experience with mini computers.
CIRCLE 164 ON READER SERVICE CARD
GOOd salary and benefits.
Comfortable atmosphere.

Call Mr. K. at (516) 249-0860

or (212) 895-8748
)

40
 Help For TtJe Weary Taxpayer
Gary Young

A better way to calculate depreciation.

Look out IRS!

Have you ever wondered about the RUN

impact on your taxes if you purchased TAX DEPRECIATION PROGRAM VERSION 3
some depreciable asset such as DEPRECIABLE AMOUNT? 2270
property or more equipment? Should PURCHASE DATE (M,Y)? 5,78
you depreciate it over three, five, or NORMAL TAXABLE GROSS? 20000
seven years? Straight line or declining
balance depreciation? Investment tax
credit? Should you Waitamonth ortwo DECLINING BALANCE METHOD FOR 3 YEARS
to buy it? How much tax will it actually YEAR 1978 1979 1980 1981
save?This program will help you make FULL YR DEPR 1135 756 378
ACTUAL YR DEPR 662 914 535 157
these decisions. TAX $ SAVED 297 411 241 70
Program Input
TAX CREDIT 75 TOTAL s SAVED 1096
The program first requests the FIRST YEAR $ 372 WAITING COST/MONTH 43
depreciable amount (purchase price
less salvage value). Next it will request
the month and year Ofthe purchase (for
STRAIGHT LINE METHOD FOR 3 YEARS
example, 7,78 for JulyorO,78 if you had YEAR 1978 1979 19f1O 1981
it all year). This data is used to figure FULL YR DEPR 756 756 756
the actual depreciation during a calen- ACTUAL YR DEPR 441 756 756 315
dar year when the date the asset was TAX $ SAVED 198 340 340 141
purchased does not occur exactly at a TAX CREDIT 75 TOTAL $ SAVED 1096
calendar year end. Finally the program FIRST YEAR s 273 WAITING COST/MONTH 28
will request the normal taxable gross
income without this depreciation
deduction. This figure is used to DECLINING BALANCE METHOD FOR 5 YEARS
calculate the actual tax dollars saved. YEAR 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
One thousand dollars in 'depreciation FULL YR DEPR 756 605 454 302 151
in the $30,000 tax bracket will save ACTUAL YR DEPR 4lj1 668 517 365 214 63
more tax than the same amount in the TAX $ SAVED 198 300 232 164 96 28
$10,000tax bracket. ' TAX CREDIT 151 TOTAL $ SAVED 1172
The federal and California state FJRST YEAR s 349 wAITING COST /MONTH 28
income tax tables in the program are
defined for single taxpayers and will STRAIGHT LINE METHOD FOR 5 YEARS
have to be changed for married tax- YEAR 1978 1979 1980. 1981 1982 1983
payers or different states. The tables FULL YR DEPR 454 454 454 454 454
are def.ined in DATA statements and ACTUAL
TAX $
YR
SAVED
DEPR 26"
119
"5"
204
"5"
204
"5"
204
"5"
204
189
85
Gary Young, Surf Computer Services, TAX CREDIT 151 TOTAL $ SAVED 1172
PO Box 66572, Los Angeles, CA 90066, FIRST YEAR $ 270 WAITING COST/MONTH 17

JAN 1979 41
DECLINING BALANCE METHOD rOR 7 YEARS formatted as low limit, high limit, tax
YEAR 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 198~ and percent over the low limit. For
rULL YR DEPR 567 486 405 324 243 162 81
ACTUAL YR DEPR 331 520 439 358 276 195 114 33 example, consider the program state-
TAX $ SAVED 148 234 197 161 124 88 51 15 ment "DATA 18200,20200,3830,34".
The tax on $20,000 would be $3830 +
TAX CREDIT 227 TOTAL $ SAVED 1248 ($20,000 - $18,200) x .34 or $4442.
riRST YEAR s 375 WAITING COST/MONTH 21 F.I.C.A. is calculated at 8.1% of the first
$16,500.
Program Output
STRAIGHT LINE METHOD rOR 7 YEARS
YEAR 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 The program output consists of
FULL YR DEPR 324 324 324 324 324 324 324 declining balance and straight line
ACTUAL YR DEPR 189 324 324 324 324 324 324 135 depreciation calcu lations for three, five
TAX $ SAVED 85 145 145 145 145 145 145 60
and seven years. The computations are
TAX CREDIT 227 TOTAL s SAVED 1248 shown for an extra year in case the
FIRST YEAR $ 312 WAITING COST/MONTH 12 asset life does not coincide with a
calendar year. Full year depreciation
would be the depreciation for a whole
year of the life of the asset, while actual
1000 PRINT "TAX DEPRECIATION PROGRA'1 VERSION 3" year depreciation is the depreciation
1100 REM WR ITTEN BY GARY YOUNG that can be declared on your taxes
1200 REM PO BOX 66572
1300 REM LOS ANGELES. CA 90066
because of the date purchased. Tax
1400 DIM TI(4.10).T2(4.5) dollars saved is the difference between
1500 REM rEDERAL SINGLE TAXPAYERS the taxes paid without the depreciation
1500 REM FORMAT Or DATA STATEMENTS IS deduction and the taxes paid with the
1700 REM LOW LIMIT. HIGH LIMIT. TAX. PERCENT OJER LOW LIMIT deduction. The tax credit is the invest-
1800 DATA 10200.12200.1590.25
1900 DATA 12200.14200.2090.27 ment tax credit that can be claimed
2000 DATA 14200.16200.2630.29 when purchasing an asset. The total
2100 DATA 16200.18200.3210.31 dollars saved is the sum of the tax
2200 DATA 18200.20200.3830.34 credit and the tax dollars saved each
2300 DATA 20200.22200.4510.36
2400 DATA 22200.24200.5230.38
year during the depreciation period.
2500 DATA 24200.28200.5990.40 The first year dollars is the sum of the
2600 DATA 28200.34200.7590.45 tax credit and the taxes saved during
2700 DATA 34200.40200.10290.50 the first year. The waiting cost per
2800 REM rICA = .081 UP TO 16500 rOR 1336.50
2900 REM CALIF STATE SINGLE TAXPAYERS
month is the additional tax that will
3000 DATA 9500.11000.320.7 have to be paid if you wait another
3100 DATA 11000.12500.425.8 month before making the purchase.
3200 DATA 12500.14000.545.9 This value is derived from the tax
3300 DATA 14000.15500.680.10
3400 DATA 15500.1000000.830.11
dollars saved during the first year
3500 rOR J=I TO 10 (without the tax credit) divided by the
3600 READ Tl(I.J).Tl(2.J).TI(3.J).Tl(4.J) number of months that it covers.
3700 NEXT J
3800 rOR J=I TO 5 Summary
3900 READ T2(1. J).T2(2. J).T2(3. J).T2(4.J) The program was written in North
4000 NEXT J
4100 DIM Dl(8).D2(8).D3(8).D5(3).D6(3).D7(3)
Star Basic (release 3) and uses about
4200 REM YEARS DEPRECIATED 4K of memory. No disk or sophisticated
4300 05(1 )=3\D5(2)=5\D5(3)=7 features are used so the program
4400 REM SUM Or THE DIGITS rOR DECLINING DEPRECIATION should be easy to convert to other
4500 D6(1 )=6\D6(2)=15\D6(3)=28 systems.
4600 REM % Or AMT rOR TAX CREDIT
4700 D7(1)=.333333\D7(2)=.666~66\D7(3)=1.00 The sample run projects the effect of
4800 INPUT "DEPRECIABLE AMOUNT? ".PI purchasing a new terminal for $2270 in
4900 INPUT "PURCHASE DATE (M.Y)? ".Ml.Yl May, 1978. If the objective is to gain the
5000 M2=12-MI biggest tax savings as soon as possi-
5100 INPUT "NORMAL TAXABLE GROSS? ".G9
5200 PRINT\PRINT\PRINT ble, then the terminal should be
5300 REM COMPUTE NORMAL TAX,AMT depreciated on a declining balance
5400 GI=G9\GOSUB 14100\Z9=T4 over three years. If the objective,
5500 rOR JI =1 TO 3 however, is to recover the most overall
5600 rOR .J2=1 TO 8\ 01 (J2)=0\D2(J2)=0\NEXT J2
5700 REM COMPUTE THE TAX CREDIT - L9 tax savings, then a seven year plan
5800 L9=INT<PI*D7(JI>*.10) would be better. Knowing the exact tax
5900 PRINT "DECLINING BALANCE METHOD rOH".D5( JI )." YEARS" savings makes it easier to justify the
6000 Y2=YI purchase. _
6100 PRINT "YEAR".TABCl5).
6200 FOR 'J2=1 TO D5(JI )+1
6300 PRINT %7I.INT(1900+Y2).
6400 Y2=Y2+1
6500 NEXT J2
6600 PRINT
6700 Y2 =D5 (JI )
6800 PRINT "FULL YR DEPR".TABCl5).
6900 REM COMPUTE THE rULL YEAR DEPRECIATION
7000 rOR J2=1 TO D5(JI)
7100 DICJ2)=Y2/D6(JI,*PI
7200 REM ~7I MEANS PRINT THE NUMBER AS AN INTERGER 1 DIGITS LONG
7300 PRINT %7I.INT(DI(J2».
7400 Y2=Y2-1
7500 NEXT J2
7600 PRINT

42 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 COMPUTER
SPECIALS
••• anCi it's COLOR EXIDY SORCERER™

"The Compucolor II"

** Up
Proven 8080A CPU System
16K Extended Disk BaSIC
to 117* Key Keyboard
..•. Up to 32K* RAM
* Minidisk Drive 51.2K Bytes/Side
1»
... a personal colorgraphics system for the modern computer man ...

** Color Graphics 13" Color CRT

*option
$895 w/8K *Keyboard
INCLUDES:
& enclosure totally
Model 3 w/8K, 72 Key Keyboard, RS232 $1495.00 $1150 w/16K (Stock) assembled
90 day Warranty
Model 4 w/16K, 72 Key Keyboard, RS232 $1795.00 $1395 w/32K (Stock) MICROSOFT BASIC
Model 5 w/32K, 72 Key Keyboard, RS232 : $2395.00
Options: 101 Key Keyboard Add $150.00 User programmable or use Video & Cassette Cable
117 Key Keyboard Add $225.00 cartridges. Combines the Complete Documentation
Formatted Diskettes 2/$19.95 desirable features of the PET,
APPLE and TRS:80 into a
** S100 Expansion
Module. .. Add $299.00
Programmed Diskettes
Diskette Library Inc. Hangman, Othello, Math, Chess, Startrek,
$19.95
complete expandable computer
system. If you are a comparison
** Cassette recorder
.............. Add $44.95
Blackjack, Cubic Tic Tac Toe, Finance Vol. I, Finance Vol. II, Bonds and
Securities, Assembler, Text Editor, Personal Data Base. . shopper send for comparison
chart.
** Sanyo 9" Monitor
...... Add $169.95

KIM-1 SYM-1 AIM RCA

"The Ultimate in
Single Board Low-Cost NEVI fR()"'\. COSMAC VIP
Now only Computers" In Stock ROe~v:.;'~'ON~\.
Reg $269.00
$179.00 Now $249.00 \~(j't-
,N"En
Singleboard Computer
* KIM-1 Compatible lb-<"'O *
** 4K1KBytes2114
ROM Monitor
On Board 20 column
alphanumeric printer
The KIM-1 6502 Standard
* 65K Memory Expansion
RAM * Alphanumeric 20 character
display .
Computer System now available
off the shelf. Write for complete * User EPROM 2716 * Terminal style Keyboard 'NEW LOW PRICE $249.00
details and software package. ** Power Supply 54 Keys Assembled
** Power Supply
..
** Cassette
Add $59.95
Recorder
* 6502 based CPU Regular price $299.95
.............. Add $59.95 w/1 K RAM.. . .. $375.00 w/Sanyo 9" Monitor
** Cassette Recorder
.............. Add $44.95
** Sanyo
.............. Add $44.95
9" Monitor
w/4K RAM
Assembler ROM
$450.00
Add $85.00
............. Add $169.95
"Now you can afford to
** Sanyo 9" Monitor
............. Add $169.95
.............
School & group discounts
Add $169.95
BASIC Interpreter in ROM
................. Add $100.00
experiment using RCA's fine
available. 1802 CMOS CPU."

BALLY ARCADE NORTH STAR HORIZON

Z-80 based expandable to 48K Now in stock North Star Z-80 based high-performance computer.
Color Display BASIC available in
* Z-80 Processor
ROM Cartridge
8KROM/4KRAM.
$299 95
•.
**Motherboard
2 Serial +1 Parallel Port
Order Bally Cassettes @$19.95 ea. except 3001
@$24.95, 2001 Zzap & Dodgem, 2002 Sea Wolf & Missle, 2003 Attack *16K RAM
& Red Baron, 3001 Baseball, 4001 ,Bingo Math & Speed Math, 4002 Horizon I .... $1439.00 Kit
Letters & Crosswords, 5002 Blackjack & Poker Horizon II.. .. $1799.00 Kit

Centronics Micro 5-1 . $525.00

PRINTERS Centronics Micro P-1 ... $475.00 MFE Mayflower Model 751 Double
Density.. . $730.00
Sanyo 9" Monitor.. . .. $159.95
Centronics761RO $1495.00 Sanyo 15" Monttor.. .. $209.95
OKIDATA Model110w/tractorw/RS232 Centronics 779 w/tractor feed .. $1195.00 Persci Model 277 Dual Diskette Motorola 12'" Monitor wlo chassis. 5219.95
.... $1675.00 Storage' Drive $1230.00
TeletypeModel43w/RS232... $1199.00 Pertec FD200 Miniflop Disk Drive $299.00
Hazeltine1400 $750.00
OKtDATA Model22 w/tractor w/RS232 TIModel745w/upper&lowercs .$1975.00 Hazeltine 1500. $1095.00
. .$2705.00 TI Model810.. .$1895.00 Pertec Model 88 8" Drive. $495.00
Hazeltine1510. 51295.00
DECWRtTER Itw/RS23210·30cps Galcomp Model 143M Dual Density
... $1675.00 Drive.. .... $625.00
DtABLO1620·3w/tractor feed, FLOPPY DISK'S NorthStarMDSMinifloppy
wiS, 100 KEYBOARDS
w/Keyboard $3255.00
Shugart SA400 Minifloppy Disk Drive .$599.00 GEORiskModel756ASCII56 Key
.............. $295.00 Assembled. $67.95
DIABLO1610·3w/tractorfeed $2895.00 Shugart SA450 Dual Density Minifloppy Metalcase for Model756 $27.00
IPSI1622-3w/tractorfeed ................................ $375.00 TERMINALS Clare Pender 52 Key ASCII w/25 Pin
(diablocompatible).. . $2995.00 ShugartSA800/801 Diskette SOROC10 120......... .. $895.00 and 34 Pin Connector
IPSI 1612·3 w/tractor feed Storage Drive. . .... $495.00 LEARADM3Assembled $829.95 (new surplus supply limited) ..... $54.95
(diablo compatible). .. $2820.00 Shugart SA850/851 Double-Sided LEAR AQM3 Kit $739.95 63 Key Unencoded Keyboard. $32.95
Centronics
761(KSR) $1595.00 Drive.. .. .. .. .. $625.00 SOROC10 140. ... ... $1495.00 10KeyHexpadUnencoded... .. $11.95

ADVANCED COMPUTER PRODUCTS DEPT C All prices FOB Santa Ana. Please add shipping/handling.
P. O. Box 17329 • Irvine, California 92713 For credit card purchase contact for quotation. Complete
1310 B E. Edinger • Santa Ana, California 92705 FREE 1979 Catalogue - send 25¢ for postage. Pricing
TWX/TELEX 910595 1565 • TEL (714) 558-8813 subject to change without notice.
CIRCLE 199 ON READER SERVICE CARD ••••••••••••••••••••
7700 PRINT "ACTUAL YR DEPR",TABC15>.
7800 REM COMPUTE THE DEPRECIATION CROSSING FULL YEARS
7900 Y2-M2/12
8000 FOR JaGI TO D5(JI)+1
8100 D2(Ja);'DI(Ja-I).C1-Y2)+DICJa).Y2
8200 PRINT Z7I,INTCD2(Ja»,
8300 NEXT Ja .
8400 PRINT
8500 PRINT "TAX $ SAliED'',TA9(15)'
8600 Z3-L9
8700 REM COMPUTE THE TAX ~ITH THE DEPRECIATION DEDUCTION
8800 FOR Ja-I TO D5CJI)+1
8900 GI-G9-D2CJ2)
9000 GOSUB 14100
9100 REM COMPUTE THE DIFFERENCE IN TAXES
9200 T5-Z9-T4
9300 R~M SAVE tHE FIRST YEAR TAX SAV~NGS FOR THE S~MMARY
9400 IF J2 -I THEN Z4 -T5
9500 PRINT Z7I,INT(T5),
9600 Z3-Z~+T5
9700 NEXT· Ja
9800 PRINT
9900 REM PRINT SUMMARY
10000 GOSUB 16700
10100 PRINT "STRAIGHT LINE METHOD FOR",D5(JI )," YEARS"
I 0200 FOR Ja =1 TO 8\DI( Ja ) =0 \D2 CJa) -0 \NEXT ..12
10300 REM LOGIC FOR STRAIGHT LINE MET~OD IS SIMMILAR EXCEPT FOR
10400 REM FULL YEAR COMPUTATION (I ecco MOR.NING,F{'?A'-lK", HI,~T~". HOVJ~ II
(5-0IlJG, <JIM? YOLl1<,Ef LOOi<IIJG GOOD, ED." "
!0500 Y2=YI
10600 PRINT "YEAR",TABCl5>.
10700 FOR ..12=1 TO DS(JI)+I
10800 PRINT Z7I,INT(1900+¥2),
10900 Y2=Y2+1
I 1000 NEXT Ja
11100 PRINT
11200 PRINT "FULL YR DEPR",TABCl5),
11300 FOR ..12=1 TO ns c Ji :
11400 DI (..12 )"PI/D5( JI)
11500 PRINT %7I,INT(DI(Ja»,
I I 600 NEXT Ja
11700 PRINT 12600 Z3=L9
11800 Y2=12-MI 12700 PRINT "TAX s SAVED",TABCl5),
11900 Y2"Y2/12 12800 FOR ..12=1 TO 05( JI )+1
12000 PRINT "ACTUAL YR DEPR",TABCl5). 12900 GI =G9-D2( ..12)
12100 FOR ..12=1 TO D5(JI >+1 13000 GOSUB 14100
12200 D2(..12)=DI(..12-1,*(I-Y2>+DI(J2,*Y2 13100 T5=Z9-T4
12300 PRiNT %7I.INT(D2(Ja». 13200 IF ..12=1 THEN Z4=T5
12400 NEXT Ja 13300 PRINT %7I.INT(T5).
12500 PRINT 13400 Z3=Z3+T5
13500 NEXT Ja
13600 PRINT
13700 GOSuB 16700
13800 NEXT JI
13900 PR INT \PR INT\PR I NT
14QOO END
14100 REM ACTUAL CALCULATION SUBROUTINE
14200 REM FEDERAL TAX CALCULAtiON
14300 FOR J=l TO 10
14400 IF GI>TI(2.J) THEN 14800
14500 IF GI<TICI.J) THEN PRINT "ERROR 1 ".TICI,J),GI,TI(2.J)
J T I =T I (3, J)+ (G I -TI (I. J) ,*TI (4. JH.O I
/," 14600
14700 EXIT 15100
14800 NEXT J
14900 PRINT "AMOUNT NOT IN FED TAX TABLE ",GI
15000 REM STATE TAX CALCULATION
15100 FOR J=I TO 5

=-r-- 15200
15300
IF GI>T2(2,J)
IF GI<T2C1,J)
THEN 15600
THEN PRINT "ERROR 2 ",T2C1,J>.GI,T2(2,J)
15400 T2=T2(3,J)+(GI-T2(I,J».T2(4,J)
15500 EXIT
15600 NEXT J
15900

15700 PRINT "AMOUNT NOT IN CALIF

••01

TAX TABLE ",GI

III (11
jJK~ 15800 REM FICA CALCULATION
15900 IF GI<16500 THEN 16300
16000 T3=1336.50
16100 GOTO 16400
16200 REM 8.1% ASSUMES SELF EMPLOYED PERSON
16300 T3=GI ••081
16400 T4=TI +T2+T3
• LI5T~N", I(cx;'U .. SIMPLY !-lAVe 70 SBJD A MAIV B\L.I< 16500 RETURN
HERe To Give US MORe INSTF(uC-TrOIlJS OIJ How 10 16600 REM SUMMARY ROUTINE
16700 PRINT
OPeRATe 'rOuF{ /JeW 68Lf MODEL! " 16800 PRINT "TAX CREDIT",TABCl5),:I:7I,INT(L9),
16900 PRI~T TAB(26),"TOTAL $ SAVE~',TAB(45),%7I,INT(Z3)
17000 PRINT "FIRST YEAR $",TABCl5),%7I,INT(Z4+L9),
17100 PR INT TAB (26 >'''~A IT ING COST IMONTH", TAB( 45), %7I, INT (Z4/M2+. 50)
17200 PR I~T \PR INT\PR iNT
17300 RETURN
17400 REM THIS IS THE LAST STATEMENT
READY

44 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 ATTENTION TRS-80'S
Why sit in the corner in the dark
and turned off while your master
is sitting by the light, turned on to
his magazine?
You need a magazine of your own for
Education-Enlightenment -Enjoyment
and for the personal satisfaction
(your a personal computer, aren't you?)
of your very own possession... A
Subscription to CLOAD MAGAZINE
Turkey your master into sending a
$36.00 check to the jive cats at CLOAD
MAGAZINE. You will get 12C-30 cassettes,
one a month, each one filled with all kinds
of juicy software-Games, Tutorials, Practical
Programs and Impractical Trivia. All programs
rated G for computers under 18years old.

Do It! Subscribe Now!

._._._...-.
.-.:
•
•
• •
•
•
.-••••
••
t-.
•••••• Goleta, CA 93017
•·H·••• (805) 964-2761
Box 1267

MasterCharge/VISA
welcome
MAGAZINE
© 1978CLOAD MAGAZINE

CIRCLE 134 ON READER SERVICE CARD

B RSM-1S:
MALL
iiW&~§
YSTEM
A MACHINE LANGUAGE MONITOR
TRS - 80
SOFTWARE
FOR 4K TRS-80'S - $23.95
*
TRS - 80
HARDWARE
DCV-1: CONVERT SYSTEM PROGRAMS TO DISK
S MALL
[Q)W&~~
YSTEM
FILES -$9.95

22 commands which interact directly with the Z-80 processor "'in your TRS-BO. RSM monitors, The t tect r ic PenciL, Air Raid, RSL-1, ESP-1, T-BUG, or nearLy
Examine your ROM's, test your RAM, enter and execute machine language any SYSTEM tape shorter than SK (21K if you have 32K of memory) can now be
programs, read and write machine Language tapes, and much more! A SYMBOLIC executed from disk, even if it interferes with TRSDOS! DCV-1 loads system
DUMP command disassembLes object code and dispLays it as ZiLog standard Z-BO tapes into high memory "and adds a bt oc k-move routine. TAPEDISK is then used
mnemonics! Memory may be dispLayed in HEX or two ASCII formats, and can be to create a disk fiLe. When accessed from disk, the program Loads into high
EDITED, MOVED, EXCHANGED, VERIFIED, FILLED, lEROED, TESTED, or SEARCHED for memory, moves itself to its correct address, then jumps there and executes!
one or two-byte codes. Memory commands dump continuously or one line at a A super accessory for disk systems!
time! LEVEL-I and II 4K TRS-80's.
WORD PROCESSING FOR THE TRS-80 - $99.95
RSM-2: AN ADVANCEDMONITOR FOR 16K TRS-80'S - $26.95
SMALL SYSTEM SOFTWARE has adapted THE ELECTRIC PENCIL to the TRS-80! ALL
All the features of our popular RSM-1S, plus read and write SYSTEM tapes, standard ELECTRIC PENCIL text editing and printing features, PLUS
enter Z-80 BREAKPOINTS and PRINT using our TRS232 or the expansion transparent cursor, two-key rollover, and repeating keyboard. Uppercase
interface! Loads at the top of 16K LEVEL I or II, and includes DISK read only, or add Lowercase entry and display with minor modification. PRINT
and write commands for future expansion! - with RS-232 and 20-miL printers using our TRS232 or use the expansion
interface. LEVEL-I or II 16K computers. THE ELECTRIC PENCIL is a superior
RSM-2D: 3 MONITORS FOR TRS-80 DISK SYSTEMS - $29.95 word processor for home or business use!

RSM-2D contains 3 versions of RSM-2 on a single disk to load into the top of TRS232 PRINTER INTERFACE - $49.95 (+$2.00 shipping)
16K, 32K or 48K TRS-80's with disk ays t ems , With RSM-2D you can read your
TRSDOS into memory using our DISK read command, print disassembled listings A fuLLy assembLed seLf-contained software-driven output port for printing
using our SYMBOLIC dump and printer output commands, then mod; fy and from LEVEL-II, DISK BASIC or machine Language programs! Diablo, Teletype,
re-write to disk using our DISK write command! TI Si Lent or any RS-232 or 20-mi L current loop printer may "be used. The
TRS232 is furnished with cassette software and works either with or without
BASIC-1 - LEVEL-1 BASIC FOR LEVEL-II TRS-80'S - $15.95 the expansion interface! THE ELECTRIC PENCIL and RSM-2/2D use the TRS232,
thus word processing, BASIC, and machine language appLications are aLL
Loads into the top 4K of 16K TRS-80's and uses any LEVEL-I BASIC program or supported!
DATA tape (up to 12K in Length) without conversion! Loads from tape or disk
(furni shed on tape). Go back and forth between LEVEL I and II without RSL-1: THE GAME OF LIFE IN MACHINE LANGUAGE - $14.95
reloading. ALL LEVEL-I abbreviations and functions supported!
Enter any pattern with unique repeating keyboard! Save your patterns on
AIR RAID: A REAL-TIME TRS-80 S,HOOTING GALLERY! - $14.95 tape (4 patterns furnished). PLay LIFE, a game of birth, growth and death
of a coLony of c e l l s , FAST - about 1 second per generation! Hours of
A high speed machine Lanq uaqe Lq ame where Large and smaLL airplanes fly fascination, and a super demonstration program!
across the screen at different aLtitudes. A ground based missile Launcher
is pointed and fired from the keyboard. Aircraft exp Lode dramaticaLLy when
flit, sometimes destroying other nearby pLanes! Score is talLied for each OTHER TRS-80 PRODUCTS
hit or miss, and the highest score is saved to be challenged by other
pLayers. AIR RAID provides hours of fun for you, and is a super ESP-1: 29.95 Editor, assembLer, and monitor using INTEL 8080 mnemonics.

••
demonstration program for entertaining r r t eno s t 4K LEVEL I and II. LST-1: 8.00 A disassembled listing of LEVEL-1 BASIC with comments •

*
CALIFORNIA

SMALL SYSTEM SOFT~ARE

JAN 1979
*
RESIDENTS

P.O.
ADD 6

BOX 366
PER CENT

*
SALES TAX

NEWBURYPARK, CALIF. 91320

-!ANIA~tlltA!'

* .~

45
*
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ADD 6 PER CENT SALES TAX

SMALL SYSTEM HARDWARE * P.O. BOX

CIRCLE
366 ~ NEWBURYPARK, CALIF.

122 ON READER SERVICE

91320

CARD
*
 Directions ...
As We Enter
Our Fifth Year

When is the last time you considered In the future as Pascal and other " ... as with television, and then color
which publication (out of the many in languages become widely available television, the enthusiasts and the well-
this field) is going to wind up being the you'll want applications for them too. to-do will be the first to install com-
consumer magazine of the future? What about all the computer hob- puter consoles in their homes. Even-
Which one of the magazines on the byists? Is there going to be material in tually, however, everyone will consider
market today is going to appeal to this "consumer-oriented" magazine for them to be essential household equip-
those tens (and eventually hundreds) them? That's an interesting question ment. People will soon become dis-
of thousands of consumers who go out ... just as that non-technical consumer contented with the "canned" programs
and buy home computers in the years is going to turn out to be an interesting available; they will want to write their
to come? Is it going to be one of those person. You just watch those people go own. The ability to write a computer
with a name that has meaning only for out and buy personal computers in the program will become as widespread as
computer professionals ... or will it be years to come! Most of them will make the ability to drive a car."
one with a name like Creative Com- their purchase, bring it home, plug it in, There are two areas which will
puting? (Has a nice ring to it, don't you put a cassette (or disk) in ... and run a always be linked to home uses of
think?) program. How long do you think it will personal computers. One of these is
What do you think would be needed be before they start going in and educational applications and com-
in the way of editorial content for such modifying programs, writing their own puters in schools. Students are going
a magazine? Since the most important programs and/or making little to be getting exposure to small systems
thing we'll be doing is putting com- hardware modifications to their in schools ... and thereby influence the
puters to practical use, I would think an machines? You realize, of course, what purchase of a computer in their home.
emphasis on applications would be in they'll be called as soon as they start Or, it could work the other way around!
order. General interest and tutorial doing such things? That's right, hob- The other area is small business
articles dealing with applications byists. And, I guess we're all hobbyists applications. A person using a system
would be in demand. More importantly, to one degree or another. One of my at home would have to be fairly dense
articles actually describing an applica- favorite quotes is an excerpt from an not to see the potential for using a
tion, and providing the software (which article on computers in the September, similar system in his business or office.
everyone can use) will be appreciated 1966 (13 years ago!) issue of Scientific Needless to say, many people using
even more. Should these articles deal American: them at work will also see the potential
primarily with programs written in for home applications.
Basic, or Fortran, APL, Focal, Pascal, Now ... for the real reason I've
or assembly-language? At the mo- brought you all here today. It wasn't to
ment, I personally get more excited toot our horn (and, of course, I have
about a good applications program been talking about Creative) or tell you
written in Basic, that the majority of how great we are or how great we're
people can use, than the idea of going gOing to be. No, I've got a much better
back to square one and using a new objective in mind. I wanted to tell you,
language which is not in widespread the readers of Creative, where we're
use. Furthermore, assembly-language going in the future ... and then I'd like
programs/articles will be somewhat you to pass the word! With our variety
limited in appeal because of the of articles on applications, general
machine dependence and the level of interest, fiction, cartoons and good,
expertise required to do that kind of objective reviews of hardware and
programming. That is not to say that software we have the necessary in-
most people aren't able to learn gredients to be the best in the field. Tell
machine-language programming ... I people about it, OKay?As hard as it may
don't think most of them will want to (if be for you to believe there are people
they have a good Basic to run instead). out there who aren't subscribing! _

CREATIVE COMPUTING
 Everything you always wanted
to plug into your PET,
APPLE or TRS-80*~
HARDWARE SOFTWARE
(*but were afraid you couldn't afford)
TRS-8(J
DOUBLEDENSITYDISK STORAGE DATAMANAGEMENT/REPORT GENERATOR-easil':! for-mats
FOR THE TRS-80 disk files, allows enir':!; edit.; lisi, and
(220;~ the capacit.':! of Radio Shad's) calculate with daia on screen or pr-inter- + •• ,$200.
TRS-H()owner-s can now incr-ease their- on-line IlJaSS ELECTRIC PENCIL- powerful word processor- allows
stor-ase capacit\:l to 20()t\ b\:ltes. How? B':! usms the 77 full cursor- Riovement., insert/delet.e; str ins
tr-acK Micr-opolis model 1033-II dual dr-ives. Cost: onl'.:1 search, justification + •••••••••••••••••• ,$99.95.
$1195 for- two dr-ives. Lower case mod kit for above •••" ••+ ••••••• , ,$12.
HOWDOESIT WORK? B':! writins on 77 t.racks ( instesd of rlISK MSEIi WORDPROCESSINGPACKAGE.", ••,$124.95.
the conventional 35) with pr-erision head position ins. RSM-2IfDISK MONITOR-F-ower-ful S\:lsteRi R!anipulat.es-
HOWDOI USE IF Micr-otronix provides '.:IOU with a disk dat.a, has I-SO breaKpoint routine, ",$29,95.
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CIRCLE 189 ON READER SERVICE CARD

 Survey of Educator'
Toward Computers

====================
David Lichtman, Ed.D. ============
It is axiomatic that educators In each case the respondents were banks are a worthwhile use of com-
(teachers and administrators) make asked to strongly agree, agree, neither puters," they showed the lowest
the majority of decisions affecting the agreenordisagree,disagree or strongly percentage (64%) in feeling that com-
nature, style, and often the content, of disagree with each statement. The puters will improve education. In
instruction. Since many people believe results were then divided into percen- comparison, the administrators in this
that computers will improve education tage replies for each category, with the survey were more positive (96%) as
(Ahl, 1976) it seems worthwhile to published tabular results compiled into were the youth (84%) and the adults
determine if corresponding attitudes percentages of those who strongly (87%) in the original survey.
exist on the part of professional agreed and agreed, and those who The comparisons of the groups on
educators. A survey of 189 pre-service strongly disagreed and disagreed with specific issues are presented below
and in-service educators enrolled in each statement. and in the tables. In all casesadults and
summer programs at the University of The same format was followed in the youth refer to these groups as defined
South Carolina was completed in 1976. current survey, with the addition of six in the Creative Computing survey and
The general format of David Ahl's further statements. The survey forms, the percentages for these populations
"Survey of Public Attitudes Toward with the statements in random order, are drawn from that source.
Computers in Society" was followed to were distributed in classes conducted
allow for comparisons between the two by a variety of faculty members during Computer Threat to Society
groups. the 1976 summer session in the Teachers appear to feel that com-
In general, the educators seemed College of Education at the University puters dehumanize society by treating
less enthusiastic aboutthe computer's of South Carolina. Reactions were everyone as a number (55%)to a much
role than did the general public. Those recorded on computer amenable greater extent than do adults (37%),
in administration courses were, answer sheets which were processed youth (40%) or administrators (26%).
generally, far more positive than were by the University's IBM/370 using They are also the strongest group
other educators. While the "teachers" SAS-76. All replies were anonymous. (30%)in feeling that "computers isolate
(educators minus those in administra- There were 189 respondents, with 27 people by preventing normal social
tion courses) appeared to be one ofthe enrolled in administration courses. interaction among users" in com-
highest groups in agreement with the These were divided into two groups, parison with administrators (15%),
statement "credit rating data banks are loosely referred to as "teachers" (those adults (19%) and youth (21%). They
a worthwhile use of computers," they not in administration courses) and were more in line with the other groups
showed the lowest percentage in "administrators" (those in ad- in holding the belief that "a person
feeling that computers will improve ministration course). These groups cannot escape the influence of com-
health care, law enforcement or educa- included pre-service as well as in- puters" (80%), falling in between the
tion. Those in administration, on the service personnel. Creative Com- adults in the general population (92%)
other hand, were more in agreement puting's original survey was broken and the youth (67%). The ad-
than the general public that "com- down into two groups: adults (those 21 ministrators, in this case, paralleled the
puters will improve education." and older) and youth (those 20 and general adult attitudes (92%). There
younger). The original results are was a great deal of consensus between
Methodology
presented here along with the current the groups on "computer polls and
In 1975 Creative Computing data.
magazine conducted a survey of the predictions influence the outcome. of
general public's attitudes toward com- elections" with teachers strongly
puters and their role in society. The Summary agreeing and agreeing 48%, adults
survey, administered to 843 people, In general, the educators seemed 48%, youth 44% and administrators
consisted of 17 questions divided into less enthusiastic about the computer's 52%.
four major categories: role in society than did the general Understanding of Computers
1) Computer Impact on the Quality public. Those in administration Teachers may be more willing to
of Life courses were, generally, far more blame machines for errors, and less
2) Computer Threat to Society positive in their attitudes than were willing to blame human beings. They
3) Understanding the Role of Com- other educators. As an example, while were much more agreeable (30%) to
puters teachers appeared to be one of the the statement that "computers make
4) Understanding the Computer highest groups in agreement (83%) mistakes at least 10%of the time," while
Itself with the statement "credit rating data no other group exceeded 10%.When it

David Lichtman, Ed.D., University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208 48

CREATIVE COMPUTING
 TABLE 1 came to the statement that
COMPUTER THREAT TO SOCIETY "programmers and operators make
!
mistakes, but computers are, for the
PUBLIC ATTITUDES EDUCATOR'S ATTITUDES most part, error free," however, they
ADULT YOUTH TEACH ADMIN were much less in agreement (55%)
N=300 N=543 N=162 N= 27 than were the administrators (70%), the
SA SD SA SD SA SD SA SD adults (67%) or the youth (72%).
ITEM &A &D &A &D &A &D &A &D The concern for privacy in relation to
computers and data banks is a growing
A person today cannot escape the
one in our society. Of all the groups,
influence of computers 92% 4% 67% 18% 80% 6% 92% 0%
teachers seemed to agree least that "it
Computer polls and predictions is possible to design computer systems
influence the outcome
which protect the privacy of data," with
of elections 48 27 44 27 48 24 52 18
only 46% able to strongly agree or
Computers dehumanize society by agree with this statement. The only
treating everyone as a number 37 50 40 31 55 22 26 48
comparable group were the youth
Computers isolate people by (49%), while the adults (60%) and the
preventing normal social administrators (70%) were stronger in
interactions among users 19 62 21 42 30 33 15 74
their feelings that this could be achiev-
SA&A = Strongly Agree and Agree ed.
SD&O = Strongly Disagree and Disagree
All of the groups held about the same
Public Attitudes data from Ahl's "Survey of Public Attitudes Toward Computers in Society," views that "computers are beyond the
1975. understanding of the typical person,"
with the possible exception of the
adults whose dissenting view (strongly
disagree and disagree) was stronger
(62%) than the youth (49%), teachers
TABLE 2
(47%) or administrators (52%).
UNDERSTANDING OF COMPUTERS
Understanding the Role of Computers
PUBLIC ATTITUDES EDUCATOR'S ATTITUDES Teachers, interestlnqly enough,
ADULT YOUTH TEACH ADMIN seem to be the most dubious about the
N=300 N=543 N=162 N= 27 idea of computers replacing low-skill
SA SD SA SD SD SA SD jobs and creating jobs needing
SA
ITEM &A &D &A &D &A &D &A &D specialized training with only 36%
agreeing or strongly agreeing with this
Computers are beyond the statement. The other groups were
understanding of the more uniform in their response pattern,
typical person 25% 62% 31% 49% 30% 47% 33% 52% with agreement among 71% of the
Computers make mistakes at least adults, 62% of the youth and 52% of the
10% of the time 10 77 10 60 30 38 7 70 administrators. The teachers were also
Programmers and operators make the least affirmative of the statement
mistakes, but computers are, that "computers will create as many
for the most part, error free 67 19 72 13 55 25 70 15 jobs as they eliminate," with only 35%
It is possible to design computer replying in the affirmative as compared
systems which protect with 40% of the youth, 44% of the
the privacy of data 60 26 49 16 46 18 70 18 administrators and a high 62% of the
adults.
Computer Impact on the Quality of Life
Teachers and administrators were
TABLE 3 both higher than the general popula-
UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF COMPUTERS tion in the apparent belief that "credit
rating data banks are a worthwhile use
PUBLIC ATTITUDES EDUCATOR'S ATTITUDES of computers," with teachers in agree-
ADULT YOUTH TEACH ADMIN ment 83% and administrators 85%, as
N=300 N=543 N=162 1Ii= 27 contrasted with both the adults and
SA SD SA SD SA Sp SA SD youth at 64%.
ITEM &A &0 &A &0 &A &D &A &D
On the other hand, the teachers were
Computers are best suited for consistently lower in their other replies
doing repetitive, monotonous 80% 10% 57% 22°/~ 54% 17% 41% 30% in this category, while, with one excep-
tasks tion, the administrators were con-
Computers are a tool, just like sistently more positive than the general
a hammer or lathe 73 15 61 23 77 8 81 15 population. In the area of improvement
Computers .slowdown and of health care, the teachers and the
complicate simple business youth were affirmative in 51% of the
operations 18 66 17 69 12 69 11 81 cases, while there was agreement on
Computers will replace low-skill the part of 67% of the administrators
jobs and create jobs needing and 79% of the adults. Only 60% of the
specialized training 71 15 62 14 36 22 52 15 teachers subscribed to the idea that
Computers will create as many "computers will improve law enforce-
jobs as they eliminate 62 16 40 29 35 30 44 26 ment," while 70% of the youth, 82% of

-lAN 1979 49
the adults and 89% of the ad-
ministrators did.
The last statement in this section
was, perhaps, the most interesting
since' it, "computers will improve TABLE 4
education;' was the most germain. Only
COMPUTER IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE
64% of the teachers responded in a
positive manner, a figure which was PUBLIC ATTITUDES EDUCATOR'S ATTITUDES
much overshadowed by all of the other
ADULT YOUTH TEACH ADMIN
groups: adults (87%),youth (84%) and N=300 N=543 N=162 N= 27
administrators (96%).
SA SD SA SD SA SO SA SD
Additional Issues ITEM &A &D &A &D &A &D &A &D
Six statements which were not on the
original public attitudes survey were Credit rating data banks are a
worthwhile use of computers 64% 13% 64% 8% 83% 4% 85% 4%
included on the current one. Two of
these were general in nature, and four Computers will improve
health care 79 5 51 12 51 14 67 4
were more directly related to the
educational environment than were Computers will improve
any of the statements in the original law enforcement 82 3 70 10 60 10 89 7
survey. Computers will improve
"Our country would be better off if education 87 6 84 5 64 9 96 0
there were no computers" drew a
negative vote (disagree and strongly
disagree) from 78%of the teachers and
1QO% of the administrators. An in- TABLE 5
teresting possibility, "someday I will ADDITIONAL ISSUES
have a computer, or a computer
terminal, in my home,"was affirmed by PUBLIC ATTITUDES EDUCATOR'S ATTITUDES
20% of the teachers and one-third ADULT YOUTH TEACH ADMIN
(33%) of the administrators. N=300 N=543 N=162 N= 27
In light of some of the other negative SA SD SA SD SA SD SA SD
expressions, it is nice to note that over ITEM &A &D &A &D &A &D &A &D
one-third (36%)of the teachers felt that
"if there was a computer terminal in my Our country would be better
off if there were no computers 5% 78% 0% 100%
classroom it would help me to be a
better teacher," while almost half (48%) If there was a computer terminal
of the administrators also agreed. On in my classroom it would help
me to be a better teacher 36 22 48 15
this statement, incidentally, only 22%
of the teachers were in disagreement. Someday I will have a computer,
Fifty-eight percent of the teachers or a computer terminal,
in my home 20 43 33 26
felt that "computers can teach
mathematics," while 52% of the ad- Computers can teach
ministrators agreed. That a computer is mathematics 58 16 52 15
still regarded more as a mathematical Computers can teach reading 47 20 52 15
tool than a universal symbol A computer may someday
manipulator was probably inherentin take my job 16 67 22 59
the fact that a smaller percentage
(47%) of the teachers felt that "com-
puters can teach reading." The same more confident in these areas than are mathematics and their much more
percentage of administrators (52%) the general population. positive attitude that computers will
stayed with reading as did with 3) That both teachers and ad- improve education may begin to con-
mathematics. ministrators are more wary of com- cern them).
Conclusions puters in relation to jobs and skills We have had prognostications of
This study does not purport to (except theirowri) than are other great changes being wrought in educa-
represent any in-depth analysis of people, with teachers much more tion due to the computer, and predic-
educator's attitudes towards com- concerned than administrators. tions that computers will alter schools.
puters. At best it is a rather superficial 4) That a smaller number of teachers If this study is indicative, it may be of
overview o.fone group in this area. If we see improvement in the quality of life the possibility that a lot of computers
can assume, however, that it does through the use of computers than do may be bought (by administrators) but
indicate some possible trends or ex- others and that they see the least they may not be used, at least to any
pectations they might be as follows: improvement in education of any greater proportion than the other
1) That teachers view computers in a group, while the administrators are existent tools of educational
much more dehumanizing and overwhelmingly positive in this regard. technology. •
isolating manner than do other 5) That while teachers seamed BIBLIOGRAPHY
segments of the population; especially concerned about the computer's effect Ahl, D. H. "Survey of Public Attitudes
school administrators. on jobs in general, few were concerned Toward Computers in Society," in
2) That teachers do not feel secure in about their own jobs,beirig taken away David H. Ahl (Ed.), The Best of Creative
their relationships with computers, (although the possibility inherent in the Computing, Volume 1. Morristown,
particularly in regard to privacy of data administrator's responses concerning New Jersey: Creative Computing
and mistakes, while administrators are computers teaching reading and Press, 197(:), pp. 77-79.

50 CREATIVE COMPUTING
••••••••••••••••••••••• CCI •••••••••••••••••••••• ~

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C,RCLE 128 ON REAPER SERVICE CARD

JAN 1979 51
 , --,
, •- ~,~••
,\ ..
'I .".
.•, -
"'11'- "
••~ .,' ~~
.,,'
Come along for a trip to the Silicon Valley and some of the latest develop-
ments in the personal computing industry.
San Francisco is one of my favorite Another thihg that impressed me was while they're being burned in.
places. Unfortunately, I don't get a the use they make of their own systems Photo 3 shows the new component
chance to get up there as often as I'd (particularly the System Three) in and subassembly test station which
like. However, I did manage to take a running their company. They're allover was being installed while I was there.
few days off recently and get up to the ... and they're not doing "small Very expensive, very impressive ... but
Silicon Valley and visit some in- business" computing, they're doing it uses someone else's computet! As we
teresting people and companies. Come medium-sized corporation computing! were walking past the systems in the
on along and I'll sharethetripwithyou. And dOing it well. final test I noticed some cardboard
I stopped by one of the "old-timers" Harry Garland, the President of
in our industry, Cromemco, and some Cromemco, gave me the tour of his new
of the "new-comers" such as Exidy, plant (located at 280 Bernardo Ave.,
Altos Computer Systems and The Mountain View, CA 94040 - see
Software Works. I always' try to catch Photo 1). At the beginning of our trip
the monthly meetings of the through the manufacturing area he
Homebrew Computer Club when I'm in mentioned that Cromemco was listed
the bay area and one of the hightlights as #1 in reliabili in the latest report
of this trip was their meeting. It's a great
place to catch up on the latest rumors!
Cromemco
For as long as I can remember,
Cromemco has had a reputation for
making the "Cadillac" of S-100
systems. After you've seen how they
test their machines you'll realize, as I Photo 3. Crornernco's new component
did, just why they're so good! Testing is and assembly test station. Is that a
the name of the game and I haven't run PDP-11 waiting for installation there?
across a company in this industry that
tackles it uite like Cromemco. , over the card cages of the systems
Photo 2. Dr. Harry-Garland, Cromem- being tested (see Photo 4). Harry
co's President and founder, standing in pointed out that the cardboard was
front of one of their five burn-in ovens. being used to block off the air flow! The
Their 16K memory boards are left in boards were extremely hot and the
there for a full week! (Other boards get systems are put through this torture for
a little slack and get out sooner.) forty-eight hours!
They had one of their time-share
systems in burn-in, also. Their System
from Image Resources ... and he has Three MUlti-User configuration will
every intention of making sure his support from 2to 7 users ... each with
company stays there. The burn-in 32K of memory maximum. (Later on I
Photo 1. Cromemco's new plant, ovens, shown in Photo 2, are one way saw one of these systems in actual use
located on the corner of Bernardo he's achieving this. There are five of in the Sales Department. The system
Avenue and Central Expressway, those ovens and each one holds 3 card was used for getting instantaneous
Mountain View, California. cages. The system on the table (lower stock information and other info for
right) is used for testing the boards dealers and salesmen ..) They've also

CREATIVE COMPUTING
 So much for the hardware and why
developed an impressive multi-u~er
they have one of the most enviable
Basic to go with the system ~whlch
reputations in the industry. We all know
should make it very attractive to
that you can't do anything with ju~t
educational institutions).
hardware .,. software sure comes In
handy! You name it, they've got it! Thei r
system runs under CDOS whi~h i~ a
modified version of CP/M. (We II find
out if their software will run under a
standard CP/M system upon receipt of
a copy of their Data Base Manaqernent
package for review in an upcoming
issue of Creative. The program allows
you to custom design data bases for
everything from general le?ger t?
mailing lists.) Along with their ty1ultl-
User Basic they haveFortran IV, Cobol,
16K Extended Basic, a Word Process-
ing system and more.
".::..

Photo 8. You've undoubtedly heard of

Dr. Alice Ahlgren, Cromemco's
Photo 4. That cardboard. over th~ card Marketing Vice-President? This ob-
cage is completely blocking the airflow viously unposed photo shows her in
to those boards ... for 48 hours! Try that the midst of getting material together
with your system ... for 2 hours! for a course to be presented to
Cromemco dealers. This kind of dealer
support is very important to a potential
customer! There are simply too many'
companies in this industry who leave
the dealers out there in left field to "go it
alone."
Photo 6. The system that handles the
inventory for Cromemco's entire
The Software Works
operation. What better testimony of the
My next stop was a visit to Dick
faith they have in their own product? Milewski and his software generating
(Where are those critics who keep
factory called The Software Works ...
screaming that micros can't handle
also located in Mountain View (P.O.
jobs like this!!?) Box 4386, Mt. View, CA 94040).One of
Photo 5. How many other companies Dick's latest "enterprises" is putting
do you know of who are offering any together a monthly column in Greative
kind of time-share software? Not many, Computing for your enjoyment. The
right? column is called the Apple Cart and is
devoted to Apple owners and those
thinking of buying an Apple. Dick just
As I mentioned before, the actual use recently got into doing software
of Cromemco systems throughout the development for the Apple. In the past
plant is very impressive. It's very he has developed some fine
difficult to find an office without one. applications software for North Star
They're used in the development labs, systems. These include Mailroom (an
stock room, test stations, for preparing interactive mail list maintenance
all system documentation using package), Inventory I (a 940-item
Cromemco's Word Processing System. package which can be upgraded to
The company's inventory control larger inventories - Inventory II and
system is shown in Photo 6. When I III). Housekeeper (a collection of North
hear the word inventory I immediately Photo 7. All the information a salesman Star utility routines) and Fix-It (for
think of disk capacity. The System needs concerning delivery dates for running North Star Version 3 programs
, Three has four 8 inch Per Sci disk systems being manufactured, off-the- under Version 4 Basic). His latest
drives for 1 Megabyte of on-line mass shelf availability, prices, discounts, and creation is P/M Planner, a capitol
storage (and double-sided, double- more ... right at his fingertips! equipment inventory system with
density systems are coming up!) preventive maintenance scheduling.
Photo 7 is just one of the seven time- Everybody and his brother seems to
share stations set up in the sales area Reliable hardware and software are be jumping onto the software
for handling dealer and customer the cornerstones for a successful development/marketing bandwagon
inquiries. I've actually visited other business system. If you're in the market these days. It looks like an easy way to
companies, such as Cromemco, which for a system ... take a close look at the make a living ... and perhaps for the
used minicomputers to handle jobs like "Cadillac" in your shopping around. less diligent it is. I say that because I
this!

JAN 1979 53
was particularly impressed with the CP/M up and running on their systems. Altos Computer Systems
customer support Dick provides (i.e., I was astounded when about 90 of Here are some folks who have some
he is diligent). I guess he spends his those 110 hands went up! I then asked good things going! They've put
evenings developing software because how many were interested in Pascal together a Z80-based computer with
it sure didn't look like he had much time and/or planned on getting it up on their 64K of RAM, a dual disk controller
for it during the day! He was on the systems. It looked like the same (double-sided, using DMA), 1 parallel
phone constantly and it seemed like number of hands went up. Very in- and 2 serial I/O ports ... all on one
many of the callers were customers teresting. board! Feastyoureyeson Photo 10and
without much background. His see what it is I speak of! I have spent
patience in handling some obviously more hours (make that, days) of my life
unnecessary questions was re- troubleshooting computers and elec-
markable. The best part was when he tronic equipment than I care to think
would gently try to guide the person about. This t-board concept is going to
back to the manual ... which is where be the field technician's, or perhaps
the answer was all along. even the end user's, dream. The single
I always seem to have an excuse board, with all the goodies I mentioned,
when I've blown it on getting pictures is on the far right. The electronics you
of someone or something. This is no see on the left is for the left Shugart
exception. My flash unit wasn't work- disk drive. Since the drives are double-
ing while I was at the Software Works Photo 9. A rare, unretouched photo of a sided, those clever devils at Altos
... but I didn't know it at the time! Homebrew Computer Club meeting. mounted them upside down ... so the
Anyway, there ain't no photos of
Later on in the meeting someone
handsome Dick and his Imsai/North
Star and Apple disk system. (It's mentioned that he had a Texas In-
struments Speak & Spell that he'd like
alright, you aren't missing that much!)
to sell. He had brought it with him and
someone asked him to "play it" for the
The Homebrew Computer Club group. The room was completely still
The meeting I attended was relatively while he made that thing talk for us. It
skimpy in the attendance department was incredible! If you haven't heard
... as you can see from Photo 9. (I'll bet one you're missing one of the truly
there are dozens of clubs all over the astonishing developments in
country that would give their left arms technology today! The chip which
to have attendance like that!) There's generates the speech is a special
usually standing room only ... with the version of the TMS1000 (an 8-bit
auditorium (at the Stanford Linear micro) working with a pair of 128K
Accelerator Lab) filled with close to 300 ROMS. The circuitry is capable of
bodies. This particular evening there producing over 200 words but can Photo 10. The Altos Sun-Series 8000
were approximately 110 people there. access a lot more memory for more system. One of the remarkable things
I was invited to say a few words to the words - as much as 2.1 megabytes! (I about their single board is that it looks
group and foolishly stepped down in understand TI has been swamped with like they had room left over!
the pit where they throw the Christians inquiries from people interested in just
(and Lee Felsenstein, who runs the the synthesizer chips.) As I listened to electronics would be easily accessible
show and is one of Creative's Con- the t/=ling it suddenly dawned on me for troubleshooting. So, there it is ... 2
tributing Editors). I figured I'd get the that TI will most certainly have the disk drives and their associated elec-
jump on them and ask some questions same synthesized speech capability in tronics, a power supply, a fan and a
before they had a chance to put me on their upcoming personal computer. board with the CPU, I/O and memory.
the spot with theirs. I asked for a show You wait ... TI's talking computer is on Put that together with a terminal and a
of hands of how many people had the way! printer, and you've got it!

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CIRCLE 187 ON READER SERVICE CARD

54 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 I hinted a moment ago about the Floating Point Processor (the AMD But, that's not all ... there's more! Do
possibility of the end user being able to 9511) which has been interfaced to you see the box the cable for the disk
troubleshoot and repair this system. If BASIC-E and Pascal. drives is coming out of? There you
he had a spare board on hand, and the Altos' Marketing Vice-President, have Exidy's new S-100 expansion for
ability to unplug and plug in a few Roger Vass (shown in Photo 11), and the Sorcerer which consists of a 6-slot
connectors, I'm not so sure that kind of the President, David Jackson, gave me mother board and power supply (for
repair would be far-fetched. If, on the the grand tour of their plant ... which around $299). That expansion will
other hand, the repair was taken care of they'll be leaving shortly because of allow a Sorcerer to be expanded to 64K
by a qualified technician this simplified growth! (I love the sound of that ... it of internal memory, among other
concept would certainly make his job sure beats hearing about a company
easier ... and the customer happier that folded!) Altos Computer Systems,
because of reduced down-time. 2378B Walsh Ave., Santa Clara, CA
Altos has really pushed the fact they 95050.
have a Pascal-based system and ap-
parently it's paying off. 30% of the
systems they've sold have been Exidy's Sorcerer!
ordered with Pascal! Another plus in And, speaking of CP/M ... who do
you suppose is adding it to their
system? If you take a close look at
Photo 12 you'll see Lori Barrick (head
of Exidy's Sales Department) and ... a
couple of Micropolis disk drives in the
upper right-hand corner. CP/M on
Micropolis, for the Sorcerer ... it's
coming. Just remember you heard
about it first in Creative Computing,
okay?

Photo 13. One of the reasons Exidy

developed a system with such fantastic
graphics is because they were develop-
ing video games before computers ...
Photo 11. Dr. Roger Vass, Altos' man of and already had the techniques down
the hour ... and Marketing VP. He's pat! This is one of several games
very interested in hearing from available for the employees to play
qualified distributors and OEMer's. during breaks (rough life, huh?)
(Their system isn't going to be sold
through conventional computer things. They're also finishing up
stores.) development of a color TV interface
board and an assembler/editor. Oh,
yes, and Electric Pencil will also be
their software department is the fact
available on one of their future ROM
the system runs under CP/M. They're
Photo 12. Lori Barrick, together with Pacs.
also offering CBASIC, Fortran IV,
the Sorcerer and all its new, upcoming , I was talking to Tony Gold, of
Cobol, a Macro-Assembler and
accessories. Lifeboat Associates (the folks who
business and word processing
have done a lot with CP/M and
packages. They have an optional
Micropolis), and he mentioned that the

PET PRINTER ADAPTER

GET HARD COPY FROM YOUR
COMMODORE PET USING A
The CmC ADA 1200 drives an $98.50 ADA 1200B
RS-232 printer from the PET Assembled and tested
STANDARD RS-232 PRINTER
IEEE-488 bus. Now, the PET
owner can obtain hard copy
listings and can type letters,
manuscripts, mailing labels,
$~,~ ;£~ow~~,~:,~:oc
and RS-232
•
connector
VISA·

tables of data, pictures, in- Order direct or contact your local computer store.
voices, graphs, checks, needle- Add $3.00 for postage and handling per order.
point patterns, etc., using an
CONNECTICUT microCOMPUTER frJ
RS-232 standard printer or 150 POCONO RD, BROOKFIELD. CT 06B04 Ib:!.lINU frJ
1200C terminal. (203) 775·9659 Ib:!.I

CIRCLE 168 ON READER SERVICE CARD

JAN 1979 55
Sorcerer, unlike the other popular Computers '" and go with Radio Forth is Here!
consumer systems, put their ROM in Shack Computer Centers ... many of With the ever-increasing interest in
high memory. This means adding which will be springing up around the structured languages you 6502 owners
CPIM is going to be much easier and country). Radio Shack unloaded all (and others) will be happy to know that
not require a lot of manipulating and those systems, practically at cost, at a an inexpensive version of Forth, called
trying to "make things work" ... tremendous sale held during the Standardj-orth (trn), is available from
sometimes referred to as "Mickey- weekend of the Dallas show. Wish I Seawell Marketing, Inc., PO Box 17006,
Mousing." These people have really could have been there! Seattle WA 98107. It will run on a KIM or
got their act together. They've got a Charles Tandy, the man behind SYM (VIM) micro and sells for $100.
graphics capability that surpasses that Tandy Corporation, passed away on Versions for other micros are coming
of the other popular systems ... they've November 4th, 1978. He certainly took ... and we'll see if we can get this
got a good, comfortable ASCII a giant step with Radio Shack by reviewed in an upcoming issue of
keyboard ... and, they've got an S-100 introducing the TRS-80 to the Creative. .
based system which means lots of low- American public. I heard a story that he
cost boards are available to the buyer. decided on the $599 price for the first New Bedfellows: Chip
Exidy, Inc., 969 W. Maude Ave., Sun- models "to find out if the market was Makers and Game
nyvale, CA 94086. there." If not, he had every intention of
bailing out in a hurry. It's certainly nice Manufacturers
Technology Assessment of that that market was there! Mattei's project to produce a home
Personal Computers Microsoft Happenings video computer using the new General
In October of 1977 I was invited to sit The folks who developed the stan- Instrument chip set has run into the
on the advisory board for a research dard BASIC in our industry have usual unexpected snags. The GI chips
team at the University of California. decided to pull up stakes from Albu- are tascinatinq - one is the CPU, a
The research is an assessment of the querque, NM and resettle in Seattle (up second contains a video map of the
impact personal computing systems in God's country, right?). They should color picture, and the third controls all
will have on our lives in the years to be making the move sometime at the of the 1/0.
come. The final report will be a book beginning of 1979. Milton Bradley and· Texas In-
which should be of value to both struments are working on a game
We just received a copy of
hardware and software developers in computer that may be introduced by
Microsoft's Cobol-80 for review in
our industry, educators, government M-B in mid-1979.
personnel, retailers and others. One of Creative. This should be a blockbuster
review because we've also got CIS
the objectives is to try and make sure
the material will not become dated a Cobol from Micro Focus, Ltd., London
England ... and, permission from both
short time after release.
Over 500 6-page questionnaires companies to review the packages side
by side!
were handed out at the 3rd West Coast
If there's anyone factor that is going
Computer Faire. These questionnaires
will provide some of the most important to make the 16-bit microprocessors get
off the ground and really fly it's
information in the study. The response
(i.e., the questionnaire response) was probably going to be Microsoft's
extremely good. BASIC. They've just about finished the
Intel 8086 version and have started on
As you can see from the photos the
the Zilog Z-8000 version. The BASICs
Advisory Board and USC Research
will be upward compatible with the Creative Computing
Team are made up of some pretty top-
flight talent. Two members I didn't get a 8080 and Z-80 versions in current use. Expands (Again)
photo of were John Ratliff, former Zip Code Woes While other companies keep telling
General Manager of Tandy Computers Did you hear about the recent everyone how they are planning to
and Terri Gray, Undergraduate Re- proposal which came from the U. S. expand and grow, at Creative we just
search Assistant in market analysis. Postal "Service"? They're talking about keep a low profile while we grow like a
Please extend a helping hand if these adding an additional 5 digits to the zip weed in a compost heap. In any event,
folks call on you for assistance in this code to enable the mailroom to deter- we have purchased a second building
research, okay? mine the exact address a letter goes to. in downtown Morristown a couple of
In the event this should be put into blocks off the central "green" (or town
Radio Shack Update effect someday the staff of Creative square). It's across the street from the
From what I've heard (since I didn't Computing extends its heartfelt sym- "Y" and backs up to Morristown High
make it there) the International pathy, in advance, to the thousands of School. It's 12 rooms nearly double our
Microcomputer Exposition in Dallas, programmers all over the country who office space and give us some
Texas (Sept 29-0ct 1, 1978) was will have to modify practically breathing room (for the moment, at
somewhat of a flop. However, those everything! I'd be willing to bet that not least) for the sixteen (yes, 16!) com-
attendees who were able to make it more than 2% of the software puters in our Software Development
over to Radio Shack corporate head- developed in this country makes Center.
quarters for a sale they were having allowances for easily changing the zip Visitors are welcome at either of our
made out like bandits! You may recall code! Morristown locations: 51 Dumont
seeing a catalog from Tandy Com- Place is one-half block east of the
puters last year which contained green and the new building is at 93
~.ystems and peripherals from prac- Washington Street.
tically every company in this industry. We have lots of other expansion
Somewhere along the line a decision plans in the offing, however, we'll let
was made not to carryall those other you know about them after they are A.
computers (and drop the name Tandy reality.

56 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 MEET TH~ SORCERER™COMPUTER
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FROM CREATIVE SOFTWARE'S EXTENSIVE MENU!
DUAL JOYSTICK INTERFACE: This Creative Software interface
allows you to plug in two Atari™ joysticks (not included) with no
modifications to the P.E.T. Comes with two games and complete pro-
gramming instructions : $45 ..0.0
JOYSTICKS:for above interface, price each $12.5.0
BREAKOUT: NEW ~ Written in machine language tor increased'
speed and enjoyment. Uses either kevboard input or any CREATIVE
SOFTWARE joystick (single or dual). You get ten balls to knock out
three double layers of bricks. Positively addicting $1.0 ..0.0 This program permits composing and printing letters,
flyers, advertisements, manuscripts, etc., using the
LIFE: (By S. Bartonsmith) Possibly the finest Personal computer
version of LIFE currently available, this program uses machine lan-
COMMODORE PET and a printer.
guage routines to display up to four new generations per second. User- Script directives include line length, left margin, cen-
definable initial configuration, complete 'Screen wraparound, and tering, and skip. Edit commands allow the user to
introducing two original additions-"posts" and "holes." . $2.0 ..0.0 insert lines, delete lines, move lines and paragraphs,
TRAP and CRAPS (Joystick or keyboard input) $1.0 ..0.0 change strings, save onto cassette, load from cassette,
HURKLE and ONE-QUEEN (Joystick or keyboard input) .. $1.0 ..0.0 move up, move down, print and type.
HOUSEHOLD FINANCE Parts I and II .. . $15 ..0.0 The CmC Word Processor Program addresses an RS-
232 printer through a CmC printer adapter.
ORDERS: Send check, money order, or VISA/Mastercharge (include
The CmC Word Processor program is available for
expiration date) and add the following shipping charges: 1-2 programs
$29.50. Add $1.00 for postage and handling per order.
(or dual joystick interface)-1.50. 3·4 prograrns-2.00. 5 or more pro-
grams-2.50. Extra joysticks, each-1.50. California residents add 6%
Order direct or contact your local computer store.
sales tax.

INFORMATION: More information on these and many other current-

ly available
Creative Software
programs are available
for a complete list.
on a free flyer. Write directly to
r V/S4' I
Creative Soltwa re
•
CONNECTICUT microCOMPUTER
150 POCONO ROAD
BROOKFIELD, CONNECTICUT 06804
P.O. BOX 4030, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 94040 (203) 775-9659
CIRCLE 121 ON READER SERVICE CARD
JAN 1~79 57 CIRCLE 169 ON READER SERVICE CARD
 Did you miss
any issues of
cP6atlY6 Q
computlod.
Well, don't fret. For a limited time (as Vol. 3, No, 4 - Jul/Aug 1977 Vol. 4, No.3 - May/Jun 1978
long as the supply lasts), you can order Guide to selecting a microcomputer. Art and animation section: 8 articles,
all six 1977 issues for only $8.00 plus Write your own CAI, Part 2. Computers color graphics, SAM76, binary search,
$1.00 shipping - $9.00 total! Any three in medicine and health care. Dwyer: "8- a real budget in Basic, business com-
issues are $5.00 postpaid! And any Hour Course in Basic- Part 1," "Thinking puting: 4 payroll systems, Oregon
single issue is only $2.00 postpaid. Sfrategies- Part 3." Sherlock Holmes and Trail, Black Box, reviews of
All six 1978 issues are available for just Charles Babbage. Four new games. VideoBrdin, MSI floppy, OSI
$12.00 or $2.50 each postpaid. Challenger, Ai speech synthesizer.
Vol. 3, No.5 - Sept/Oct 1977
Vol. 4, No.4 - Jul/Aug 1978
Vol. 2, No. 5-S'ep/Oct 1976 Radio Shack computer profile, visit to
Computer programming contests, Polymorphic, music synthesis for an Reviews of Commodore PET, Apple II,
Russian computing, Do-it-yourself 8080. Three views to computer conferen- Atari computer, Video games, inter-
computer poetry (3 articles), two cing. In-depth comparison of five BASIC facing to the real world: 5 articles,
games: Watchman and Delmar, four interpreters. Fiction, computer and business computing: 4 word process-
feature reviews of "Computer Power calculator games. ing systems, ROM section: 7 articles,
and Human Reason," Computers in backgammon game, bar code,
elections, two great stories. Vol. 3, No.6 - Noy/Dec 1977
Programming techniques- Part 1. CAI. Vol. 4, No. 5-Sep/Oct 1978
Topics in logic. Three 8080 8K BASIC Equipment profiles: TRS-80, Exidy
Vol. 3, No.1 - Jan/Feb 1977 evaluations. Smart electronic game Sorcerer, Bally Arcade, PolyMorphic
Profiles of the IMSA18080, SWTPC 6800, reviews. How computers can write final 8813, Merlin Video Display preview of
TTY 43. Ail about EFTS. Computational exams. Mastermind II and Otherllo nine new personal computers. Ac-
unsolvability. Four new games. computer games. Profile of the Alpha 1 counts receivable systems, All about
and Alpha 2 for the TDl Xitan. . PASCAL, real world games, a real time
Gruenberger: "learning by Doing."
Catastrophic theory. A microcomputer clock to build, PET cassettes, special
education features, new software: Star
software course.
Vol. 4, No.1 - Jan/Feb 1978 Wars, Hex, .
File structures, 16-bit computers,
lOGO language, Murphy's laws, Vol. 4, No. 6-Nov/Dec 1978
review qf Radio Shack TRS-80 and Subject index and file index in BASIC,
Heath H8, World model, biorythms, consumer computers buying guide,
how to write a Simulation, Hart sort electroriic game reviews, critical path
algorithm, 3 games, 8-Hour Basic analysis, mailing label programs, robot
Course -' Part 4. programming, experiment in teaching
strategic thinking, evaluations of
Northstar Horizon, CP/M operating
Vol. 4, No.2 - Mar/Apr 1978 system and backgammon computers,
Parody of Datamation, Business Com- columns on Apple II PET and TRS-80,
puting: 5 inventory .control .systems, plus game section including "Corral",
ABCs of microcomputers, structured "Joust" and "Puzzle".
software for micros, four computer
music systems, reviews of 2 Basic For faster service, use your Visa or
interpreters and micro-APl, CAI-Part Master Charge and call our toll-free
4, puzzles and games, order line:

800-631-8112
(In NJ, c811201-540-0445)

r-------------------~---------------,
I Please send me:
----i"
$2/each, 3 for $5, 6 for $9 Total amount VIS." 10 VISA 0 MASTER
o Sep/Oct 1976 o Cash, check, I·:·,;s,,,,{, • CHARGE
o Jan/Feb 1977 or M.O. enclosed Card No. -
o Mar/Apr 1977
Expiration date ,._--
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o JuliAug 1977 Name _
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Address _
$2.50/each, 6 for $12
o Jan/Feb 1978
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Return form to: CREATIVE COMPUTING,
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o Volume 2 bound, $10
MYTH
HOMECOMPLfTiR HOUS~f(6f:~R
HOMt;;GOMPLJ-rt:R5fR~~ You FROMWe. fNDLf5S [7RlJDbfRY
OP HOLl5~HOWCHOR~S... BY mINGIHf"M xu, FOR.. YoU.
HOM~ WMPU1F"R'S CAN SCRLlB FLOOR5, VACUUM RU6~, WASH [715H~5, CCDK,
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f3l..rC-1l<OLVlr AND IAK~ IN A SOAP OPERA WIIH 1H~IR e.UIL:i-IN 1V RfCEIV~R5.
j
 How About A "Counterfeit Cursor"
For Your PET~

=================
Ralph Wells =============
If you've tried to write interactive programs for your What You See ... Is What You Get
PET, you've probably been plagued with.the Commodore The program was never intended to run as anything but
curse of secrecy. Things that are relatively easy to a showcase for subroutines. The object was to
program when you have a well-documented monitor demonstrate a practical visual method of getting x/y
system such as APPLE II, KIM or VIM become nightmares coordinates (memory address) and character identifica-
on your PET. My personal aggravation with Commodore's tion. What the programmer does with this information is
policy of no-system-documentation increases every time I his business, so the elements of this program are intended
find some addditional clues as to the software power that's to be broken up into subroutines for the larger endeavor.
hidden under their shroud of secrecy. The latest case-in- When you RUN this program, you'll get a cursor in the
point is cursor control-or the lack of it. upper (home) position. It can be moved with the up/down,
An Accursed Cursor left/right and home controls, as is the real cursor. Lilies 90
After a lot of detective work, I developed an algorithm and 95 print out the character value (CH), line number
(LN) and character position (CP) of the cursor. Note that
which says that the cursor's position address (decimal) is
this IS not the same as the algorithms mentioned earlier,
at (PEEK (225)x 256) + PEEK (224) + PEEK (226). The line
(0 - 24) number (on the screen) is ((PEEK (225) x 256) +
PEEK (224) - 32568) -;-40, and the position on the line (Oto 10 REM ARTIFicIAL CURSOR
20 HM=32768:Cl=HM:C2=HM
39) is PEEK (226). The problem lies in the factthatthe only 25 REM HOME IS THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THE TV SCREEN.
time the PET's cursor is visible is during an INPUT 27 REM Cl AND C2 ARE THE "CURRENT" AND "NEXT" CHARACTER POSITIONS.
command or in the DI RECT mode. In either case, you have 30 CH=PEEK(Cl):BC=CH
to hit RETURN to get back into your program. This 35 REM CH IS THE CHARACTER" UNDER THE "CURSOR".
automatically moves the cursorto the start of the next line. 37 REM BC IS THE BLINKING CHARACTER.
40 LN=INT((Cl-HM)!40)
The Interactive Cursor 45 REM LINE NUMBER DOWN FROM TOP(O). 40 SPACES TO CLEAR TOP LINE.
One of the fundamentals of interactive programming 50 CP=(Cl-HMI-(LNt40)
90 PRINT""
with a CRT is using the cursor to identify data points on the 95 PRINT "CH=";CH;"LN=";LN;"CP=";CP
screen. Some of the "drawing" programs use this feature to 97 REM PRINTS CHARACTER AND POSITION OF "CURSOR"
position graphics, but this is an output function. True 100 REM GET CURSOR CHANGE
interactive cursor control requires that it be used as an 110 GET C$:REM SCANS KEYBOARD.
120 IF LEN(C$)=O THEN C=O:GOTO 200
input also. When you can position the cursor anywhere on 123 REM IF NO KEY PRESSED -- GO BLINK.
a "game board" screen display and have it detect the 125 C=ASC(C$):REM CHECK FOR "CURSOR CONTROL" KEY INPUT.
character it is "pointing to," then you have a whole new 130 IF C=29 THEN C2=Cl+l:REM RIGHT>
input function for game playing. Describing the next move 135 IF C=157 THEN C2=Cl-l:REM LEFT (
in checkers or tic-tac-toe using cartesian coordinates and 140 IF C=17 THEN C2=Cl+40:REM DOWN \/
145 IF C=145 THEN C2=CI-40:REM UP •
a keyboard is no problem for a computer hobbyist, but 150 IF C=54 THEN C2=Cl+l:REM RIGHT "6"
what about the kids? Isn't it more practical just to "point" 154 IF C=56 THEN C2=CI-40:REM UP "8"
to things with a cursor? In business and control 155 IF C=52 THEN C2=Cl-l:REM LEFT "4"
applications, the screen can be filled with choices and the 160 IF C=50 THEN ~2=Cl+40:REM DOUN "2"
162 IF C=55 THEN C2=CI-41:REM UP+( "7"
user can point to his choice on the menu using the cursor. 164 IF C=57 THEN C2=CI-39:REM UP+> "9"
In my case, I had a matrix of numbers to verify. If an error 170 IF C=49 THEN C2=Cl+39:REM \/+("1"
was found, it had to be corrected, not only on the screen 175 IF C=51 THEN C2=Cl+41 :REM \/+)"3"
but also in the running program. A similar requirement had 180 IF C=19 THEN C2=HM:REM GO HOME
190 If C=13 GOTO 500:REM "RETURN" KEY' -- GO CHANGE CHARACTER
been met with interactive cursor control on our two-year- 200 REM BLINK CURSOR
old SPHERE, and my TRS-80 has a 'point' function, so why 210 If BC>127 THEN BC=BC-128:GOTO 299
not do it on the up-to-date PET? Curses! Foiled again. 215 REM If CURSOR IS INVERTED, NORMALIZE
220 BC=BC+128:REM If NORMAL, INVERT IT
Try a Counterfeit 230 T2=TI+l :REM SET UP BLINK RATE
I'm certain that there must be a way to do it better with 240 If TI(T2 GOTO 240:REM WAIT FOR BLINK
PET's own cursor, but after several hours of trying to 299 POKE Cl,BC:REM PUT OUT CHANGED CURSOR CHARACTER ON TV SCREEN
decode Commodore's secrets, I gave up and wrote a 300 REM fiND NEU POSITION
310 If C2=Cl GOTO 100:REM If NO CHANGE, CHECK KEYBOARD
program to counterfeit the cursor. It worked (for my
320 POKE Cl ,CH:REM RESTORE ORIGINAL CHARACTER IN "OLD" POSITION
application) as subroutines in a larger program. I expect to 340 Cl=C2
use the same routines again (probably in Backgammon), 350 CH=PEEK(C2):REM GET NEXT CHARACTER FOR NEU CURSOR DISPLAY
so I broke them out into the demonstration program listed 360 BC=CH:REM SET NEXT "BLINK CHARACTER"
399 GOTO 40
herewith. It blinks like a cursor, it moves like a cursor, but
SOO REM REPLACE A CHARACTER
it's a phony. The original cursor is completely indepen- S10 GET CR$
dent and invisible. 520 IF CRt="" GOTO 510
530 CR=ASC(CRf)
535 IF CR(96 AND CR)6J THEN CR=CR-64
540 POKE Cl,CR
Ralph Wells is Engineering Vice-President of Inmarco, Inc., 7655 Sunset 550 GO TO 30
Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90046 READY.

60 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 which work for the real cursor. Lines 230 and 240 provide a
variable blink rate. Increasing the number added to TI in
line 230 will slow the blink down. Eliminating both lines
gives the fastest blink and highest response speed.
Alternatives In Movement
TARBELL
Lines 130 and 145 provide the "normal" cursor controls.
If the number keys are not going to be used for special
CASSETTE BASIC
programming, then they can be used to augment or
replace these 'blue' control keys. Lines 150 to 175 use the
number pad to provide cursor control in 8 directions
only S36.OO
without use of the shift key. This diagonal movement Includes most features of ALTAI R* Extended
capability (using 1, 3, 7 and 9) speeds up the cursor BASIC.
movement. Note that if the "replacement" technique is
PLUS these added features:
used (500 to 600), the numbers revert back to their normal
functions. • Assignment of I/O
Send In a Replacement • Alphanumeric line labels
. Once the cursor has located the desired location, it can • Unlimited length of strings
alter it or jump back into some other program by using the • Unlimited length of variable names
RETURN key. Line 190 jumps to the "replacement" routine • Number system 10 digits BCD integer or floating point
when #13 (RETURN) is detected, so that the blinking • Procedures with independent variables
position is changed to the next character entered. Si nce
C1 contains the address of the "cursor," other program- Tarbell BASIC occupies 18K of RAM. Source
ming is possible at the same time. LN contains the screen available on cassette, CP/M**disk and printout,
line number and CP has the character position on that line reasonably priced. Comes with manual.
(vertical row position). C2 contains the "old" character "ALTAIR is a Trademark/Tradename of MITS, Inc.
and C1 the "new" one, so the input is completely defined.
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To "GET" a character from the keyboard, you can test
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#230,240) will speed up the clock (TI) slightly. A character
can be "reversed" (black/white) by adding and/orsubtrac-

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JAN 1979 61
 How Good Is Microsoft's Fortran-SO? (
Dr. Douglas Hogg

Did Microsoft meet, ex-

ceed, or fall short of the
quality they established
with their Basic?
Dr. Douglas Hogg, 36 Calle Capistrano, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.

The most common high level hobby On a practical basis, BASIC is easier this quirk, the computer gave me two
computer language is, of course, to implement and versions are guesses each turn but it changed the
BASIC but outside schools and hob- available which will run in one or two number to be guessed each time also.
byist environments it is little used. The thousand words of memory. In BK a This is not the kind of bug a
main languages are FORTRAN, for pretty reasonable version can be programmer needs in a complex
scientific use and COBOL for business written. Microsoft's FORTRAN re- program. Do you want the business
use. Now that a version of nearly quires 24K plus storage for the software you buy to have this kind of
standard FORTRAN is available for the operating system so 32K is the problem?
BOBO/ZBO hobbyists can take advan- minimum usable system. The second nonconsistancy is il-
tage of its features. The first part of this One very important feature offered lustrated by the sequence below.
article is a review of the general by FORTRAN but not as yet by BASIC 100 A=10
features of FORTRAN. Since most is standardization. This version of 105 C=O
readers are already familiar with FORTRAN has all the features of ANSI 110 FOR X=20 TO A
BASIC, the discussion includes com- Standard X3.9-1966 except for com- 115 C=X
parisons with the features and syntax plex variables. Complex in this sense 120 NEXT X
of BASIC. The next two sections does not mean complicated, rather it In this example we have set the end
describe the use of this specific version refers to numbers which have a real index of the FOR loop less than the
of FORTRAN and the timing com- and an imaginary part. If this concept is starting index without specifying a
parisons. not familiar to you, you will not miss negative step. In some BASICs, the
The Basics of Fortran them. This standardization means that loop would execute once giving C=20,
The largest difference between FOR- programs written on one machine can and in others, zero times giving C=O.
TRAN and BASIC is that the former is a be moved, unchanged, to another type Again a very detailed understanding of
compiler while the latter is an inter- of machine and be expected to work BASIC and the program is required to
preter. What this means is that the properly. This was the original motiva- track down such problems.
FORTRAN software looks at a state- tion for the development of FORTRAN In principle, FORTRAN does not
ment and translates it into machine and COBOL in the mid 1950's. Anyone have these kinds of problems. I can go
code which can then be executed who has spent much time translating to the University library and get a book
repeatedly with no further action by the programs from one version of BASIC of FORTRAN programs and expect
compiler. In practice, this translation is into another will appreciate this them to run without modification. It
done in two steps. First the compiler feature. should be noted that a number of
generates intermediate code and then Standardization is much more than a manufacturers have added frills to their
\ the linker is used to collect this code convenience as the differences are FORTRANS which, if used, destroy the
and the necessary library routines often much more than changing PEEK portabi Iity.
(more on this later) into a final to EXAM, to :, and restructuring all Fortran Instructions
program. During the execution of the the string functions. For instance, there Since most readers are already
program, the compiler and linker need are two extremely subtle points that familiar with BASIC, we'll discuss
not be present in the system. can cause a BASIC program to com- instructions in FORTRAN along with
BASIC programs are treated pletely malfunction even though the the nearest equivalent BASIC state-
differently. The interpreter examines syntax is totally correct. The first is the ment.
each line of the program as it is about to method of handling the following type INPUT AND OUTPUT. The various
be executed and generates machine of statement: forms of the I/O statements are shown
code. This code is not permanently 65 IF J=O THEN LET A=1: GOTO 200 below.
stored. Thus, if a statement is executed If J=O, all BASICs seem to set A=1 and FORTRAN BASIG
one thousand times, it must be GOTO 200. However, in North Star READ (5,100) A,B,G INPUT A,B,G
translated one thousand times. This is BASIC at least, if J;tOthe program goes 100 FORMAT (3F15.5)
the reason for much of the speed immediately to the next line, notto 200. WRITE (5,100) A,B,G PRINT A,B,G
difference between BASIC and FOR- The effect on the program is con- WRITE(5,110) PRINT "HI THERE"
TRAN. It also fOllOWS that the more siderable. This line is from BULCOW in 110 FORMAT ('HI THERE')
features BASIC has, the slower it has to 101 BASIC COMPUTER GAMES by READ (5,120) B INPUT G$
be for some of them as there is a larger David Ahl. BULCOW is a marvelous 120 FORMAT (A4)
command table to be searched. number guessing game, but because of

62 CREATIVE COMPUTING
First, there are the differences between following steps: set 1=1, execute the about this difference later on.
INPUT and READ, and PRINT and statements down to and including Numeric Representation
WRITE. FORTRAN also requires a statement number 8000, return to the FORTRAN has two types of numeric
FORMAT statement to tell what form DO statement, set 1=3 (that is 1+2) and representation-integer and floating
the input or output will be in. In the 1/0 repeat. When 1=11 (9+2), do not ex- point. Integers are whole numbers and
statement, the device the data is to be ecute the intermediate statements but are represented by variables starting
sent to or received from, is indicated by instead go to the next statement after with the letters I-N (from INteger). The
the first number inside the parenthesis the statement numbered 8000. Note internal representation of integers and
while the FORMAT statement number that while statement 8000 is a continue floating point numbers is done
is given second. The unit number given statement, it may be any executable differently. Integers are stored as 16 bit
in the example, 5, is not the port statement except one which transfers numbers (2 bytes) and thus are limited
number. It is the logical unit number control elsewhere. The use of the in range from 32768 to -32767. Integers
assigned by the operating system to a CONTINUE is convenient since it is are used for indexes in matrices, DO
particular device. These logical easier to insert additional statements loop counters and other situations.
assignments may be changed in the into the loop with this construction. where fractions are not needed. Integer
operating system so that logical unit IF STATEMENTS-FORTRAN has multiplication is the same as floating
number 5 can be assigned tothe printer, two types of IF, the logical IF and the point but in integer division the result is
for example, rather than the CRT arithmetic IF. The arithmetic IF has the truncated. For instance 4/5=0. This
terminal. following form: form' is equivalent to the BASIC IN-
As we mentioned before, the FOR- IF (A) 21,22,23 T(4/5). Integer arithmetic is faster. For
MAT statement specifies the- form for where A is some arithmetic statement example, K=K+1 can be equivalent to
the input and output. FORMAT (e.g., img/2, CD-3, etc.). If A is less than an increment register machine instruc-
statements specify the number of zero, control is transferred to state- tion but A=A+1 (A = floating point)
columns, significant figures, spaces ment number 21. If A equals zero, req u ires several instructions to operate
and line feeds as well as the type of control is transferred to statement on four bytes of storage.
variable. The F form means floating number 22 and if A is greater than zero Floating point numbers are used for
point (e.g., 123.456). F15.5 means allow to statement number 23. most numerical calculations and have
15 spaces for the number with five The second form of the IF statement a range of 10**38 to 10**-38 with seven
spaces to the right of the decimal. The is shown below. significant figures. Double precision is
E format means exponential (scien- IF (A.GT.100) GOTO 400 also available, providing the same
tific) form (e.g., 123456E01). E15.5 An alternate form is: range of exponents but 16 significant
means allow 15 spaces for the number IF (A.GT.100) B=10 figures instead of seven. Single preci-
and exponent, using five significant In the fi rst case, if A is greater than 100 sion numbers require 4 bytes of
figures. An I format is available which (.GT. means greater than but more storage, three for the mantissa and one
means integer and is of the form 18. If about that later) the GOTO statement for the exponent. Double precision
more than one number is to be output is executed. If not, the next line is requires eight bytes, seven for the
per line, a multiplier count can be put in executed. The second form is similar. mantissa and one for the exponent.
front of the format specifier (5F15.5 IF A is greater than 100, B is set equal to Floating point variables start with the
means repeat the F15.5 form five 10 and the program proceeds to the letters A-H and O-Z.
times). next line. If A is not greater than 100, All variable names in FORTRAN may
For alphabetic output for labels and the program proceeds directly to the be up to six letters long compared with
such there are two forms, the H format next line. Again, an unfortunate the one letter and one number allowed
and the" format. The H format is short difference with BASIC is that it does in most BASICs.
for Hollerith and is of the form 10H HI not use the parenthesis around the Both languages have arrays and
THERE? The number in front of the H argument of the IF statement. Dimension statements which are
indicates the number of characters GOTO-GOTO statements are iden- handled in the same way although
following the H. This type of format tical in both .languages although at BASIC uses the abbreviation DIM while
requires care as the wrong count can least one BASIC requires GOTO to be FORTRAN spells it out fully.
produce strange looking output. The written as one word while FORTRAN
more common format is 'HI THERE'. In ignores spaces in all but a few in- Arithmetic Functions and Expressrons
this form all the text between the single stances. BASIC has a conditional FORTRAN 80 has a complete set of
quotes is printed. It is too bad that GOTO, the ON ...GOTO statement arithmetic, trigonometric and logical
BASIC chose to use double quotes as which is the same as the FORTRAN functions. The five standard arithmetic
this provides one more source of statement shown below. operators and the symbols used are:
trouble for people who use both addition (+), subtraction (-), mul-
FORTRAN GOTO (10,20,30),J
languages. There are more types of tiplication (*), division (I) and ex-
BASIC ON J GOTO 10,20,30
FORMAT statements but there is not ponentiation (**). Note that BASIC
In each case, if J=1 control is
uses ",t." for exponentiation while
room to cover them here. transferred to statement 10, if J=2 to
FORTRAN uses "**". The basic func-
statement 20 and if J=3 to 30.
DO LOOPS-Do loops provide a tions available in both single and
means of repeatedly executing a CONTINUE-CONTINUE is the double precision are: EXP, ALOG,
specific sequence of instructions. The FORTRAN equivalent of a NOP. It ALOG10, SIN, COS, TANH, SORT and
form of the DO LOOP and the BASIC performs no action and is mainly used ATAN. These are used in the same
equivalent, the FORINEXT loop are as a DO loop terminator. fashion as in BASIC except that the
shown below. END and STOP cause the program to names are slightly different (which
. DO 80001=1,10,2 stop execution and return to the does not protect the innocent).
:
~ monitor. END must be the last state- A useful tool is the set of relational
8000 CONTINUE ment of a program. operators. The available FORTRAN
CALL-The CALL statement follow- relational operators and the BASIC
100 FOR 1=1 TO 10 STEP 2 ed by a subroutine name is the equivalents in parenthesis are: less
! equivalent of the BASIC GOSUB. than .LT. «), less than or equal to .LE.
200 NEXT I Subroutines in FORTRAN and BASIC «=), equal to .EO. (=), notequal to .NE.
The DO LOOP execution consists of the are different philosophically. More «», greater than .GT. (», greater

JAN 1979 63
than or equal to .GE. (>=). The result of TRAN source file. Next, F80, the
an expression is either TRUE or CALL SUBR(A,B) FORTRAN compiler is called. This
FALSE. The reason for the leading and compilation produces a file called
trailing periods is so that the compiler NAME.REL where again the name
can tell the relational operators from choice is yours and the extension .REL
END
the variables. BASIC does not needthis means relocatable. L80, the linker is
SUBROUTINE SUBR(C,D)
type of discrimination since it uses C=2.71828**D then called. It takes the .REL file and
math symbols instead of letters. RETURN links it with the appropriate library
Another feature is the set of logical END modules from FORL!B.RELto produce
operations. Those available in FOR- If we have an operation which is the final machine code. More details of
TRAN 80 are .NOT.,.AND., .OR., and repeated and we do not wish to type it a each step are given below.
.XOR. (Exclusive OR). These operators number of times, we can define it as a FBO- This is the compiler and its
do logical functions on a bit basis function or call it as a subroutine. The operation consists of specifying the
between arguments. As an example, last example illustrated a subroutine source and destination file names.The
given the operation 1=J.AND.K where call. To define a function we put in a command format is of the form
the binary representations of J and K statement to do so. PROG1.PROG2=PROG. The exten-
are 01010101and 11110000respective- FADD(A,B,C,D)=A+B+C+D sions are not given as F80automatical-
ly produces a result 1=01010000binary. Then when we wish to add four ly looks for a file with the extension
That is, the bit in I is 1 if the correspon- numbers we only have to use the .FOR and produces files with the
ding bit in J and in K are both 1. The function FADD, as in R=FADD(X, extensions .REL and .LST. In the
notation in BASIC is the same except Y,Z,ZZ). This is the same operation as example above the source file is the
for the leading and trailing periods. using any of the familiar library func- name to the right of the equals sign.
Mathematical calculations are tions such as SIN and LOG. The compiled output is put in tothefile
written in the same format except that This is an appropriate place to PROG1.REL and a listing of the
the actual results may be a function of mention the Fortran library. This is a program, the generated code and the
the type of variable used. If we say collection of subroutines which we error messages is put into a file called
1=4.5,where I is an integer variable the want to call from our FORTRAN PROG2.LST. The names in the exam-
value actually stored in I is 4, since to programs. We have already given the ple are different just for ease of
convert to an integer the decimal part is examples of SIN and LOG but there are reference. In practice, all files relating
truncated. many others such as the routines that to the source program are given the
Subroutines handle the input and output, absolute same name.
Subroutines are handled differently value, sign, etc. These routines are The .REL file has been explained but
in BASIC and FORTRAN. In BASIC, selected out of the library by the linker what does the .LST file do? It is
the subroutine is part of the main when the final program is being generated as a convenience for the
program, has line numbers which assembled. An extremely useful programmer so that he can go back
follow in sequence from the main feature is that you can add your own and look for any errors which have
program and it has the same set of routines to the library. For instance, if shown up. In practice, this file does
values for the variables. In FORTRAN, you have a graphics unit or plotter, the little more than clutter up the disk.
subroutines are independent entities driver routines can be placed in the Another form of the command is
which can have any set of line numbers library for use when needed. This available which lists what would have
(line numbers are not required on each addition of files to the library in gone into the .LST file on the terminal.
statement in FORTRAN) and" any FORTRAN 80 is done with a program This form is: PROG,TTY:=PROG. Us-
names for the variables. The call to a called appropriately enough LIB 80. ing this form, no .LST fileis generated.
subroutine is of the form: The routines added to the library can If you firmly believe there are no errors
CALL TESTP(A,B,C,D) be either FORTRAN subroutines or in your program all you really have to
where TESTP is the name of the MACRO routines which have been say is: =PROG. This will produce a file
subroutine and the variables A, B, C assembled using M80, the macro PROG.RELand return to the monitor. If
and D are to be passedto and from the assembler included with the FOR- you only want to check for errors use
subroutine. The form of the subroutine TRAN 80 package. Microsoft has the command form: ,=PROG. This
is shown below. already added some nonstandard provides a list of errors but does not
SUBROUTINE TESTP (P,Q,R,S) routines to the library such as: POKE generate either a .REL or a .LST file.
(load a memory location), PEEK (ex- the compiler has an option,
amine a memory location), INP (input specified by a /M at the end of the
from an 8080 input port) and OUT command line which tells the compiler
RETURN (output to an 8080 output port). that the generated code is to be put into
END a form suitable for ROM. For produc-
The above discussion of the features
The variables A, B, C and D in the tion of code for dedicated controllers
of FORTRAN 80 is in no way intended this is a very powerful option as it
main program are called P, Q, Rand S to be more than an overview. Many fine
respectively in the subroutine. This allows development of applications
books are available to teach FOR- software in a high level language.
does not effect the values of any TRAN.
variables with the names P, Q, R or S in There is still the overhead of the run
Operation of Fortran 80
the main program. The RETURN time package to consider, but with
The actual mechanics of getting a memory being cheap this does not
statement transfers control back to the program up and running in FORTRAN
main program and the last values of P, matter much anymore.
are considerably more involved than in LBO-After all syntax errors are out of
Q, Rand S are placed in storage areas BASIC. In the following discussion, the
for A,B,C and D. the program and a .REL file exists, the'
operating system is assumed to be linker is called. The linker processes
Functions are a type of subroutine CP/M from Digital Research. First the
with a slightly different form. The the .REL file, assigns absolute ad-
program is entered and corrected dresses and locates necessary sub-
statement A=EXP(B) means: set A using the system editor, ED. This
equal to the value e**B. This can also routines and error messages. To find
produces a program called NAME.FOR
be expressed as shown below. the subroutines, the linker looks for
where the name is, of course, up to you
MAIN PROGRAM names typed in with the program and
and the extension .FOR means FOR- then it searches the FORTRAN library,
64 CREATIVE COMPUTING
FORLlB.REL,for the remainder of the language for the rest of the program. Flexowriter on the CDC 160, but it
references: If all necessary subroutines Microsoft also provides the names of makes me wonder whether I have just
are not located, the system asks the the math routines in the FORTRAN been spoiled or whether BASIC has
operator for them. . library so you can call floating point inspired sloppy habits in my program-
The L80 command structure is: routines from the assembly language ming. I should point out that this
PROG, SUBR/G whe.re PROG is the routines. In addition,· any utility turnaround time is not a function of the
PROG.REL file produced by F80 and programs written in assembly quality of the Microsoft software. It is,
SUBR.REL is any subroutine you need language can be included in the rather, a result of the fact that there are
that is not in the library. The /G tells the FORTRAN library using LlB80, the a lot of operations being done and that
linker that you wish to execute the system library generator. floppy disks are not terribly fast.
program as soon as it is ready. If you User Impressions Speed
wish to save the generated program, How useful is it to have FORTRAN? Perhaps the most overrated
type NAME/EIN or NAME/G/N. The Tremendously. There is so much parameter of the hobby computer is
generated file will be stored under software written in FORTRAN that this speed. There are very few applications
NAME.COM and the linker will direct compiler opens many avenues, Time where the majority of the computer
control to either the system (with/E) or critical programs are very well suited time is not spent in a loop waiting for
to the program (with ?g). for FORTRAN but the main advantage operator input. However, the speed
While saving a short program, it will for the small user is the ability to link up advantage of FORTRAN does make
probably seem like a lot of blocks are with existing subroutines, especially possible some of the programs that are
needed. In fact, for a minimum machine language ones. For instance, not practical in BASIC. For instance,
program you will need at least 32 driving a vector graphics unit or A/D one BASIC chess game which does not
blocks (8K). Why so much? This space converter is best done in assembly even allow the player the choice of
is occupied by the runtime package language but the data setup and color, takes from five to fifteen minutes
which contains the system subroutines processing are a lot more convenient in per move. A FORTRAN version, which
and other material such as error FORTRAN. plays at a higher level, takes only
messages and error checking routines. From a user point of view, the biggest fifteen to thirty seconds per move.
MBO-Included with this package is annoyance is with the turn around time These are the type of programs which
an assembler called M80.The advan- for correcting errors. In BASIC, a bad are appropriate only for FORTRAN or
tage of this assembler is that it allows statement can be fixed immediately another compiled language.
the programmer to write assembly and execution resumed. In FORTRAN, KILOBAUD #10had a comparison of
language subroutines which can be you must go to the editor (the CP/M the speeds of most BASICS. In order to
called from FORTRAN. As a result you editor is not very inconvenient), compare the speed of FORTRAN, the
get the speed and efficiency of change the program, exit, call F80, benchmark programs were rewritten in
assembly language forthe critical parts compile, call L80, link and run or save. the nearest FORTRAN equivalents. To
of the program but you also have the This is, however, heaven compared to keep the same form as BASIC, the DO
ease of programming in a high level the old days of paper tape and the loops were terminated with CON-

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164 W. 83rd Street 0 New York, N.Y. 10024 0 (212) 580-0082
JAN 1979 CIRCLE 179 ON READER SERVICE CARD
 Benchmark #6 adds a DO loop in the
TINUE statements. One areathat could Benchmark #3 adds an arithmetic
middle. For BASIC, this increased the
not be made the same is the DO loop expression to benchmark #2. This still
time required considerably but in
indices. FORTRAN uses only integers executes about ten times taster in
FORTRAN, DO loops are very fast.
for these loops, and BASIC uses integer form and about z.s times faster
floating point. in floating point form.
.. The rewritten benchmarks are
PF.:INT (5. H3)
shown in Figures 1· to i. The actual FORMAT (' START')
programs had another DO loop around PRINT (5 .. 1(1) K=\:)
them to give a suitable multiplication 10 FORMAT (' START') 11 K=f·~+l
factor so I could time them with a
11
f<=13
f·::=f<+ 1
i
.J=K.·...2*2;+4-5
watch. the machine these were run on DO 2~3 I.J = 1.. 5
has an. 8080 operating at 2 MHz and .J:.·f<.····k+¥+K-K CONTINUE
IF (t:::. LT. H300, (;OTO 11
memory with no wait states. Figure 8 CALL DL.A
PAiJ::;E END IF <1<. LT. h3\:'n3. ) GOTO
shows the results of the benchmarks. 11
END PAUSE END
There are two columns for the FOR-
TRAN timings, one for the programs END
SUBROUTINE DL.A
run with integer arithmetic arid one for
RETURN
the same program run with floating 8enchmar'k #2" END
point variables. Also shown is the time
for Microsoft extended disk BASIC
ver.4.0 as a comparison of BASIC by Benchmark #4 adds some constants
the same company with roughly the in the math expression. The constants Fi g, 6. 8 e n (: hm".r· k #·6,
same number of features. take longer in BASIC to convert but in
Benchmark #1 executes about 70 FORTRAN they are converted by the
times faster than BASIC. This shows Berichmark #7 adds an array to the
compiler so little time is added. program. In BASIC, the storage of data
that it takes only a small amount oftime
to do an integer add 1. In fact, th is can in this array takes quite a bit of time,
F'R I NT (5, 1t1)
be done with an increment register roughly 20 seconds, InFORTRAN, this
10 FORMAT (' START')
instruction. storage is done in an almost negligible
f'::=O
11 K=K+1 .
amount of time.
,J=t:::,·...2*2;+4-5
PR I NT (5., 10)
IF 0:. L T, 1\313\3. ) (;OTO 11 113 FORMAT (' START')
F'F.:HH C':;,10) PAU:3E END Dlr·lEN:3T.ON r'1(5)
10 FOF.:MAT (' START') END K=IC1
UO 1130 l'" 1 .. 1 ~~lCn:::1 11 I<:=f<+l
1 Cnj CC.iNTI NUF. .J=K,··';;:~'+'2;+4-~
F'Alf:;E ruo DO 213 I.J'=1,5
Fig, 4. 8enchrn".d,: #4, M( I.J) =,J
EJm
---------------------------------- 20 CONTlt·~UE
Benchmark #5 adds a subroutine CALL DLA
call. The timing Shows that a JMP and IF (K, LT. 1.013n, ::. nOTO 1)
E:enchmar·k #t. !=lET take very little time. A more PAIJ:~;E Hm
accu rate assessment of the overhead END
a
required for subroutine call would be SUB F.:0 I.JTI NF DU't
RETIJRN
indicated by passing some parameters END
to the subroutine.
Benchmark #2 was run with the
variables named K for the integer PRINT (5 .. 113)
version and named AK for the floating Hi FORMAT (' START')
Fi ,~, 7. Ben,::hm<t.r·k #7.
point version.· The floating point ver- K=(1

sion does run faster, but not much 11 K=b:.+1

more so than BASIC. The interesting ,J=~(,
-:12:t::~;+4-5
point is the large difference between CALL DLA
IF (1<:. L T, V~113(1, ::- C:iOTCI 11 The main results of the benchmarks
the integer and floating point versions. are to show that, as expected, FOR-
PAU:::;E am
This shows that it does indeed take TRAN is roughly a factor of ten faster
END
longer to manipulate and add to four :=;UBF::OUTI NE DLA for a complicated program. What is
bytes of memory. RETURN interesting is the type of statements
END which add the most time to the
programs .. BASIC is slowed down
F'F.:HH (5 .•P~1) considerably by FOR...NEXT loops and
10 FORMAT (' START' -------------,----------,----------- array addressing while FORTRAN is
K=13 Fi g, 5. Eiendlfnar'k #5, . not.' However, both are slowed by
11 f·>K+1 ---------------------------------- floating point arithmetic. Floating point
IF (K. LT. 1130C1. ) C;OTO 11. operations take sufficiently large
F'AU:=;E END amounts of number processing that it
E.ND starts to take a significant fraction of
the interpreting time in eASIC. Since
both BASiC and FORTRAN perform
F'i 9. 2. tloatlnq point calculations the same
way, it is not surprising that there is a
smaller speed difference here.

66 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 Timing Comparisons for the individual hobbyist and is more
interested in seliingcommercial
Benchmark Fortran Integer Fortran FP Basic 4.0
licenses. Cromenco, in fact, sells this
1 .033 seconds 1.9 seconds package for $95 with their systems
2 .057 2.9 7.5 under a license from Microsoft. At $100
3 2.0 9.0 20.6 or less, there is a tremendous market
4 2.0 10.6 20.9 numbering in the hundreds of
5 2.0 10.7 22.1
2.1 10.8 36.9
thousands over the next few years. At
6
7 2.2 11.0 58.5 $500 very few will be sold. Indeed DEC
wants $750 for thei r RT-11 FORTRAN
The question that many people will Summary which has considerably more develop-
have is how the times for FORTRAN on After all these' very nice features ment time behind it than FORTRAN 80,
what things are there to dislike? So fa~ and which has a smaller market.
an. 8080 compare with "real" corn-
puters. My laboratory has a DEC 11V03 th~re are .only a few. The first is a very From a user point of view, one
system with 28K words of memory and mm.or point but also very frustrating additional problem is the typically poor
adual floppy disk system. The CPU is until understood. The heading and any manual. The one included is over 100
an LSI-11 16 bit processor with the error messages are printed in both paqes but severely lacking in clarity. A
clock turned up about 50%. This unit is upper and lower case letters. Video particular problem in Microsoft
also equipped with the KEV-11 terminals with upper case only get manuals is that the table of contents
extended arithmetic chip. While this is error messages which consist mostly has no page numbers and the index has
the smallest of the PDP-11 series, the of punctuation marks. These messages numbers after the entries but they do
speed of operation is not that much are not very useful. In software meant not always correspond. The problem
different than most of the smaller 11'so for general use, the programmers seems to stem from the fact that one
Anyway, benchmark #7 in the integer' would do well to avoid being cute. The manual is written, slightly modified and
mode took .7 seconds, roughly a factor upper case is easier to read anyway. then padded with various errata and
of three faster than the 8080. This is The cure for this was to add a routine to addenda. It should be mentioned at this
somewhat surprising after all the my I/O drivers in CP/M to convert lower P?int that DEC and IBM both have very
claims for the superior instruction set, case to upper case. This takes only a nice manuals but they are in general
extended arithmetic chip and 16 bit few bytes and is easy to implement. even less readable than this one.
words. It may be more of a comment on The second criticism is more basic In summary then, this is a verygood
the relative quality of the FORTRAN although it has nothing to do with the package Which is convenient to use
compilers. The speed difference is software. The price for the package is and runs fast. If it were priced at $100
about the same for BASIC on the $~OO. Obviously, at that price, everyone shoutd go out and buy it. •
PDP11 and on the 8080. Microsoft does not intend the package

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 Caution: Structured Programming
Can Be Habit-Forming!

Tom A. Gibson

A look at one of the newest structured languages,

tiny c, and how programming with it is straight-
forward enough even for youngsters!

Kids can learn structured program- added noise, laughter and loud game Gradually he picked up C. Once when I
ming. And they can learn it arid use it ideas of their own design. That drive explained a feature of C, he exclaimed,
well! home was an experience I will never "Ohhh, that's better!" The comparison
This is the story of my delightful forget. was to Basic, his native computer
experience teaching my sons Paul and Paul discovered that the sample runs tongue at the time.
Mark structured programming. Paul is didn't have all the dialog. There was One night I came home from work
eleven years old. His programs are more dialog in the PRINT statements in and was met at the door by Paul, wide-
quite advanced; he is heavily into the program ,listing. He started reading eyed and turned on. "Look, Dad!" What
moving graphics "shoot-'em up" these PRINT statements. Then he was he had done was to translate (on paper)
games. Mark, age nine, is just begin- reading other statements, too. He his entire software repertoire into C.
ning, but 'as we will see, he has started asking questions like "Dad, (At that time this was three programs, a
mastered several fundamentals. Ac- what does FOR do?" With one eye on guessing game and two nim-like
companying this article are two short the road, and one. on the book, I games.) .
articles by Paul and Mark, descrlblnq in explained things as best I could while So iNhat could I do?
their Own words,their latest programs. driVing down Route 33 at 55 miles per I . developed an interpreter for a
I edited their articles only to the extent hour. By the time we got home, Paul subset of C for our 8080 home com-
that their school teachers would have. had read and understood a couple of c.
puter. We call it tiny Paul has become
I have insisted from the start that they programs. quite competent in this language.
document their programs. In par- As Paul learned more of BASIC, I Now, two years later, Mark is 9. Mark
ticular, they must put comments in became concerned over the limitations never' learned BASIC. His first (and
their programs giVing their name, date of the language, chiefly the non- only, so far) program was recently
wheri finally debugged and their age. mnemonic names, As his programs completed. It's in tiny c. He's learned
They also put in comments to help became larger the absence of func- the fundamentals of flow-of control,
understand the Code. It's only fitting tions and local variables were leading variables, variables having names,
they should write their own articles. to bad programming habits. I found I variables having values, variables hav-
Let me begin at the beginning. was teaching various "bad habit" ing their values changed, printing arid
The Trip Home From Trenton techniques to get around these reading. Mark, too, has written an
Two years ago, when he was 9, Paul limitations. I found Paul' accepting article describing his project.
first showed a knack for programming. these lessons, innocently, as true Paul and Mark have had lots of
We were coming home from the wisdom. guidance from me; but they each did
Trenton First Annual Computer At the same time I was bringing a this work themselves. My guidance
Festival, .and he was reading 101 terminal home to do real work. I would amounted to coaching. I think I can
BASIC GAMES. This book has 202 dial upour company computer and do fairly claim that structured program-
pages. If you open it anywhere, the left my programming using the C ming is not just for sophisticated
side is a listing in BASIC of a game. The language. This language is designed professionals. It is for the software
right side has sample runs, penciled in for structured programming. It has all beginner. It is for the hobbyist, because
comments, relevant cartoons or other the good things described in this it leads to program clarity and more
artwork, etc. Paul was reading BOXER article. Paul would lean on my right enjoyable programming.
at the top of his voice. Mark and Daniel shoulder so I could hardly type, munch
a cookie in my ear, and watch. Then What is tiny c?
Tom A. Gibson, Tiny c Associates, PO Box 269, he'd ask, "What's the WHILE for, Dad?" Tiny c is modeled after C. I chose the
Holmdel, NJ 07733.

68 CREATIVE COMPUTING
smallest subset that would still be
useful for games, education, and just
plain fun. It has only six statements.
Stopwatch
Four of them are: This is a program that imitates a stopwatch. You can start the stopwatch,
INT and CHAR declare variables and stop it, get the present number of seconds while it is running and end the
one dimension arrays of type program by typing certain Ietters on the keyboard.
integer and character respectively. Detailed description
WHILE (condition) statement is the After naming the variables, the instructions are printed on the screen.
looping statement. It performs its Then MAGIC is set to 31. MAGIC is a magic number that determines the
object statement repeatedly until accuracy of the stopwatch. It takes one second to go through the inner
the condition becomes false. WHILE loop 31 times; so every 31 times through the loop, another second is
IF (condition) statement1 , counted. At the beginning of the outer WHILE loop, the computer comes to
ELSE statement2 (The ELSE part is the statement:
optional.) K=GETCHAR
I F performs statement1 if the When the computer comes to a GETCHAR, it stops and waits until a
condition is true, otherwise it skips character is typed. When a character is typed, it puts that character in K. The
statement1. If the condition is false character will most likely be 'g' (to start the stopwatch) which will make the
and if there is an ELSE clause then next IF statement true. .
statement2 is performed. TIME is then set equal to zero. The next statement reads:
A compound statement is a group of N=MAGIC/2
statements enclosed in square That will set MAGIC to 15 (tiny c doesn't have decimals). Then it will only
brackets: have to go through the inner WH ILE loop fifteen times before counting the
IF (x 0) [ first second. When a half-second has passed, the computer will count one
x ~ x-1 second. The purpose of this is to round the actual time to the nearest
a = 2*a+b second. If the actual time is between 112and 1112seconds, the computer will
b = b-1 count one second. If the actual time is between 1112and 2112seconds, the
1 computer will count it as two seconds.
In this example, if x is positive the In the beginning of the inner WHILE loop, N is set greater by one.
whole compound statement is done. Eventually, by going around in the WHILE loop, N will equal 31, so that the
Otherwise the whole compound state- next IF statement will be true:
ment is skipped. (This is the "Oh, that's IF(N==MAGIC)
better" feature.) The statements within TIME, which was zero, is now set to one, as the time which was consumed
a compound statement may by the WHILE loop and other parts of the program is one-half second. N
themselves be IF's orWHILE's. Nesting (which is 31) is ,set back to one so it will countupone second:
is permitted in an arbitrary fashion. .. Each time around the inner WH ILE loop, the computer tests tciseeifyoU
Now the fifth statement can be defined: have typed an's' or a 't' by using two CHRDY function calls. A CHRDY
BR EAK causes the innermost WH I LE function call checks if you have typed any character. CHRDY is short for
to exit and control flows to the CHARACTER-READY. If the character that is ready (typed) is an's', then
statement after the WHILE. the computer breaks out of the inner WHILE loop and comes to the
That leaves one statement, RETURN, statement:
which brings us to the subject of IF(K=='s') [
functions. That statement is false because K is still 'g', so it skips that and comes to
Functions the statement:
A large software project can usually IF(K=='x') BREAK
be broken into natural parts, and each That statement is false because K is still 'g', so the computer skips it and
part programmed and debugged as a comes to the end of the outer WHILE loop. It goes back to the beginning of
separate unit. Each unit then becomes the WHILE and first comes to the statement:
a reliable building block for the con- K=GETCHAR
struction of still larger parts of the The computer gets the character's', which was typed before, and puts it into
project. Sometimes units can be K. Next it comes to the statement:
desiqned to be useful in many projects. IF(K=='g')
In various programming languages This is false since K is now's', so it skips that IF and comes to the statement:
these building blocks are called sub- IF(K=='s')[
programs, subroutines, or simply func- This is true, so it does the commands listed between the brackets enclosing
tions. In tiny c they are called func- the IF statement which are to print the number of seconds on the screen.
tions. Here is a tiny c function for any After it finishes that it goes to the top of the outer WHILE loop and comes
computer-versus-human game; to the statement:
GAME [ K=GETCHAR
GETREADY The stopwatch has just finished one complete timing, from 'g' to 'stop.'
WHILE ( STILLPLAYINGO ) [ Now it is ready to start up again.
HUMANTURN There is one command I haven't explained yet. You can find out the
IF ( STILLPLAYINGO ) COM- number of seconds while the stopwatch is running by typing a 't.'
PUTERTURN If the stopwatch is started up again by typing a 'g' the computer will come
to the two CHRDY function calls. One of them checks if you have typed a 't.'
1 If you have, then the computer does a GETCHAR and gets the character.
GAMEOVER
Then it prints out the time; but after that the stopwatch continues counting.
If you want to stop the program, type 'x.' Eventually, the computer will
The name of the function is GAME. The come to the 'statement: .
compound statement that follows is IF(K=='x') BREAK
called the "body" of the function. This is true, so the computer will break out of the outer WHILE loop and
GAME divides the design of the game come to the end of the program. _
program into five parts: Paul Gibson - Age 11 Holmdel, N.J.
JAN 1979 69
 GETREADY - which initializes
things, and prints instructions
requested.
STILLPLA YING - which determines
if
My First Tiny c Program
if the game is still going, and I've made my first tiny c program. My father told me what everything'
returns TRUE if it is, and FLASE if it meant. I'll explain what everything in the program means. Its name is NAME.
is over. Here is the program.
HUMANTURN - which conducts I*My first tiny c program, by Mark Gibson
the human's turn. I*December 3, 1977
COMPUTERTURN - which con- I*Age 9 .
ducts the computer's turn. name
GAMEOVER - which computes [
and prints scores, makes remarks char guess (70)
about the human's skill, promotes ps "what is my name?"
the human, or whatever. gs guess
The GAME function is the first step in if (ceqn(guess "tiny c". 6))
a divide-and-conquer strategy of pi "RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!"
program development. Let's carry this else
one step further. The GETREADY pi "WRONG!!!!!!!!!!"
function can be expanded this way: 1
GETREADY [ The first and second lines mean that it is my first tiny c program, I wrote it,
PL "Do you want instructions?" and when I wrote it. The third line tells my age. The fourth line tells the name
IF (GCO= =v') INSTRUCTIONS of the program. The fifth line means this is where the program starts. The
SETUPBOARD sixth line means it makes GUESS a variable. It's like an egg carton except it
1 doesn't hold 12 eggs; it holds 70 characters.
GETREADY divides the initialization The seventh line means to print a string and say "what is my name?" The
job into two parts: INSTRUCTIONS, eighth line means: stop the program and wait till you type the name and hit
and SETUPBOARD. (Note: GCO =='y' return. It puts it into GUESS. The ninth line tests if what you typed is equal to
reads a character from the keyboard "tiny-c." If it's equal CEON is 1; if anything else, then it's O. The tenth line
and tests if it is a y.) Notice that both means to print a line saying "RIGHT !!!!!!!!!!".It'sdone by the IF only ifCEON
GAME and GETREADY are universal. is 1. The eleventh line means if the CEON equals 0 then go to the next line.
They can be used in many game The twelfth line means to print a line saying "WRONG!!!!!!!!!!" only if CEON
programs. Programming in this fashion equals O. The thirteenth line means the end of the program. '.
eventually leads to a library of useful,
general purpose functions. These can
Mark Gibson - Age 9 Holmdel, N.J.
be pulled off the shefl into a software
project. You know they work because
they were used before. Your program- creative outlets, and programming student's name where I used Mark's.
ming becomes more productive, and looks like a lot of work to him. You can Explain the reason for each line as you
more pleasant. usually coerce your children into doing write it: HINAME
The next time you're programming a their homework for school, but not into [
sizable project (anything more than a debugging a program they didn't want PL "Hi, my name is MARK."
page) try to identify subsets of the logic to write in the first place. Wait until your PL "I speak tiny c!"
usable in other projects. Capture these student is ready and eager. 1
as functions. There is a gratifying Second, take small, carefully plann- Do this on paper. That puts a focus on
feeling in discovering a general pur- ed steps. There are lots of concepts to the programming aspect of the lesson.
pose function where none was be mastered. For example, the idea that Terminals and editors are more com-
suspected. programming a computer is teaching it plicated than we like to think they are.
Now the sixth statement can be to do something which itwili/aterdo on Doing the above lesson on-line will
defined: your command; this is a subtle idea. It entangle you in issues not yet taught.
RETURN catses a return from the must be understood or future lessons Now assign the first exercise. It's
current fu ction and assigns a won't "take." Flow of control is easy, structurally identical to HINAME, but
value to th function. but must also be understood. will be the student's own work:
Input/Output Another important point is to give the
Does anything seem missing? student early and frequent reinforce- Write a program called FOOD. It
Where's the input/output? This is done ment. This means teach only a small
will print three sentences, each
through functions. For example: amount, then give an exercise that on a separate Ii ne. The sentences
PL "Tiny c is neat!!!" gives them an experience based on that are:
will Print ona new Line the character lesson. To do this a carefully planned Hi, my name is (student's
string shown. The quotes are not set of exercises are needed. Each must name).
printed. PL is a function with one take a small new step. Each must
I like spinach.
argument, a character string. There are carefully avoid entanglements in
I like cooked carrots, too.
other functions to print a string on the issues not yet taught.
same line, read a string, read and print My first lesson covers:
numbers, manipulate strings, do file - A program has a name Have your student do the exercise on
input/output; altogether twenty five - A program has a body enclosed paper, not on the terminal. Otherwise,
"standards" functions. in brackets the complications of the editor come
Now back to the main subject.
- Inside the body are instructions into play. Work with the student until
Teaching approach for the computer to follow the exercise is correctly done on paper.
First, not all kids want to learn - How to print something using PL Now you can turn to the terminal.
programming, or are ready for it. Sit down with the student, and write the Show how to enter the program,
Daniel, my oldest, has found other . following short program. Use the correct typi ng errors, proofread the

70 CREATIVE COMPUTING
program for correctness, and finally, done by seat-of-the-pants judgment.
how to run it. Show how to save it. Go Go with your student's interests. Paul is
through all this in small steps. Be hot on graphics, as his article shows, so
patient with a young student's lacking of course I invented lessons and
of typing skills. Don't type it for him. exercises to get him there.
He's got to learn the keyboard, too. Here are a few other pointers. Read
Then I move to the IF statement. programs with your student. Discuss
Again, write a sample program good and bad points of style.
demonstrating the IF in its simplest Variables deserve a special attention.
form. The exercise I gave is "What's my In tiny c you "make" a variable with the
name." See Mark's article for this. Note INT or CHAR statement. It is important
it does not loop; we're not ready for this to distinguish the concepts of a
yet. variable from the value it contains. I
The next step is the WHILE state- explain that a variable is a box with a
ment. The simplest, and for kids a name and type on its side:
delightful form of the WHILE is the "In the real world there are lots of
infinite (do forever) form. This program types of boxes: shoe boxes,
illustrates the idea. refrigerator boxes, computer boxes,
FOREVER etc; but tiny c has only two types of
[ boxes: INT and CHAR. You can have
WHILE (1)[ as many of each type as you want.
PL "My name is MARK .... " Just be sure each box has a different
name on the side. Inside each box
1 you can put one value. A CHAR box
The "I" is always true. So this holds one character, and INT holds
program looks forever, i.e. until in- one integer "
terrupted. The above is more or less a direct
This sets the stage for teaching quote of a lesson I've given many times.
BREAK. I have found that young Incidentally, an array is an egg carton!
students can learn: I hope I have dispelled any notion
WHILE ( 1 ) [ that structured programming is
• sophisticated and reserved for the el ite.
• It is not. For new programmers, well
• guided, it is as easy to learn as any
IF (condition) BREAK .other higher level programming
1 technique (i.e., very easy). For old
a lot easier than the more programmers it will be a bit more
sophisticated: difficult. You must unlearn old habits,
WHILE (condition) [ and that's always hard. But I did it after
• 15 years of FORTRAN! Paul converted,
• although much less painfully than
• myself. Kids drink new languages like
SARGON:
1 water!
These two constructs do different Warning: You won't learn structured A Computer Chess
things, of course. The first does the programming by sitting down with an
loop once or more until the condition old BASIC program and a tiny c Program
becomes true. Then it leaves the loop. manual. Paul still gets all hung up by Dan & Kathe Spracklen
The latter does the loop zero or more converting his old BASIC programs to Adapted for the TRS-80
times until the condition becomes tiny c. It's hard to structure old unstruc-
false. The former model seems to fit tured programs. Level II by Paul Lohnes!
young student's projects more often Learn this. new skill from the ground The Winner of the Chess Tournament
than the latter. . up. Use it on new programs. At the end at the 1978 West Coast Computer
Faire is now available in a complete,
Then put the IF and WHILE together of the road is a new skill, a new ready-to-run cassette compatible with
with this exercise: enjoyment of the programming the TRS-80 Level II machine.
process, and the ability to teach it to (#00603, $19.95) Complete
your kids. Remember, you've got to documentation is available in a book
Write a program that reads a plan all those small steps. _ by the same title. (#5155-7, $14.95)
number. If it is negative the Also available for Apple II machines.
program prints, "That's negative, Would you like to know more Also Available on Tape:
I'll stop now." and the program about tiny c? It's available in both GAME PLAYING WITH BASIC, 27
stops. If it is zero or one or two or 8080 and PDP-11 versions from: recreational and educational
three it prints, "That's a zero" (or Tiny c Associates programs on 3 cassettes, compatible
"one" or "two" or "three"). Then it Box 269 with the PET (#00201), TRS-80 Level
repeats the whole process. If the 1(#00202)' TRS-80 Level II (#00203),
Holmdel, N.J. 07733 and Apple II (#00204) machines at
number is bigger than three, it $9.95 per cassette.
prints "That's a BIG number" and References
repeats the whole process. 1. Kernighan & Ritchie, The C Programming
Language, Prentice-Hall, 1978. rIl Available at your local
2. Madden & Gregory, "A Language for Micro- ~ computer store!
processors?" Byte, Oct. 1977.
This should be enough examples to 3. Salisbury, Alan, "Structured Software for Hayden Book Company, lnc.
illustrate the teaching approach. I don't Personal Computing," Creative Computing, Marl 50 Essex Street,
have a complete lesson plan. A lot is Ap,r '78. Rochell~ Park, NJ 07662

CIRCLE 118 ON READER SERVICE CARD

JAN 1979 71
 II,\\III~tt,\\I·IITI~I~ Cheryl May

At work on an Interdata The departmental computers The KSU Computer Science

Programmers at work in the
KSU Computer Lab Department's modern facilities are
housed in Fairchild Hal/.
In 1863, Kansas State University was slighted. On the contrary, students tape drive; and an Interdata 85; and an
founded as the nation's first land-grant have an opportunity to participate in, Interdata 7/16. The micrqcomputers
college. Today, it is first in the nation in and make valuable contributions to, are Interdata 6/16's used for network-
the field of minicomputers. Although the on-going research projects at the ing projects.
the school's major emphasis remains school. Soon the facilities will be strength-
agricultural, products of the modern The college's major system is an ened by the addition of a POP 11/34, a
age have been given due respect, so IBM 360/145, used for the university's minicomputer likened by Prof. Ed
much so that KSU has become a giant administrative functions, record keep- Basham of the department to the
in its minicomputer specialty. ing, and language instruction. school's current Interdata 6/16.
The 315-acre campus has an ad- The real "stars" of the KSU com- The university is purchasing $330,-
ditional 5,000 acres around the state puter science department, however, 000 worth of new equipment to aid
which are used for experimental agri- are the minicomputers. Said by many them in their latest project for the U.S.
culture. It is a study in contrasts that to be the finest minicomputer labora- Air Force. Funding for the purchase
the huge ag-oriented campus would be tory in the country, the department not comes from a half-million dollar grant
such a leader in computer research. only agrees, but continually proves from the Air Force School of Aero-
KSU has an enrollment of more than that theory with its outstanding space Medicine atBrooks Air Force
16,000 students, with a miniscule 215 of research projects. Base in San Antonio, Texas. Basham
those people enrolled as computer- "We are experts in minicomputers," said that $100,000 of the new equip-
science majors. Forty-five of that total says K-State computer science de- ment will be installed at K-State and the
are graduate students who are an in- partment head Dr. Paul Fisher, adding, remainder of the machinery will go to
trinsic part of the school's research "Our facilities are the finest in the San Antonio. The Air Force project en-
programs. Because they are so few, country." tails research which will make it pos-
students are given a great deal of at- Fisher's minis are tied together in a sible for the Air Force to transfer infor-
tention. Statistics citing the school's research network of four main com- mation among its two large-scale and
estimated uses of computer time are a puters and two microcomputers. The its 21 minicomputers of different
bit misleading. Citing two-thirds of computers include an Interdata 832 manufacture.
computer time devoted to research and with 750,000K of storage, four discs "The software for 'networking'-the
one-third devoted to teaching, one and two tape drives; an Interdata 732 easy exchange of data among
might think that the students were with 650,000K, two disc units and a computers-just does-not exist at the

72 CREATIVE COMPUTING
present time," Fisher commented. dents take their computer time in the The department built a special KSU-
"The Air Force is funding this re- center, located in the basementof Fair- Bus; that is, they developed and built
search with $500,000for the first year child Hall. A graduate student is on the prototype for linking two com-
and we anticipate they will continue hand during operating hours to answer puters together for the network they
funding at about the same level for the questions and serve as a trouble- developed for the Army. To celebrate
next three years. That's how long it will shooter for any programming their ingenuity, graduate students
take to complete the project," he add- problems. In addition, for student bought a toy school bus and glued a
ed. convenience, satellite terminals are kazoo to its roof-the KSU-Bus.
Fisher noted that the Air Force grant located in several other spots on cam- The department's coltective inge-
is the largest ever awarded to his pus. nuity and ability, along with the top
department for a project. Students also have access to a new equipment in the field, hasenabled it to
The Air Force project came about as microcomputer network set up for desk develop an outstanding reputation in
a result of the reputation KSU earned top use. The units are KIM-1 tabletop its minicomputer specialty. Through
for itself while developing a similar pro- computers, and are about the size of a seminars, meetings of computer
totype network project for the U.S. desk-top calculator. In addition, stu- science groups and achievements of
Army during the past two years. dents have built several micro- various faculty members, KSU is mak-
"The Air Force wants us to provide a computers from kits and are in the ing a solid reputation for itself in the
similar network in their environment," process of building more. computer world. _
Fisher said. "They also want us to de-
velop programs and procedures so that
it would be easy for someone at any of
the computer locations to utilize data
from a common source."
Essentially KSU does this with their
own facilities, providing three outlets
which computer-science students can
use in various locations on the campus
to hook in to information in the univer-
sity's main computer.
One of the main reasons why KSU
can provide such excellent faci lities for
its students and maintain such a high
quality reputation among university
computer science experts is the fund-
ing provided by contracts with the
armed services and private industry.
NCR and Interdata Corp. are among
clients.
"Over the past three years the
amount of funding in the department of
computer science has been doubling
each year," Fisher said. 'This year we
will probably exceed $1 million in out-
side funding. These grants provide
support-for students, -faculty, travel,
and other things necessaryfor a strong
program."
Part of the travel done by KSU com-
puter experts is by automobile to the
neighboring University of Kansas at
Lawrence, some 90 miles down Inter-
state 70. In a cooperative educational
program, professors from each school
travel back and forth each semester,
teaching and doing advisory work on
special projects. KSU has specialists in
U.p.s. charges will be added to all orders. California residents add 6% sales tax.
applied minicomputer networking, and
supplements its expertise with the KU o Payment enclosed o Visa/Bank Americard DMasterCharge
profs who are more knowledgeable in
Card No. Interbank No. _
the theory of computer science.
In additional education projects, the Expiration date _
department conducts demonstrations
Name _
for the U.S. Army Computer Base
I
Command located at Ft. Riley, Kansas, Address _ I
I
which is adjacent to K-State's Manhat- I
I
tan campus locale. City -'-_ State Zip _ I
I
The University's computing center is I
the site for on-campus educational Signature _ I
I
I
efforts. It is the production-oriented
area of the computer department at
-~--------------------------------------------------------------~
KSU. Working in conjunction with Send to P.P.S.
P.O. Box 2051, Seal Beach, California 90740
other computer department areas,stu-
For fast service or Information call
(714) 894-3736 between 12 and 5 P \1. California time.

CIRCLE 191 ON READER SERVICE CARD

__ ------ A Creative Computing Software Profile ... _....

BILF: BASIC Infinite

Loop Finder
An objective review of
one of the most useful
software packages on
the market!

====================
Jeff Levinsky ===============
This article is intended to warn those who have contemplated Figure 1
purchasing the BILF (BASIC Infinite Loop Finder) program
offered for BASI C users by the Cosmic Software Corporation in
last month's issue of Popular Megabyte. BILF, as I have
painfully discovered, and its soon-to-be-released big brother BILF ) te 5t program
(known as Super BILF), are little more than impressive hoaxes:
the infinite loop finders must and do fail.
Actually.ithe idea behind BILF is a good one. Infinite loops, '~test data
as we all know, are sections of code that are inescapable once
entered (a software analogy of a black hole). The simplest
possible infinite loop in BASIC is:
10 GO TO 10
which is of course inescapable. However, large BASIC and consistently produced the correct answer. I then tested my
programs may contain far more insidious infinite loops which puzzle games. As a testament to my computer skills, BILF found
are almost impossible to detect. BILF claims to be able to detect all of my programs to be free of infinite loops. In short order, I
any infinite loop no matter how concealed. had tested all the programs that I had, save BILF itself. Testing
My own motivation for purchasing BILF was to check some BILF on itself presented something of a challenge, but I was
large puzzle solving programs that I have written. These puzzle curious to know if BILF might somehow infinite loop, thereby
programs examine all possibilities at each stage in the solution failing to decide whether or not its test program would infinite
of the puzzle and are inherently very slow. To solve the puzzles loop. Although this possibility sounds bizzare, it was easy to try:
for larger and larger boards, the time required becomes much I set the address of the test program for BILF to be that of BILF
greater. For example, my 80800based computer requires only 30 itself. The address for the test data did not matter in this instance
seconds to produce a winning strategy for one puzzle on a three because BILF does not contain any input statements. Using the
by three board. However, I have calculated that as much as 27 same sort of notation as above, I ran:
hours would be needed to solve the very same puzzle for a four
by four board. But what if I did not know how long the Figure 2.
computer would take to solve the puzzle and the program
contained an infinite loop? I would run the program, see no
results, but then assume that perhaps in another moment the
program would halt, wait out that moment, make the same
assumption, wait out another moment, etc., etc. I would never
be sure whether or not the program had failed. With BILF, I can
obviously analyze my puzzle solvers and then be confident that
they will not infinite loop but instead will eventually halt.
BID ------, anyplace
Now for the actual details on BILF. Cosmic Software charges
20 dollars for it (Super BILF will cost 30 dollars) and supplies it
on a standard cassette which loaded easily into my machine.
BILF is written in standard BASIC and consists of 260 lines of
the most obscure code imaginable. Once loaded, BILF is set to As the arrow shows, the program that BILF tested was BILF
contain the address of the program to be tested and the address itself.
of the data that the (test) program is to be run with. Both the test There a few tricky points here. Note that in this test of BILF,
program and the test data must be in memory. The reason that the BILF being checked for infinite loops is itself checking BILF
BI LF requires the latter is that a program may infinite loop only for infinite loops. This is due to the fact that both the BILF that I
upon certain input. The program below will infinite loop if, and am running (which I will call BILFI) and the BILF that it is
only testing (which I will call BILF2) are one and the same, and
10 INPUT I therefore share the address of the test program. So when BILJ1
20 IF 1=0 THEN 20 tests BI LF 2, BILF ztests BILF also. I shall call this third instance
30 PRINT "MADE IT!" BILF 3 In the same notation as before, we have:
40 STOP This is equivalent to Figure 2. I suspect that some people will
if, the inputted number is a zero. So, in order for BILF to decide insist here that BILF3 must be testing a BILF4 which is, in turn,
whether or not this program will infinite loop, BILF must know testing a BI LF 5, and so on. Whether or not this is true is
what number will be inputted, that is, the data. Figure I gives a immaterial. The important observation is that BILFI is testing
pictorial summary of this. BILF z testing BILF}.
I first used BILF to test some very simple programs, such as Upon running the above test, I discovered, as might be
the one above. In all cases, BILF worked admirably: it quickly expected, that BILF2 testing BILF3 does not infinite loop.

Jeff Levinsky. 1697 Calle Leticia. La Jolla. CA 92037.

74 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 Figure 3. Since most people agree that paradoxical behaviour does not
occur, FLIB cannot actually follow the rule given for it. That
rule was obtained by just a simple change in BILF, and therefore
BILF also cannot work as claimed. This logic leads me to believe
BILF 1 > BILF 2 > BILF J that Cosmic Software has perpetrated
indisputable hoax. Furthermore,
an impressive but
their Super BILF must
contain the same sort of ending lines of code and thus once could
~ anYPla~ anyplace then construct a Super FLIB to which the very same paradox
would apply. In fact, any infinite loop finder cannot exist, for
this very reason.
Upon realizing all of this, I wrote an irate letter to Cosmic
Software, explaining in detail the arguments above and
Since all three BI LFs are actually the same here, I can state that
BILF testing BILF does not infinite loop. Of course, if BILF2 demanding a refund. As of this month, I have received only a
testing BILF3 did go into an infinite loop, so would BILFI polite reply from them stating that they are investigating the
testing BILF2: my experiment would never have halted. matter and have planned a new release that will fix this "bug." In
my opinion, they have totally missed the point (perhaps
The next step in my study of BILF was to modify it in a very
intentionally??) for the problem is insurmountable. I can only
simple but devious way. The very last lines of BILF are: warn others to avoid Cosmic Software, and any other firm that
9800 PRINT"THIS PROGRAM WILL INFINITE LOOP" makes such claims.
9810 STOP
I have left one question unanswered. What indeed does
9900 PRINT "THIS PROGRAM WILL NOT INFINITE happen when FLIB tests itself. As a matter of sheer curiosity, I
LOOP"
have set the program running and, as of this writing, it has yet to
9910 STOP , halt. And as I see it this is exactly right. •
Apparently, once BILF determines that the test program will
infinite loop on the given input, it will go to line 9800 to print the
message there. Then BILF will stop. On the other hand, if BILF Note: Although contrived. this article illustrates a valid paradox in
decides that the program will not infinite loop, it will go to line computer science. The actual problem is typically known as the
9900, print the message there, and then stop. Since BILF always Halting Problem and was developed by Alan J. Turing, although it
prints one of these two messages, I assume that BILF always appears under many other names in other fields as well.
ends by going to either line 9800 or line 9900. My modification References:
to BI LF was to change line 9910 into an infinite loop. This Minsky, Marvin L. Computation: Finite and Infinite Machines. Englewood
results in: Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1967.
9800 PRINT"THIS PROGRAM WILL INFINITE LOOP"
9810 STOP
9900 PRINT "THIS PROGRAM WILL NOT INFINITE
LOOP"
9910 GO TO 9910
I call this new version FLIB. With the modification, FLIB works
exactly as BILF does, until after the final message is printed.
22 START-AT-HOME
Then, if the test program does not contain an infinite loop, FUB
will loop forever. If, however, the test program does contain an
COMPUTER BUSINESSES
infinite loop, then FLIB will stop (and thus will not have an
infinite loop). Only these two cases are possible, and conse-
in "The Datasearch Guide to Low Capital,
quently the following rules applies: Startup Computer Businesses"
"FLI,~ will infinite loop if, and only if, the program it tests will CONSULTING. PROGRAMMING. SOFTWARE PACKAGES
not. • COM. FREELANCE WRITING. SEMINARS. TAPE/DISC
No doubt one question is now obvious: what happens when CLEANING • FI~LD SERVICE. SYSTEMS HOUSES.
FLIB tests itself? This is done just as for BILF and is illustrated LEASING. SUPPLIES. PUBLISHING. TIME BROKERS.
in Figure 4. Before indicating the actual results of running this HARDWARE DISTRIBUTORS • SALES AGENCIES •
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test, I will first explain the expected outcome. Applying the rule DR T R 5 ERR C H
given above for FLIB, we have: incorporated
"FLIB I will infinite loop if, and only if, the program it tests 5694 Shelby Oaks Drive Suite 105 Memphis, Tenn. 38134
will not."
The test program is FLIB2, and it is testing FLIB3, so we have: Rush __ copiesof "Low Capital Startup Computer Businesses" tome
"FLIB I will infinite loop if, and only if, FLIB2 testing FLIB3 right away.
will not."
But all three FLiBs are actually the same, so we have: NAME/COMPANY _
"FLI B will infinite loop if, and only if, FLIB testing FLI B will ADDRESS _
not." CITY/STATE/ZIP _

This is a paradox! To see why, consider each possibility. If 0 Check Enclosed 0 Bankamericard 0 Master Charge
FLI B 2 decides that FLI B3 will infinite loop, then FLI B 2will
stop, and thus FLIB I will infinite loop. In other words, if FLIB
testing FLIB stops, then FLIB testing FLIB will not. This is
clearly impossible. But so is the alternative: if FLIB testing FLIB CIRCLE 123 ON READER SERVICE CARD
does not stop, then FLIB testing FLIB will. Thus, we have the
paradox.

JAN 1979 75
 Down With Typewriters!
Ralph Roberts

Word processing is one of the most popular

applications for business and home computers!
Smoke Signal Broadcasting has a new system for
you to consider.

r:

The reasons I have for being in make it harder, so difficult that my So, I show off the computer doing
personal computing have usually been friends would be discouraged from actual legitimate time-saving work in
unsatisfactory when trying to explain playing it. Unfortunately they get better our daily operations and my friends
to friends why all these little black with practice and I keep getting cap- say, "Hey, that's great, but I don't have
boxes are around. In my case the little tured by the pirates and sold into a business and I couldn't really justify
black boxes are a literal description slavery. The game is now 15K long and owning one. It sure is nice though."
since I run a SWPTC MP6800 com- extremely elaborate. Everybody enjoys I grit my teeth and explain how they
puter, AC-30 cassette interface, Smoke it but they don't consider the game as a could keep their personal records, their
Signal BFO-68 dual floppy, and have valid reason to own a computer. You wife's recipes, play games (both
two small black cassette players. My can play games almost as good down educational and entertaining), run a
Micro-Term ACT IV terminal is also at any penny arcade for just a quarter. security system, and all the other
trimmed by black sides. When I confess reasons you see in magazines such as
that the only reason for spending all Creative Computing. So they ask me if I
this money is that I simply like com- do all those things. Why no, I use the
puters and enjoy fooling around with I, like many of the machine in my business. "Aha!", they
them, many people laugh. Most of my exclaim and it's back to the bass boats,
friends think this absurd and leave to readers of Creative Com- basements and birdhouses.
work on their bass boat or build puting" was for years a I kept searching for that perfect
bookcases and birdhouses in their reason, the justification that would
basement or something equally useful. frustrated writer. capture the imagination and cause the
Well, that idea was no good so I person hearing it to not only under-
started showing off all the game stand why he should have a computer
programs I had. I satthevisitordown in but to rush out and get one. Then I
front of the computer and let him play Being a small businessman (we have bought some new software from
Lunar Lander, Hamurabi, and my two stereo shops here in western North Smoke Signal Broadcasting and a
personal favorite written by me, Star Carolina) I came up with the idea of blinding light dawned, it thundered
Pirate. They enjoyed that and it took using the computer in our normal loudly, and the ANSWER, fully
quite awhile to get rid of some of them. I business operations. We now do daily developed, popped into my head. The
still have people coming back to play bank deposit ledgers, check dis- perfect solution, something many
Star Pirate and trying to amass their bursements, billing and inventory people want to do. I speak of writing, of
fortune in interstellar credits. To keep control on my personal machine. I keep processing words, of creating literary
the computer from being tied up so the computer, my marvelous little 6800 masterpieces. I, like many of the
much, I kept rewriting the game to powerhouse, in the office anyway since readers of Creative Computing, was for
I seem to spend most of my time here. years a frustrated writer. Now the
Ralph Roberts, P.O. Box 8508, Asheville, NC 28804.

76 CREATIVE COMPUTING
computer could help me write, prepare for those of you unlucky enough to lines per page and spacing so that both
manuscripts, submit them, and with have a Z-80, 8ei80 or 6502 based margins are perfectly even (right and
luck, sell my writings. Sell, that's the machine. By use of the editor, a file can left justification). The text processor
key word, because it means a check for be created arid manipulated as much also puts my name at the top of each
your writing and money in the bank for as you wish. In writing this article, for page, the title of the piece and numbers
more bass boats; mistresses or a new example, I made several errors in the pages in order. All this, in case the
high speed printer for the trusty old spell.ing (yeah,' I'm not perfect, it only pages get scattered at the magazine
microprocessor. looks that way). The text editor allows and need to be reassembled. I go have
First of all, why have we been you to make global changes. Let's say a cold soda pop Or whatever while the
frustrated from selling our colorful and I've used the word 'computer' twenty computer does all the typing at 360
enthralling short stories, our action times in this article and misspelled it words per minute. Should a mistake
filled novels, our marvelously complete each time. Rather than going through have slipped by me in my earlier
and understandable technical articles? and changing each mistake, I merely proofreading, it's extremely simple to
Simple, the worldwide conspiracy of enter the command 'C/computor/com- correct that error and print that one
typewriters against aspiring authors! I puter/200' and the editor will search page over.
could always write. I could always through and correct the spelling each
come up with interesting storyideas. time I used the word and print only the
Taking a pencil, I have always been corrected lines. The '200' tells it to
able to sit down and jot words on paper search 200 lines. .
profusely. No problem, pencils like me, Thetext editing system makes it easy The text editing system
to write, rewrite, proofread and correct
they thoughtfully provide erasers in
case I make a mistake. But, you cannot your material - all without putting a
makes it easy to write,
send a smeared, pencil scribed story to single thing down on paper. You save rewrite, proofread and
the edited file on tape or disc as in my
an editor and expect him to do
case. You can go back and Work on the
correct your material -
anything other than a rimshot into the
old round file. The thing must be typed piece anytime (even after you have all without putting a
submitted the article). Should a
and that's the rub, typewriters haveit in
magazine editor ask for a rewrite, you
single thing down on
for us poor wordsmithS.
Typewriters are vicious things, they just call up that particular file and paper.
deliberately misspell words, they space modify as needed. Without getting
wrong, they go to great lengths to make much more into the text editor, I'm in
you type whole pages over and over the process of writing a user's report on
and over. Deep within their twisted little Using the text editing program I can
mechanical hearts, typewriters hate control what I write and with the text
and despise writers, they sit on dusty processor I control formatting and
shelves in office machine stores devis- manuscript preparation. It makes put-
ing scheme after scheme to make me or
Typewriters are VICIOUS ting words together an immense
any other young, budding Hemingway things, they deliberately amount of fun. It makes you, the
look foolish. For years, they kept me person, more powerful and ableto leap
from being published, the hassle and
misspell words, they taller stacks of printed pages by using
work of preparing manuscripts just flat space wrong, they go to the computer as a tool to increase the
amount, of work you can do. The
took all the fun out of writing.
There are two pieces of software that
great lengths to make purpose of this article has not been to
I purchased from Smoke Signal and you type' whole pages explain the inner workings of the
Smoke Signal SE-1 Editor and TP-1
use in the writing and preparation
manuscripts for submission. The first is
of over and over and over. Text Processor but to put across to you
the SE-1 text editor, the second is the the new justification I have discovered
TP-1 text processor. Both came on for owning my very own computer and
floppy disc for my BFD-68 floppy and to show how easy you can use the word
this version anyway, we can Sum up by
both have very excellent documenta- processing power of a personal com-
stating that you become the master of
tion. With these programs, my com- puter to achieve goals that might be
the flow of words by using the com-
puter became a very powerful word impossible otherwise.
puter in this manner, It's a great
processor. With these, tools, I don't Does this really Work? Can you
advance and allows any writer to turn
have to worry about making mistakes, I actually write and sell you r work usi ng
out a much larger quantity of work and
can pound out my stories in a fine a computer? Yes indeed, these words
breaks the psychological barrier some
creative fervor showing a kingly dis- printed herein Creative Computing
of us have always had against rewriting
regard for spelling arid punctuation. If I attest to that and, as for me, watch for
because it's so easy to go back and
make an error, it's simplicity itself to go my by-line in other magazines, I have a
polish your work. '
back and change it. If I fail to explain hungry computer to support and we
Now we have this article written and
why the hero in one of my science need the money. Also, when my friends
polished and corrected and rewritten
fiction stories conveniently comes up ask me why all the computer stuff, I
arid repolished and recorrected. Here
with a laser pistol, I can add.ithat now just pull out some of my published
comes the "hard" part, it's got to be put
paragraph later. By use of these two work and say, "Here's one reason." So,
on paper neatly and in a professional
programs, I can completely defeat the format for submission to Creative the heck with bass boats and
aforementioned diabolical conspiracy Computing, (If Creative Computing birdhouses- give me my personal
of vindictive, tin-hearted typewriters doesn't buy this article, it's easy to use computer and a mistress, and I'll write
and see my words in print. the Great American Novel. _
the editor program and put in the name
There are basically two steps,using of another magazine. Heh, Heh!).
my computer system, in writing. The Actually, this turns out to be the easiest
These two programs are available on diskette from
first. the actual writing process itself, step of all. I merely call up the Smoke Smoke Signal Broadcasting, '6304 Yucca,
makes use of the text editor program. Signal TP-1 text processor and it prints Hollywood, CA 90028, SE-1 Editor- $29; TP-1 Text
The Smoke Signal Broadcasting SE-1 merrily away on my Decwriter, format- processor - $39,95.
Editor is similar to software available ting neatly with the correct number of

JAN 1979 77
 Attention.
Chess Phreaks!
Microchess for the TRS-80 is here!
And only requires 4K of memory!

Les Palenik
MICROCHESS is written in Z-80 The player can select the color, but it will disable the break key, so if you
machine language and it fits in 4K of not the side of the board. The corn- want to break, the only way is to switch
memory, so you can run it on the puter's pieces will be displayed always off the machine. Of course, then you'll
smallest TRS-80 system. It can be at the top and the player's pieces at the lose the program and you have to load
loaded into the TRS-80 computer using bottom of the screen. it again. This seems to be a rather
the standard CLOAD. There are three different levels of clever protection of the program.
It is advisable to clear the screen play, ranging from beginner to an The program consists of the chess-
before typing CLOAD. The loading of expert. You can decide on the level of playing logic and the graphic driver
the program takes a: little bit longer play by typing:IQ=1 ,2, or3. Usually one which displays the chessboard. The
than one would expect after loading would select level 1 or 2, since the graphic driver is somewhat limited by
standard programs written in BASIC. program responds quite quickly play- TRS-80 video-display and its resolu-
Since this program is written in ing at this level. Level 3 is the best level tion (48x 128 addressable locations),
machine Ia.nguage it will automatically of play, but is considerably slower and but all pieces Onthe screen can still be
start executing after successfully some players may lose their patience easily recognized.
loadlnq. playing at this level. You can switch the The moves (especially the com-
First, all available options and in- levels of play anytime between the puter's) are done in a very neat way.
structions will be displayed on the computer's moves. When it is time for the computer to
screen. Take a good look at this There is a very interesting feature in make a move, the cursor is moving on
display, or even better, copy it on a this' program which will allow the the screen, to Indicate that the com-
piece of paper, because once you press player to reverse the sides. It is the puter is still "thinking." Once the
"ENTER," you won't see it again. exchange command and you can computer decides on its move, the
After you press "RETURN" a graphic execute it by typing an "X." Both sides particular piece will be flashed several
depiction of the chessboard will appear will be reversed in a fraction of a times to draw the attention of the player
on the left side of the screen (ap- second and you can use it to let the and then it will be moved to its new
proximately 2/~ of the screen is used computer play a move again itself. location.
for the chessboard). Well, I admit it's cheating, but it can be In summary, I think this is a very
The right hand side of the screen is quite interesting to see how the com- interesting program which will bring
used for communication between the puter analyzes the opponent's side, you many hours of enjoyment and, at
player and the computer. All the and it can be used for simulation and the same time, improve your chess
messages and prompts will be printed learning how to playa better game of game. It demonstrates in a nice way the
on this part of the screen. chess. In another extreme, one could capabilities of TRS-80 and all in all, is
playa game against himself by using an excellent program to have in your
Les Palenik, 25 Silversprings Blvd., Suite 512, the same command. library. I would highly recommend it to
Scarborough, ONT M1V1M9, Canada. Once the program has been loaded, you. •

78 CREATIVE COMPUTING
TRB-BD
MICROCHESS is the culmination of two years of chessplaying
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P.O. Box 136-C1 Personal Software™ Cambridge, MA 02138

CIRCLE 1.08 ON READER SERV,PE CARD
 How to Hide Your Basic Program
John M. Nevison

The heyday of the secretive easy to read. The inscrutable program reader won't know what he's rnisslnq. If
programmer is' over. Today he' is may be doomed! In order to survive he gets the idea that a program should
forced to fight a rearguard action. The today's threats to his art, the secretive be easy to read and understand, the
machine language of the fifties gave programmer must set some rules of program's mystery is seriously
way to Fqrtran. In the sixties, Fortran style. threatened. Do everything possible to
gave way to Basic and Cobol. The 1. Confuse Naked Code with a Well- suppress the notion that a finished
seventies' has seen contorted code Dressed Program program should, like an essay, have a
yielding to structured programming. Always call small fragments of title, a date, an author's name, and an
Professional practices have made life working code "programs" and the opening statement of purpose.
harder and harder for the secretive
programmer. No wonder he hurries Example Before
home from the office each night to the
limited memory and cramped code of
the personal computer. Here, in 100 REM SORT 16 SEPTEM~ER 1977 JO~ M. NEVISON
private, he can continue polishing his 110
120 REM SORTS A MIXEII BATCH OF NUMBERS, B(), IN.TO ASCENDING
ability to obscure code from the prying 130 REM ORDER. ESPECIALLY GOOD FOR BATCHES OF tESS THAN 50.
eye of the reader. 140
But even here the future threatens. A 142 REM REFERENCE: JOHN M. NEVISON, ·THE LITTLE I100K OF BASIC
Basic program can be well-styled on 144 REM STYLE: HOW TO WRITE A PROGRAM YOU CAN READ,·
minicomputers, and books have 146 REM READING, M~SS: ADDISON-WESLEY PUBlI~HING
appeared that show how micro Basics 147 ~EM COMPANY, 1978.
148
can be styled to reveal the program's 1..50REM VARIABLES:
ideas to the reader. New disc-resident 160 REM B() ••• THE BATCH OF NUMBERS
Basics are widening the opportunity to 170 REM I ••••• THE INDEX VARIABLE
style Basic on micros. Memory that is 180 REM L ••••• THE LENGTH OF THE CURRENT LIST
190 REM X ••••• THE EXCHANGE VARIABLE
200
210 REM CONSTANT:
220 LET N9 38 = 'NUMBER OF DATA
Now anyone can mystify 230
240 REM DIMENSIONS:
the reader with inscrutable 250 DIM B(38)
260
code by following these 270 REM MAIN PROGRAM
280
four simple rules of style. 290 REM READ IN N9 RANDOM NUMBERS, SORT THEM,
300 REM A~DPRINT THEM OUT.
310
presently quite expensive will become
I
315 LET X 0 =
320 FOR I = 1 TO N9
quite cheap. One authority predicts 330 LET .B(I) =
INT(R~D*25 +1)
that "a megabit storage chip will cost 340 PRINT B(I);
approximately $30 by 1985." Soon, 350 NEXT I
360 PRINT
perhaps within the year, bubble 366 PRINT
memory will make the secretive 370
programmer's favorite excuse, limited 38Q FO~ L= N9 TO 2 STEp -1
memory, a thing of the past. 390 FOR I =
1 TO L-1
In addition to losing his 40Q IF j(I) <- Bel) THEN 440
technological excuses for writing hard 410 LET X = B(I)
420 LET B(I) tt(L>
to read code, the secretive programmer 430 LET B(L> = X
will be besieged with readers who, from 440
time to time; will chance upon a well- 450 NEXT I
styled program, read it, and demand 460 NEXT L
that all programs be well-styled and 470
480 FOR. I = 1 TO N9
490 PRINT B(l);
'While the masculine pronoun is used throughout 500 NEXT 1
this article. the person referred to may be of either 510 F'RlI'iT
sex.
520
530 END
John M. Nevison, 3 Spruce St., Eioston, MA 02108.

80 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 secretive programmer, REM means
CONSTANT: REMove.
LET N9 = 38 'NUMBER OF DATA Sequential units of the program blur
together when the blank lines are
240 REM I1IMENSIONS:
250 DIM B(38) removed. The reader can no longer see
260 quickly where one part ends and the
270 REM MAIN PROGRAM next begins. Many Basics currently
280 help the secretive programmer here by
290 REM READ IN N9 RANDOM NUMBERS, SORT THEM, not allowing a blank line, but future
300 REM AND PRINT THEM OUT.
310
Basics will allow this dangerous line.
315 LET X.= 0 Guard against its use.
320 FOR I = 1 TO N9 The second space to avoid is inden-
330 LET B(I) =
INT(RND*25 +1) tation.
340 PRINT B(I);
350 NEXT I
360 PRINT· 220 LET N9 = 38
366 PRINT 250 DIM B(38)
370 315 LET X '" 0
380 FOR L =
N9 TO 2 STEP -1 320 FOR I = 1 TO N9
390 FOR I = 1 TO L-l 'Be I ) = f Nt( RHD*25 +1)
330' U::''T
IF B(I) <- B(L) THEN 440 340 PRINT B( I);
400 350 NEXT I
410 LET X = s cr : 360 PRINT
420 LET B(I) B(U 366 PRINT
430 LET B(U '" X 380 FOR L = N9 TO 2 STEP .-1
440 390 FOR I = 1 TO L-l
450 NEXT I 400 IF BII) <= BIL) THEN 450
410 LET X = B(I)
460 NEXT L 420 LET B(I) ='BIL)
470 430 LET B(L) = X
480 FOR I '" 1 TO N9 450 NEXT I
490 PRINT B(I); • 460 NEXT L.
500 NEXT I 480 FOR I '" 1 TO N9
510 PRINT 490 PRINT BII);
520 500 NEXT I
510 PRINT
530 END 530 END

Notice how the beheaded code is careful to avoid any PRINT statements Indentation can reveal the most
much more obscure. When the in- that might reveal what the code is difficult logical feature of most
troduction is missing, the reader doing. programs: the loop. Remove indenta-
doesn't know whom to ask about the tion, and loops regain their rightful
program. He doesn't know when it was 3. Strain the Reader's Eye mystery. The reader must now ferret
written or why, or what the variables What he can't see he can't under- them out one at a time. In fact, with
really mean. The odds are that hewon't stand. English has adopted many rules both blank lines and indentation
take the trouble to find out either. The of spacing that the secretive removed from the program, the logical
program has a much better chance of programmer should avoid. The general structure is completely hidden from the
passing byunexarnined. practice of the secretive programmer reader. He must take the program one
2. Never Comment Code should be donotuseaspaceifyoucan- line at a time and slowly construct his
Even after the introduction has been avoidit. own guess at what the structure of the
stripped away, a program will frequent- The first kind of space to avoid is the program might be.
ly have scraps of comment dressing blank line. The third space to avoid is line
blocks of code. Expunge these notes After the last REM statement is spaces.
mercilessly. Never give the reader any removed, only the heartiest of readers The reader must now read each line
explanation beyond the code itself. Be would brave this code. To the true one character at a time. Almost no one

220 LET N9 = 38
230
250 DIM B(38) 220 LET N9 '" 38 220LETN9=38
260 250 DIM B(38) 250DIMB(38)
315 LET X = 0 315 LET X = 0 315LETX=0
320 FOR I = 1 TO N9 320 FOR I = 1 TO N9 320FORI=lTON9 ,
330 LET BII) - INT(RND*25 +1) 330 LET £III) = INT(RND.*25 +1) 330LETBII)=INTIRND*25+1)
340 PRINT B(I); 340 PRINT BI!>; 340PRINTB(I);
350 NEXT I 350 NEXT I . 350NEXTl
360 PRINT 360 PRINT 360PRINT
366 PRINT 366 PRINT 366PRINT
370 380 FOR L • N9 TO 2 STEP -1 380FORL=N9T02STEP-l
380 FOR L = N9 TO 2 STEP -'1 390 FOR I = 1 TO L-l 390FORI=lTOL-l
390 FOR I = 1 TO L-l 400 IF BII) (= BIL) THEN 450 400IFBI I )(-B(L> THEN450
400 IF B(I) (= B(L) THEN 440 410 LET X = BII) 410LETX=BII)
410 LET X = B( 1) 420 LET sr r i BIL> 420LETBO )=B(L>
420 LET B(!) B(L> 430LETB IL>=X
430 LET BIL> '" X
430 LET B(Ll = X 450 NEXT I 450NEXTl
440 460 NEXT L 460NEXTL
450 NEXT I 480 FOR I = 1 TO N9 480FORI=lTON9
460 NEXT L 490 PRINT Bon 490PRINTB(J n
470 500 NEXT I 500NEXTl
480 FOR I .- 1 TO N9 510PRINT
490
500
PRINT £1(1);
NEXT I
;~~ PRINT
ENII 530END
510 f'RINT -r

520
530 END

JAN 1979 81
 but the most die-hard fanatic will
Micro Business Software attempt to understand the program at
this stage. The program's privacy is
• Complete interactive, double entry account- almost completely assured.
ing system
.51 programs with 120 pages of documen-
tation 220LETN9=38
250DIMB(38)
• Written in Northstar BASIC (other variations 315LETX=O
available) 320FORI=lTON9
330LETB(I)=INT(RND*25+i1
• General ledger, accounts receivable, 340PRINTB(I);
350NEXTi:
accounts payable, inventory and payroll 360PRINT
366F'RINT
• Only 24K of memory 380LETL=N9
382IFL=2THEN530
• Single diskette can hold 400 customer 390FORI=lTOL-l
listings, 50 vendors, 400 line items of 400IFB(I»=B(L)THEN450
410LETX=B(J)
inventory, 25 employees, 60 general ledger 420LETB(I)=B(L)
accounts. 430LETB(l)=X
450NEXTI
• Only $200.00 455PRINTB(l) ;
460LETL'=L-l
To order GBIS business software, send check, 462GOT0382
530PRINTB(2);B«()
money order or purchase order (Calif. residents 535f'RINT
add 6% sales tax -prepaid orders shipped 540END
at no charge) to:

computer Products Of America 4. Contort the Logic

A Division of The Computer Mart Structure is the secretive
633 West Katella Avenue programmer's nemesis. By following
Orange, CA 92667 the first three rules for obscure
(714) 633-1222 programs, the secretive programmer
will frequently end up with contorted
Dealer and OEM prices upon request
logic. Nonetheless, the code should be
examined to be sure its logical flow is
CIRCLE 170 ON READER SERVICE CARD confusing. A little extra work can yield
a ·Iot of confusion.
Avoiding an easy-to-understand
and run machine language programs orne, ay eo FOR-NEXT makes the program much
more difficult to comprehend. The only
graphics on your TV set and design microprocessor circuits-the
thing this piece of code has in common
very first night-even if you've never used a computer before!
with the original program is its output.
ELF II featuringRCA COSMAC Very few readers could verify that fact
microproce~~:COMPUTER $9995
ElF II by without running the code.
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With these four simple rules of style,
Stop reading about computers and get your hands on one! With a $99.95 ELF
II and our Short Course by Tom Pittman, you master computers in no time at even the weakest secretive program-
all! ELF II demonstrates all 91 commands an ReA 1802can execute and the mer can learn to hide his Basic
Short Course quickly teaches you to use each of the 1802's capabilities. ELF II
also displays graphics on any TV set. including an exciting new target/missile program. The test of the truly obscure
gun game! Add-ons are among the most advanced available anywhere. You get
massive computing potential. No wonder I EEE chapters, universities and major program is that it must be run on a
corporations all use ELF II to train engineers and students! Kit is easily assembled computer to be understood. As a
in a single evening and you may still have time to run your first programs before going
consequence, the secretive
n o
----~---.!!.!.!'~-sENDTODAy!-----------l
NOW AVAILABLE FOR ELF 1/-
Tom Pittman's Short Course On Mi-
crorrocessor & C;0mputer Program.m-
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II TIny BASIC on cassette
Netronics R&D Ltd., Dept. CC9
333 Litchfield Road. Phone
New Milford, CT 06776 (203) 354-9375
programmer, when confronted by an
old piece of his own code, will be
tng teaches you Just about everything tape. Commands include SAVE, unable to guess why it was written or
there is to know about ELF II or any LOAD, -:!:.,x. +. ( ),26 variables A-Z, Yes! I want to run programs at home and
RCA 1802 computer. Written in non- LET, IFITHEN. INPUT. PRINT. haveenclosed:O 599.95 plus$3 postage what it did. His confusion is his ultimate
technical language. it's a learning GO TO. GO SUB, RETURN, END, & handling lor RCA COSMAC ELF II kit. reassurance. For if he does not unders-
breakthrough for engineers and laymen REM. CLEAR. LIST. RUN, PLOT. 0 $4.95 for power supply (required).
alike. $5.00 postpaid! PEEK. POKE. Comes fully docu- 0 $5 for RCA 1802 User's Manual. 0 $5 tand his own code, he can rest assured
o Deluxe metal cabinet with plexiglas mented and includes alphanumeric for Short Course on Microprocessor & that no one else will.
dust cover for ELF II. $29.95 plus generator required to display al- Computer Programming.
$2.50 p&h. phanumeric characters directly on your 0 I want mine wired and tested with Author Note
o ELF II connects to the video input TV screen without additional hard- power supply, RCA 1802 User's Manual
of your TV set. If you prefer to use ware. Also plays tick-tack-toe plus a and Short Course includedforjusl$149.95 The author has been writing illegible
your antenna terminals, order RF drawing game that uses ELF II's hex plus $3 p&h! Basic programs for thirteen years. A
Modulator, $8.95 postpaid. hey board as a joystick. 4k memory re- D I am also enclosing payment (including
o GIANT BOARD"" kit with cassette quired. $14.95 postpaid. postage & handling) for the items checked great deal of this time he was at
110, RS 232-CITTY [10, 8-bit PliO, 0 Tom Pittman's Short Course on TIny atthe left.
decoders for 14 separate 1/0 instruc- BASIC for ELF II. $5 postpaid. Total Enclosed (Conn. res. add tax)
Dartmouth College (where Basic was
tions and a system monitor/editor, D Expansion Power Supply (required $ "_. 0 Check here if invented in 1964 by Thomas E. Kurtz
$39.95 plus $2 p&h. when adding 4k RAM). $34.95 plus $2 you are enclosing Money Order or Cashier's
D Kluge (Prototype) Board accepts up p&h. Check to expedite shipment. and John G. Kemeny). Recently he has
to 361C's. $17.00 plus $1 p&h.
o 4k Static RAM kit. Addressable to
0 ELF·BUG'" Deluxe System
on cassette tape. Allows displaying the
Monitor USE YOUR D VISA D Master Charge
(I t b k # )
. become a convert to writing well-styled
any 4k page to 64k. $89.95 plus $3 p&h. contents of all registers
on your TV at A~C~~,"t"# ~ ~ ~ ~ programs and now refuses to read any
o Gold plated 86-pin connectors (one any point in your program. Also dis-
of his own old programs. His articles
required for each plug-in board). $5.70 plays 24 bytes of memory with full ad- Signature Exp. Date __
postpaid. dresses, blinking cursor and auto scroll- PHONE ORDERS ACCEPTED (203) 354·9375 have appeared in Creative Computing
o Professional ASCII Keyboard kit ing. A must f~r t~e serious program- Print
with 128 ASC II upper/lower case set, mer!.$14.95 postpaid. Name (Vol. 1, No.1), Science, and the
96 printable characters. onboard regu- C?mmg Soon: A-D, O-A Converter, Address publications of the ACM. His new book,
lator, parity, logic selection and choice Llg,ht ~e~, Controller Board, Color .
of 4 handshaking signals to mate with
lmost any computer. $64.95 plus $2
Graphics & MUSIC System ... and
more!
City
State Zip
_
J The Little Book of Basic Style, has just
been published by Addison-Wesley. _
U &h.
___________________ Call or write for wired prices! ---
DEALERINQUIRIESINVITED.

CIRCLE 160 ON
READER SERVICE CARD
82 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 Postage, paper, and printing prices have been soaring out of sight and it is just a matter of time
before we'll have to raise our subscription prices. However, before we do so, we're giving you,
our readers, a chance to subscribe or extend your subscription at the current rate. Not only that,
but we're giving you an incentive to do it today. Wot a deal!

A complete set of all 9 issues of ROM is yours The great children's game "Computer Rage"
free with a 3-year renewal, extension, or new or the hilarious "Colossal Computer Cartoon
subscription to Creative Computing. Book" is yours free with a 2-year renewal,
ROM magazine was published from July 1977 extension, or new subscription to Creative
to April 1978 and contained some outstanding Computing.
articles by the leaders in the field: Lee Computer Rage has been hailed by educators
as an outstanding game for teaching youngsters
Felsenstein (designer of the SOL), Joseph
between 7 and 14 about the binary number
Weizenbaum (AI guru at MIT), Theodor Nelson
system (the game uses 3 binary dice!), parts of a
(author of Computer Lib/Dream Machines), Bill computer system and how a program is
Etra (a video/computer artist), Frederick processed. In addition the game is sheer fun!
Chesson (computer cryptography expert), and Recommended by Instructor, The Arithmetic
many others. Each issue of ROM, "the com- Teacher, The Science Teacher, Curriculum
puter magazine for the curious," had a full- Product Review and others.
color heavy centerfold suitable for framing, The Colossal Computer Cartoon Book is our
outstanding fiction, how-to articles, games, best-selling book containing over 300 side
puzzles, and much more. splitting, wacky, droll, punny, cute, and clever
cartoons. "The funny side of computers, robots,
and other malicious machines."

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 o

('

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, E , " , 8 E ,

, - ---- "":
-. •• Ii

I am not sure just when computer operators come up with It is several days before the August Club accepts the chal-
the phrase "Garbage in - garbage out," but I suspect it is lenge, and I presume the delay is due to the well-known fact
the year the men's club at Burnt Brush Golf Course begins that Jimmy the Green does not make hasty challenges, his
feeding our scores into the computer to figure handicaps. livelihood depending as it does on the outcome of such
You see, Burnt Brush does not enjoy a reputation for matters.
having great golfers, or even very good ones. This is why I am Jimmy the Green is the finest golf course tout I ever know.
so surprised the day Jimmy the Green tells me he challenges Of course, he is the only golf course tout I ever know, or even
the August Country Club to an eight-man team match and sets hear about, but he is a good one. Nobody knows how he does
the odds at 7-5 in favor of Burnt Brush. it, but give him a few hours to figure his system, and he will
"But why do you pick the August Club?" I ask increduously. tell you almost every time who willwin or lose a match, and he
"That is a very classy club, indeed." will set the odds to boot.
"Precisely," says Jimmy the Green confidently. "And Well, when the August Club accepts the challenge, there
according to my system, Burnt Brush has a team that can is much rejoicing at Burnt Brush, not only because Jimmy the
beat any team in the nation - providing I select the team Green has picked us to win, but also because we are invited
members - so why not take on the best? It is simply good to play at their course, and an invitation to August is not easy
business." to come by, never mind the home course advantage.

84 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 The wagers begin coming in, even before Jimmy the Green but a lowdown crook. I wish to set the record straight, once
names his line-up, and understandably most bets say August and forever. Will you hear me out?"
wins. Now, when it comes to a dollar Nassau, even with "Of course," I say, but first I try to cheer him up by letting
automatic presses, we at Burnt Brush have great faith in Jimmy him know that he is held in high esteem at Burnt Brush, by
the Green's picks. But our faith waivers more than somewhat one and all. "None of us know how you did it, but picking
in the face of double sawbucks and occasional C notes put Burnt Brush over August has to be the long shot of the ages.
up by the August players who figure the match to be a romp. Our hats are off to you, Jimmy the Green."
It is a tribute to Jimmy the Green's belief in his own system, He is not impressed. Pouring himself' a fresh cup of tea,
to say nothing of his bankroll which I do not realize the size, he begins like this: "Before I start hanging around here at
that he covers all wagers single-handedly. And it is a tribute Burnt Brush, I follow the horses for most of my 50-odd years,
to his reputation for honesty that he is allowed to hold the and this is a following with more ups and downs than a yo-yo
stakes. on an elevator."
On the day of the match I am shivering on the first tee at I nod.
August Country Club, unprepared for the cold drizzle and
chilly wind because only the day before the weatherman
forecasts a warm, calm day. I am wondering how this will
affect our team, when I hear the familiar "psssst" of Jimmy
the Green.
He motions for me to join him, and Isee that he also is caught
unaware by the cold and wet. He is shaking and dripping in a
thin polo shirt, holding a newspaper over his head with one
hand and a large shopping bag with the other.
"I will be much obliged if you will hold the pot," says
Jimmy the Green. "It is all here in the bag."
My eyes bug out at the sight of the bag, stuffed with
greenbacks. "Are you Sure you can trust me?"
He hands me the bag. "Any guy that loses as regularly
as you do has got to be honest."
I thank him for the compliment. Then he gives me some
special instructions, and I start to get worried.
"Win or lose," Jimmy says, "I plan to leave on an extended
vacation. If I win, a gent named No-alibi Al willbe by to collect
my bundle. Give it to him. If I lose, the same gent will be
by to collect my body. Give him my regards."
I am more than a little nervous wondering if this No-alibi Al
is particular about which body he collects. But before I
can protest, Jimmy the Green disappears, quicker than you
can say pssst,' and even before the match begins.
Well, the short of it is this: To everyone's surprise and my
great relief, who should win the match but Burnt Brush.
Immediately, a weird little guy with shifty eyes and a large
suitcase sidles up to me and says "pssst." It is a menacing
pssst that packs a lot of authority, so when he identifies himself "Well, it is during a prolonged down spell that my system
as No-alibi Al and demands Jimmy the Green's winnings, I predicts a sure long-shot winner. But I am having a serious
do not hesitate in emptying the shopping bag contents into case of the shorts so I make arrangements for a substantial
his suitcase. He hurries away and I never see him again, which advance from a gent that I do not normally do any business
is the next-best thing to never seeing him the first time. with. As it turns out, my system is only partly right. My pick
I am surprised that a classy club like August puts up such IS a sure long-shot ... but not a winner. So, for my health, I
a fuss. They figure getting beat by Burnt Brush is impossible, leave the track, planning not to return until I figure out why
if all is on the up-and-up ... which many do not believe it is. my system goes sour, and not even then unless I somehow
There is a charge made that Jimmy the Green has tricked gather enough 'legal tender to cure my serious case of the
them. shorts."
Well, we ignore the cries of anguish from the losers and I nod again, even though Jimmy the Green is not the easiest
there is much celebrating around Burnt Brush, and for months guy in the world to understand. '
to come Jimmy the Green is the toast of the clubhouse. "I happen to stop at this clubhouse of yours for a cup of tea,"
Jimmy the infallible! The greatest judge of golfing talent! he says, "and my misery loves company, which is abundantly
But he is not around to collect his kudos. We presume he provided by the golfers, about as miserable a bunch as I ever
is off making his fortune picking winners on the professional see."
tour. He becomes a living legend, so you can uriderstand "What is their problem?" I ask.
my excitement two years later when I stop by the clubhouse "They are down in the dumps - I hear from the coriver-
and from a dark corner of the cafeteria I hear "pssst." sations around me - because they never know from one day
"Jimmy the Green!" I hurry to his table. "How have you to the next how weli they will score. I can identify with this
been?" because I also am never sure when I will make a good score
Right away, I am sorry I ask. Even in the dim light he does either. I hear one guy say, 'If somebody could tell me why I
not look much like a living legend, which I would not expect shoot 85 one day and cannot break 100 the next, I'd give
to see wearing the same polo shirt he has on the day of the him a million bucks.' Now, such figures naturally draw my
match. attention. Then I hear mention that some good bundles are
He invites me to sit, and gets right to the point. "The story being laid on a 'horse race' coming up, which I learn is not a
of the upset win by Burnt Brush spreads far and wide, and I teal horse race but rather a competition among two-man
keep hearing how Jimmy the Green somehow tricks the golf teams, and it is then that I get an idea. The computer for
August Country Club, and that Jimmy the Green is nothing figuring handicaps is the key."

JAN 1979 85
 "This is the first time I hear that you use the computer," I say. careful blending of windjammers and mudders, but I am left
"More on that in a moment," says Jimmy the Green. "Well, with t;;y bundle, not to mention my life, riding on the sunshine
developing a system for this kind of horse race is a piece of boys.
cake. I get the field figured, place a pile on my choice, and make "To this very moment, none of us realize your predicament
a very good score, indeed. It is on this day, when I am tucking on that day. How do you possibly arrange for the Sunshine
the greens into my wallet, that ... " . boys to win?" I make no attempt to hide my excitement.
"We begin calling you Jimmy the Green," I recall. "The plain and simple truth is ... " Jimmy the Green
"And also because none of you can pronounce my last pauses and lowers his head. "I do not arrange anything. Ac-
name, Sandatrapolous. But from this moment on, I enjoy a cording to my system, those sunshine boys cannot beat
good reputation as the club's ex-officio handicapper, as their sick grandmothers on that day."
you know. 1 begin picking up some good scratch from my "And that is why you ask me to hold the bag?"
clientele who wish me to tell them such things as how well He nods agreement. "Precisely." Sipping the last of his tea,
they will play and also the 'form' on their opponents, which he gets up slowly to leave. "I am going back to the track
is handy information to have when it comes to/placing side where computerized odds are routine, and where the only
wagers on the outcomes." . weather condition that matters can be determined by a glance
"Handy, indeed'," I agree. over the rail, right up to post time."
"But I am not making enough to meet a certain obligation "What should I tell the guys at the club?"
I have with the gent of whom I speak to you about before. "Tell them that a system that cannot be trusted 100 per-
He has set a no-alibi deadline of June 1st." cent is worse than no system at all, and can lead to nothing but
I shudder at the recollection of my meeting with the gent. a case of the shorts. This is the record I wish to set straight.
"Consequently," Jimmy the Green goes on, "I am forced to Better that Jimmy the Green is remembered as a failure than
go for the big bundle and it is then that I decide to run an as a lowdown crook. Iwillappreciate your spreading the word."
eight-man team against the August Country Club. I figure Jimmy the Green walks out of the Clubhouse into a cold
there is no way I can lose because it is simply a contest drizzle, one hand holdinq a racine form over his head.
between my system and no system at all, which is no contest." It is a shaking experience to witness the death of a legend.
"Do you mind if I ask how your system works?'; I ask. I am so shaken, in fact, that it is several minutes before I
"At this point, I do not mind," he says. "My system is based realize that I forget to tell Jimmy the Green some very impor-
on a theory that golfers are no different than horses in that tant news. I think he would have been impressed to learn that
some are .natural 'mudders', while othe~s comes through during his two years' absence, his sunshine boys - no doubt
better on a dry track - or fairway ifyou prefer. It is also my instilled with incomputable confidence as a result of being
theory that amqng golfers we have 'windjammers," who are picked to win by the infallible Jimmy the Green - chalk up
at their best in a gale, and we have 'sunshine boys' who should four straight victories over the August team ... in all kinds
not get out of bed if the temperature drops below 70." of weather. .
"This is an interesting theory," I say, "but how did you test Some day soon I will spread the word about Jimmy the
it?" Green's system as he explained it to me. But not just now.
You see, before I run into Jimmy the Green, I place a rather
large wager on the sunshine bOYSin their match tomorrow
"My system is based on a theory againstthe AugustCountry Club. Iwant our team to remember
that they are the pick of Jimmy the Green, and not to worry
that golfers are no different than that the forecast calls for cold, gusty winds arid rain. . •
hOrses ... "

"The computer, as I say, is the key. I simply arrange to

run the scores of Burnt Brush players through the computer,
and feed in weather bureau dafa for the corresponding dates,
back three years. What comes out is a complete form sheet
on the players, not unlike the daily racing form. It reveals a
clear pattern of performance, all based on the weather, as
I surmise. In addition, the computer tells me something I do
not even suspect. That is, that some golfers get out of the
starting gate early, others hits their stride mid-way, while
others have a strong finish." .
"I do not understand," I confess.
"What this means is that some golfers have their best scores
in the spring, others in the summer, and still others come on
strong in the autumn stretch." .
Jimmy the Green takes a long sip of tea. "And that is the
long and short of my system, which I test successfully for
many months at Burnt Brush, So, on the day before the
match, I have three tentative teams on standby: the mudders,
the windjammers, and the sunshine boys, all of them fast
out of the gate. When the weatherman calls for no wind or
rain and a high of 85, I summon my sunshine boys, feeling 1I11
almost guilty it is so easy."
"But the weather turns out cold and wet, as I recall."
"Right." He shakes his head. "I fail to figure the weakest
link in my chain to riches, the weatherman - may he someday
be jabbed by his weathervane as he bends over his barometer!" ~ THO=e PRAcTicAL t.bKEG ~ '('OURS ARE
"And it is too late to switch teams," I commiserate. GO//v& -ro ser-eo INTo tROU8Le
"Indeed it is. What I need," says Jimmy the Green, "is a .:oMEDA'r, 8A"=?NSTO~II

86 CREATIVE COMPUTING
Announcing the marriage of
the electric pen(il tm

toTRS-·

*TRS-80 is a product of
Radio Shack, Div. of
Tandy Corporation
\

NOW! The Word Processor you've asked for!

The well known Electric Pencil, which has been in use
for two years with many of the popular microcomputers, The Electric Pencil has been designed to work with
has prompted numerous requests for a version for use on both Level I (16K system) and Level II models of the
the TRS-80. We are therefore proud to announce imme- TRS-80, and with virtually any printer you choose.
diate availability of The Electric Pencil for the TRS-80,
featuring the same fine capabilities that have made The Upgraded Versions
Electric Pencil so popular. Full price for the TRS-80 ver-
Any version of The Electric Pencil may be upgraded to
sion is only $99.95.
accomodate new equipment. Simply return the original cas-
the electric pencil sette to Michael Shrayer Software, Inc., along with the
price difference between your present Electric Pencil and
--A Proven Word Processing System
the upgraded version, plus $15 for handling.
Extremely easy to use, The Electric Pencil lets you pro-
duce mailing lists, business forms, large numbers of original Demand a Demo from your Dealer!
correspondence, camera-ready copy for printing ... all on
Your dealer will have a manual and descriptive litera-
your TRS-80.
ture for you to see, and can demonstrate The Electric
The Electric Pencil is a character oriented word proces-
Pencil to you, on the spot! Look the manual over carefully,
sing system, which means you have maximum freedom and
and note the explicit instructions which lead you easily
simplicity in the handling of text. No carriage returns or
through The Electric Pencil operation. The manual was pro-
word hyphenations are necessary. Line formatting is done
duced using The Electric Pencil which will enable you to
automatically by The Electric Pencil.
see its beautiful capabilities for yourself. Then try it out on
The Electric Pencil combines features found in more
your dealer's demo unit. If, for some incredible reason, he's
expensive systems with many capabilities you won't find
unprepared, demand it! Or write:
anywhere. Right margin justification, page numbering and
titling, and many combinations of line length,. page length,
and line and page spacing are always under your control.
Text editing capabilities eliminate guesswork when input-
ting. The text appears on the video monitor as you insert it, m MICHAEL SHRAYER SOFTWARE,
1253 Vista SuperbaDrive
INC.

and you can view text whenever you wish using the bidirec-
tional variable speed scrolling feature. You can insert, de-
lete, or relocate any text using simple keyboard commands.
55 Glendale,CA 91205

CIRCLE 142 ON READER SERVICE CARD

__ ----- A Creative Computing Equipment Profile ...

The Boredom Destroyer:

ExidyJgSorcerer
By combining the best features of two of the most
popular systems on the market, the Sorcerer
promises to be quite a contender.

============================
Ken Barbier ===================
The real grabber was what appeared for game playing, but was severely Hardware Features
to be an 8-track tape cartridge plugged limited for any serious use. With the Anticipating this type of use, a 25 pin
into the side of the machine. As the optional Level 2 BASIC installed, the connector has been grovided f~
salesman was quick to point out, the Radio Shack computer is a fine ~rallel input!outQut (I/O), so that a
cartridge didn't contain tape - it held machine for home or business use. printer or typewriter type terminal can
the BASiC language in read-only Both of these micros are readily be instantly .attached for hard copy.
memory (ROM),. And, in the future, expandable, but the choice of the IEEE Also sharing the back panel of the
other languages and utility programs 488 interface bus for the PET is Sorcerer's enclosure are a second 5
would become available in the same questionable. This bus convention is pin connector providing access to the
format, so that they could be instantly found on expensive laboratory equip- -ua au 10 cassette interfaces-aswell
swapped with the BASIC, simply by ment, but it is not compatible with the as-anB:S-=-232 'serial data lineTor-
unplugging' on cartridge and plug- peripherals available to the typical commuriicating with remote terminals.
ging in a new language. This feature, personal computer user. Completing this array of interface
combined with a really extensive capability is a QQ..pin card-edge con-
keyboard providing instant access to nector which can be used to attach
graphics as Well as alphanumeric -s:-ro- Altair t pe ex ansion chassis.
characters, led me to fall instantly in e eyboard on the Sorcerer is one
love with the Sorcerer Computer. of the machine's outstanding features.
This was in April '78 at the PER- Not just because it has a comfortable,
COMP convention in Long Beach, solid feel, and features both upper and
California. SOrcerer production was lower case. Actually, some keys have
scheduled to begin in June. It was not five distinct functions: l.J.Pper case,
until early in August that a new lower case, graphic character, u~
Sorcerer arrived on my doorstep. Read defined graphic character and single
on and YO!J will see if I think the wait keystroke en ry of ASIC statements.
was worth it. Take a Sorcerer Computer, add a CRT monitor This latter feature allows a non-typisT
or modified TV set (as in this case) and a cassette to key in a BASIC program about as
recorder, and you have a complete microcom-
Instant Computer fast as a typist could. Access to each of
puter system. The Rom Pac cartridge plugged into
Little more than a year has passed the right side of the computer allows 'instant the five function levels is through the
since the initial deliveries of the first program swapping. use of the SHIFT and GRAPHIC keys.
"take it out of the box and turn it on" With neither pressed you get a lower
microcomputer, the PET from Com- Enter the Sorcerer case letter. SHIFT gives upper case, as
modore. Shortly on its heels arrived ~ Incorporated,' a leading on a typewriter. GRAPHIC provides
the TRS-80 from Radio Shack. These manufacturer of arcade tYJ1e video access to the 8 by 8 dot matrix built-in
computers are now readily available, games, aware of the shortcomings of graphic characters. SHIFT and
and are supported by a mountain of l'fie e-first two personal computers GRAPH IC keys together provide
software for both game playing and when it developed the Sorcerer, took access to a user defined 8 x 8 dot
serious' business use. Neither of these full advantage of their experience. character, provided he has previously
machines is perfect. The PET has a . Exidy combined the really great entered the bit pattern into RAM
funny little keyboard that may be graphics capability of the PET with the memory. When BASIC is running, or is
alright for one-finger pecking, but is eXQansion flexibility of the T 8.=.80and in the command mode, the cornbina-
pure agony for anyone who can type. added Its own super feature, the RQDL tion of the GRAPHIC and a letter key
The PET does include an addinq Pac". The Sorcerer has a full will produce a complete BASIC state-
machine/calculator type keypad, ~cL.Wlth both up~ ment or command (GOTO, CLOAD,
however, which greatly speeds up and lower case letters dis layed on the etc.). In spite of this, BASIC still has
numeric data entry. CH ,---and w en the word processing_ access to the graphics characters. If
The TRS-80 has a real keyboard, but system becomes available, a quick you want your BASIC program- to
lacks the numeric keypad. The CRT swap of the cartridges will convert the display a graphic character, it would be
display is TOO LARGE at 12" and has machine into a smart typewriter, with entered between quotes (as in: LET A$
too few lines displayed at anyone time. the addition of a hardcopy device, of = lL1") in which case the GRAPHIC
With Level 1 BASIC the TRS was alright course. key in combination with another key
Ken Barbier, Borrego Engineering, PO Box 1253, will produce the graphic character
Borrego Springs, CA 92004. '969 West Maude Ave, Sunnyvale. CA 94086 rather than the BASIC statement.

88 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 Hard Software
Computer programs used to be
and an X-Y plotter, or any of the other
S-100 bus' com pati ble peripherals
Mow,a book
referred to as "software."
with the introduction
However,
of higher level
already on the market. Sorcerer
ready when you are!
is
for the practicing
languages
more descriptive
in ROM, "firmware"
term. Programs on
is a
The "So Who's Perfect?" Department
professional ...
tape can still be called "soft." The nice Professor Gilmauch Crimwaddy's
thing about firmware is that it is Second Law of Static Dynamics states
instantly available. No five minute wait that "Version 2 (of anything) is the first
for a tape to load. version that really works." This is
In addition to the BASIC language in quoted here not to challenge Fun-
Rom Pac, the Sorcerer comes with an damentalists or the First Book. It is
extensive monitor program in ROM on merely to point out that when you insist
the CPU board, where it is always on ordering a machine before it is even
available. This monitor handles all the in production, you can expect to find
I/O for the Rom Pac language, so it can something wrong somewhere. Let's
be used to reassign the input or output see what one customer found.
operations for BASIC in the event a My Sorcerer was the fifteenth off the
peripheral terminal or printer is used. production line. It was unpacked and
At the machine language level the placed on the kitchen table. A Hitachi
monitor provides the usual. operator 9" monitor was connected to the
access to memory for dumping or VIDEO OUT jack. No monitor is
changing memory locations. There are included with the Sorcerer, allowing
also commands for reading and the user to select a screen size com-
writing to either of the taRe interfaces,"'" patible with his glasses prescription.
and even tapes writte by BASIC_caR~ The BASIC Rom Pac was inserted and
ooloaoe§from_the monitor. A" a h" .the POWER switch activated. Sorcerer
mode is also available, which allows came up running, and informed methat
"This is the best handbook of data
theopera or c5Cr~e_a taRec0nt8Tning I had 7400 bytes available. The rest of
communications system technology
a series of commands, which the that this reviewer has yet
monitor can t en execute one at a time. encountered."-Arvid G. Larson in
--Forexamp"I~, assuminvtwoCaSsette ACM ComRuting Reviews
drives are used, with the motor on-off February 1978
controls connected, a batch tape can
Digital Press announces the
be created which will load a BASIC or
publication of TECHNICAL
machine language program, run the
ASPECTS OF DATA COMMUNI-
program, return to the monitor batch
CATION by John McNamara.
mode, load another program, execute
Written for the practicing pro-
it, etc. Using this feature, programs fessional, TECHNICAL ASPECTS
which are too big to fit in memory at OF DATA COMMUNICATION
one time can be loaded and run in details the nuts-and-bolts prob-
sequence without operator attention. lems and solutions in configuring
The BASIC supplied with the communications systems. It
the 8192 bytes of RAM that come with
Sorcerer is an 8K version which is more features: • comparison of protocols
the machine are used by BASIC and
powerful than. Radio Shack Level 1 but (DDCMP, BISYNC, SDLC) • exten-
the monitor. The 7400 left forthe user is
falls short of PET or Level 2 sive explanation of interface stand-
plenty. It will take a while to fill them up.
capabilities. It has no double precision ards (CCITT/V.24, RS232C, RS422,
The first three weeks of Sorcerer's
option, PRINT USING, EDIT, or AUTO RS423) • six comprehensive
life were devoted to constant activity. It
line numbering. The lack of double appendices (how far/how fast?,
moved around locally. It took a 500 mile
precision can seriously limit business modem options, codes, UART,
trip in the trunk of my car. It was used
use of the machine. format and speed table for asyn-
by nine year olds and up. It was asked
chronous communication, chan-
to display its' 30 lines of text on a high
nel conditioning) •20 milliampere
Expansion: Optional resolution monitor and on a cheap TV
loop • telephone switching
While it is nice to know that the set. It was required to talk to several systems> error detection
connector is there on the back panel, different inexpensive cassette
•382 pages • 125 figures •70
and that an expansion chassis is recorders. Its interface ports were pages of tables > index •hardcover
available to connect it to, the features probed by scope, although real
already included with the Sorcerer peripherals were not yet available for
r---·--------------,
make you wonder if expansion will ever
be required. RAM can be expanded to
32K on board. Two tape decks with
the acid test. All seems in order. Yet, no
one is perfect.
The SHIFT LOCK key refused to
"'D'Dn~D
I ~ ~ U~ ~~~~=:i~~e~sselVices
Digital Equipment Corp.
II
automatic motor control plug right iri. keep the keyboard in upper case. This I Dept. DP-H Crosby Drive, Bedford, MA 01730
I would like to order copies of I
An 8 bit parallel input and an 8 bit
parallel output port are built in along
is important to BASIC, which will
accept strings in lower case but wants I TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF DATA
COMMUNICATION at $19.95 per copy. I
with a bidirectional
These features
RS-232 interface.
permit a computer
statements in upper case. One of the
many users discovered that by press- II o Check enclosed 0 Money Order enclosed
Plus $1.00 for Postage and Handling. I
system configuration quite capable of ing down and slightly to the right on the
handling serious business data key top it could be made to work I Name I
processing without expansion. If you
insist. .. go ahead and add a couple of
reliably,
This was the only hardware deficien-
I Address I
c disc drives and a speech synthesizer cy with the Sorcerer. It can hardly be I City State Zip__ I
L _________
Prices apply in U.S. only. .J

CIRCLE 162 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

JAN 1979 89
 called a "failure," merely an in- Putting Sorcerer to Work customer account data base. In
convenience. There are a couple of This computer was acquired for a succeeding months it will be required
minor deficiencies with the "firmware." purpose: to prove (or perhaps dis- to update the account records and
While a long BASIC listing is flashing prove) the contention that an under print monthly statements. These tasks
past on the screen, the CTRL 0 function $2000 computer system can earn its are well within the capabilities of the
does not serve to pause the listing, as keep in a small business environment. basic machine, with no expansion
the manual implies it should. That No disc drive or expensive printer will chassis or disc system required.
covers the problems with the BASIC be used. No all-encompassing high
language. powered general ledger program will Conclusions
The advertising brochure which I be used. Small businesses of the Mom With its super set of built in features,
picked up in April stated that the and Pop variety cannot and will not the Exidy Sorcerer stands head and
monitor program allowed the operator modify all of their bookkeeping prac- shoulders above its competition. But,
to examine and alter registers and set tices to conform to the requirements of since it does not come with CRT
breakpoints. The manual that arrived the general purpose accounting monitor or cassette tape recorder, it
with the computer doesn't mention software packages. There are a myriad also costs more than the competition.
these functions. Perhaps they are of other tasks which a small computer The extra expenditu re for the Sorcerer,
there, but the writer forgot them. If so, can perform in order to earn its keep. as compared to the Radio Shack or
he could have been the same writer The Sorcerer will be assigned these Commodore computers, can only be
who neglected to mention how to tasks, one at a time. Within hours of its justified on the basis of the more
implement the BASIC USR function, arrival it had performed the first. As the serious use of the machine and taking
whereby an assembly language routine photograph of the TV set display advantage of its special features. This
can be called by a BASIC program. So shows, the computer was used to makes the lack of double precision
much for the deficiencies in documen-· generate a pseudo-random set of key arithmetic and extended features of
tation.
This Exidy Sorcerer has been given a
really hard workout since it arrived.
patterns to be used to master-key a
motel. (Burglars please note that the
. patterns shown are not those actually
BASIC all the more serious.
Assuming a future upgrade to a ~
extended BASIC, this machine could
*
You have to be a real nit-picker like me used.) become a near perfect small computer
to find these few minor problems. It With two tape interfaces and a printer for business use. As it stands now, it is
would appear that Exidy, Inc., has port built in, this computer can perform the best choice for the serious hobbyist
disproved the Second Law. Version 1 of real data processing tasks. One of its or experimenter. _
the Sorcerer is a near perfect product. first assignments will be to generate a

The information contained in the Physicians Micro-

computer Report could save you thousands of dollars
and a lot of headaches.

THE PHYS~C~flflS The burgeoning costs of health care can only be

controlled by the most efficient means of data ac-
quisition, recording, and processing.
There is no doubt that microcomputer technology
m~CAocompUTEA AEPOAT will touch every phase of medical practice.
In the Physicians Microcomputer Report you
get objective analysis on:
• How to pick the microcomputer system that best
Interesting Articles on suits your medical and professional needs.
Microcomputer • Where to find low cost medical and business
Applications in: software.
• Articles and programs writteh by physicians on
•Medical Account Records microcomputer application in business, research,
•Tax Record Preparation and their own specialties.
•Automated Patient Billing • News on the latest developments in medical
• Patient History Review electronics and microcomputer applications.
• Drug Inventory and • Articles for the novice medical microcomputer
Prescription Printing user.
• Employee Compensation • National coordination of microcomputer medical
• Disease and Drug Cross- software development and coverage of medical
Indexing related computer conferences.
•Success of Treatment • No nonsense economic facts on whether now is
Evaluation the time for you to computerize or just add more
• Lab Data Processing personnel.
•Access to Large Medical • Analysis of the future impact microcomputers will
Data Bases (Toxicology) have on the allied medical areas.
•Third Party Billing
• Patient Scheduling Please start my Club Membership and Subscription to the Physicians Microcomputer Report.
•Word Processing A limited number of free sample copies are available if you hurry.
•Continuing Medical Name (Print) Address _
Education
•Aids for the Handicapped City State Zip _
• Microcomputer Book 0$25 One year (12 issues) 0 $15 Special six month trial subscription
Reviews o Bill Visa/BankAmericard 0 Bill Master Charge 0 $12.50 Student Rate
• Bio-Med StatistiCS Credit Card # Interbank # Expir. Date -' ---
• MUMPS on Micros Check enclosed for $, --
• Investment Analysis Send to: Dr. Gerald M. Oroaz, Editor, Phy.lclen. Microcomputer Report,
•Computer Games Box 8483, Lewrencevllle, N.J. 08848
I-- CIRCLE 180 ON READER SERVICE CARD ---1
 Osborne & Associates is publishing its business systems
These systems represent five years of development and
O&A programmers, and the books include more than a year's
extensive and detailed documentation.
What systems are we selling?
1) PAYROLL WITH COST ACCOUNTING-available n'ow
2) ACCOUNTS PAYABLE 'AND ACCOUNTS"RECEIV
available now
3) GENERAL LEDGER -orders now being accepted
Eachbook sells for $15.00, and includes source listings in Wang BASIC,
program and system documentation, and user's manual. Each is a
complete package by itself, or all three may be implemented together to form a complete system with interdepen-
dent files.
And if Wang BASICwon't work, or you don't know programming, or you'd rather not key in thousands of words of
source code, take a look at the list of consultants who have adopted O&A programs, converted them to run on
many popular systems, and are waiting to hear from you.
CP/M CBASIC: GOOD NEWS
FOR CONSULTANTS, C()MPUTER STORES AND SOFTWARE HOUSES
Osborne & Associates is converting its business software from Wang BASIC - as it was originally published - to CP/M CBASIC, which runs on
many floppy disk-based microcomputer systems. We will only sell the CP/M magnetic surface to consultants, computer stores. and software
houses, Osborne & Associates prefers to write and sell books, not customize the programs or answer the end user's questions. The disk for each
book sells for $250.00. Once you buy the floppy disk you can copy it, resell it, change it or use it. We place no restriction on the magnetic sur-
face; we copyright only the printed word in our books. CBASIC Payroll is available now. All three systems are scheduled to be available by early
1979; call or write for the exact availability of each system.
If you are an end user interested in the CBASIC programs, write or call us. We will put you in touch with your closest dealer.
DIGITAL GROUP: MITS 4.1 BASIC: MICROSOFT disk BASIC: Wang BASIC on floppy disk:
John Musgrove William K, Haines Dan Kindred Richard Armour
MUSGROVE ENGINEERING ANACOM GENERAL CORPORATION GNAT COMPUTERS, INC, ATLANTIC COMPUTER & CONSULTING
9547 Kindletree Drive 1160 E. Ash Avenue 7895 Convoy Court 1104 Sparrow Road
Houston, TX 77040 Fullerton, CA 92631 San Diego, CA 92111 Chesapeake. VA 23325
(7131 466-3486 (7141992-0223 (7141560-0433 (8041764-3412
DIGITAL GROUP ZBO, Oasis BASIC: NORTH STAR: CP/M CBASIC: TRS-BO:
Charles Finn Alan P. Hald OSBORNE & ASSOCIATES. INC. Jim Smith
THE SYSTEMS GROUP BYTE SHOP OF ARIZONA 630 Bancroft Way READY CORPORATION
2993 Boring Ridge Drive 813 N. Scottsdale Road Berkeley, CA 94710 2502 Calle Madras
Decatur, GA 30034 Tempe. AZ 85281 (4151 548-2805 Pleasanton, CA 94566
(4041 289-8969 (6021967-1428 (4151462-4381
MICROPOLlS, PROCESSOR
IBM 5110: TRS-BO: TECH. NORTHSTAR:
Mark Sherman Don French David Price
DATA WORKS TANDY COMPUTERS DAP SYSTEMS
3901 Victoria lane
Midlothian, VA 23113

Attention:
Dept. L7

o $1.50 per book special rush shipment by

Please send the following information:

o Becoming an O&A dealer
o School
 Medical Audit Time!
Charles H. Hemminger, M.D.
Joseph C. Tarantino, M.D.

A useful program for large and small hospitals, with

a TRS-80, for collecting and analyzing medical audit
data.

Figure 1
Medical Audits are retrospective
reviews of hospital charts in cases with
common diagnoses, treatments or MEDICAL AUDIT STUDY WORK SHEET
tests. The various regulatory agencies
feel that a well designed Medical Audit
can indicate problem areas to which
educational efforts can then be : PATIENT PHYSICIAN
directed. The JCHA (Joint Committee ,-" ::N:::.uM:':8::ER::.,-========---
__ -r- __ --.::N~U~M::B~E~R~=;:====;;:_--__;"
of Hospital Accreditation) and the EI,ENENl'S TO BE REVlEl>"ED
Standard standard
met
standard
met thru
variation
PSRO (Professional Service Review exception

Organization) have ordered increased Diagnosis! 1. Positive Appendix 100%

use of Medical Audits at institutions
coming under their jurisdiction. Justification: As above 100%

Currently our medium sized communi- LOS,

'" 2. Min. 5 days
ty hospital is required to prepare eight
3. Max 11 days
of these each year. We have designed a
TRS-80 program for our record room Disch: 4. Ambulatory 100%

personnel to aid them in the compiling 5. App..et.Lt.e 100%

of the audit data. They have found
6. Normal Bowel mcvemen t 100%
using the TRS-80 a cost effective time
saver compared to the previous manual 7. Follow up 100%

method. Critical process:

The Auditing Procedure
8. Pelvic exam
The usual audit may be a specific
number of case chart reviews, usually 9. Reo tal exam
50 to 100. Alternately, it might include
Complications:
all those charts meeting the design
I· ." . 0% . ..
criteria over a given time such as a six 10. Perforated

to twelve month period. Three separate 11. Wound infection 0%

steps are necessary in performing a
12. Mortality 0%
Medical Audit. First the responsible
individual (or committee) must decide
what disease, operation, treatment or
laboratory test is to be studied. A list of
appropriate questions must then be
prepared. Professional publications
are available with guidelines to assist in
drawing up these questions. Most of Use reverse side £·or lIRA explanations and Audit Committee comments

them require only a yes/no answer. The ALL VJ\RlA1'IONS t-llIST BE: REf'ERRED to Committee for review
Identity variations by element NO.
final summaries are concerned with the
percentage of cases which do not meet

Charles Hemminger, M.D., 20 Harrison Ave., Northampton, MA 01060.

CREATIVE COMPUTING
92
the established standard. Other infor- can help compile the data. We have As presently structured the program
mation most always desired for chosen the TRS-80 because it has an allows for up to 49 yes/no questions to
analysis by the JCAH is the age attractive price and is readily available. be initially entered. From the patient's
distribution, the length of stay (LOS) For convenience the program itself was birth date and admission date, the
range and the sex division. Often an devised on a' larger rnicroprocessor patient's age is calculated and stored
audit may include a survey of which using the constraints of the 4K BASIC by decades in A(100-110). Likewise,
physician sees the majority of patients. of the TRS-80. The larger memory, the discharge date is entered and
Figure 1 is a copy of the information renumbering and edit commands compared with the admission date to
requested in an audit of appendec- greatly expedited the work. The major determine the length of stay. This is
tomies prepared at our hospital. limitations are the one single dimen- stored in A(200-260) up to the arbitrary
After the study questions are for- sioned array A(400) and only two string cutoff at 60 days. Finally the physician
mulated, the patient's charts are made variables A$, B$ limited to 16 code number is entered and stored in
available for review by the record room characters. It was also found that the array at A(111-155). The number of
clerk. Formerly anindlvldual sheet was nested GOSUBs are not allowed . .A cases for each physician then goes into
prepared for each case and marked nice feature, however, is the ability to A(156-199). .
with the appropriate findings. The clerk format usihg the PRINT AT statement Modified top-down programming is
would then total up the responses to rather than scrolling. This allows one used so that a new subroutine can
each question from each sheet and question after another to be displayed easily be added if other information is
calculate the percentages. In addition, on the same space in midscreen. The to be collected. A possible example is
summaries for the patients of each sex, scrolling method is retained for the an audit including question con- a
age group, length of stay and physician various summaries. Certainly having a cerning the range' of hemoglobin
category would be hand compiled. printer available would be preferred to values. First a
new GOSUBstatement
The third part, that of analyzing the hand copying the summaries, but that and the appropriate subroutine would
completed data is, of course, the is left for future expansion. be entered into the program. Next the
responsibility of the reviewing in- Using the READ, DATA, RESTORE case summary would be modified and
dividual. Extracting meaningful con- scheme permits the displaying of the an additional final summation routine
clusions obviously takes practice and questions previously entered by the setup. .
experience. A typical data display form clerk as DATA. The yes/no response is The full multi-line version without
and Study Summary is shown in then stored in an array. The single syntax abbreviations is presented so
Figures 2 and 3. array of the TRS-804K BASIC does not that the program can be understood
require a DIM statement. We have and translated to other computers if
The Program divided this single array into several desired. This takes almost 4K including
The record room clerk must still segments which are then used as the REMarks and will not fit the 3583
abstract the necessary answers from storage for the collected data bytes of a 4K TRS-80 and allow for
the charts, but obviously the computer (Table 1). DATA statements and operation. A

Figure 2

2A DATA DISPLAY TOPIC lIPEENDECTOMY # RECORDS 50 DATE' 1978 ~

AGE/SEX DISTRIBUTION LENGTH OF STAY DISTRIBUTION PRELIMINARY DATA FINAL DATA

..
Age Range Moles #Femoles Total {Beforecorrminee review)

..
.# lOSf(onge ~Patlen's {Aner c~mrnillee leview)
Q_9 10 18 1-3 days n CRIT. TOTAL TOTAL
io-rs 10 18 4-6 15
lVIee~ng "'. Passing NotPosslng
20-29 1 3 7-9 7
NO.
Element + /\t1eefl~
Slcndard ~ceptiOo %
coreseee ,; COIl'II'l'Vifee

3()"39
40-49
4 6 10-12 1
3
" """"'" % f?e'o'few

0 2 13-15 1 50 50 100
50-~9 2 3 16_20 2
2/3 45 45 90 50 100
50 50 100
6' 12 0 12
29 29 60 0 29 60
is 18 36 0 18 ss
PHYSICIAN/OTHER PROFESSIONAL !UNIT DISTRIBUTION 42 42 84 50 100
rtws Pflys Prof Unil ••.ots-
Code •• Potenrs -Cooe e Patients cooe " Patients No. Potienls' Charges Deaths
45 45 90 0 45 90

2 1 10 12 6 12
26 3
11 8 0
, 27 13
40 1
58 9
68 6
135 3
150 4

Deem

COMPLICATIONS
TOTAL PHYS/UNITS/PROFS COMMITIEE INFORMATION ITEMS CRIT. "II" NolMeebng #Po~ing 'If. NOIPaSSlng
;;;, RATE(%) Crllleo,- ComI'T'llt!ee Committee
# PhystCioosinstudy-li- Ilem #' % NO.
Pelvic Exam 50 100
Mo~n' Re-.iew· """ow
"" N.ftsing u~ts in s~ 1
10101__ . Dlscharge __ not done
:# Other professionals in stuOy Rectal Exam 5 10 10 12
Discipline :# DiSCipli~ '*' not done
Physdc Lan 58 11
3/9
Physician rso
2/14
'if paTIents WQfe cored I()f on fT"(.::«I_
O'OOII8flIS ,nine SIUOVf.IOwever,lhell
IlOI'l or.a OU'$>l'IQunit, !he 0I..IfTtl0eI 01 polient~ d<~1rt:lvte<:I will e:.cee<j
Oi\.Crtoroeslol"oOuldeQ\lOlll'le ~RecoIdslnlNOv
the 1010:1 rXJlT1bef
~ .•"

JAN 1979
93
shortened version with multiple DIM A(260) statement will probably be An optional case summary can then
statements per line using abbreviations necessary. be obtained and either rejected or
and no spaces is required. The P.M. The chart number is entered as B$ approved. Should an error be detected,
command will read 1469 with the since many charts have alphabetic as the whole case must be re-entered. If
abbreviated version. This tiqhtmemory well as number coding. This number is the information' is correct, it is then
restriction also forced us to prepare the not retrievable in thisprogram the way added to the various array locations
operating instructions for the record it is now written. The patient's sex is previously reserved.
room personnel on a separate paper, entered, followed by the birth date and The operator is allowed to precede
rather than printing them on the com- admission date. After the discharge with the next case. If there are no more
puter. ' date is entered, a formula is used to cases, a final summary is displayed.
System Operation calculate 'the length of' stay. This The age summary, length of stay
Since this program is designed to formula is correct for the various summary and physician summary are
allow the clerk to enter the predeter- months and leap years. Because the separately presented for easier
mined questions as DATA using the TRS-80 may overflow the calculation reading.
line number and the D. abbreviation, it we have elected to begin the computa- This practical program is an example
is quite flexible. Many different audits tion at 1972. of the use of a
microprocessor by an
can be done without help from the The main program continues after orgariization which had not previously
original programmElrs. . these subroutines. The various felt the need for computerization.
The 4K BASIC does not initialize questions are READ and PRINTed, The Because the computer is now
variables to zero so this is performed in response to each question is stored reasonably priced and bureaucracy is
Lines 70-1qO. Should this program be temporarily in A(I). This array is used building, perhaps this is just a
used with other BASIC interpreters. a over and over. prototype of such programs. _

Figure 3

4 STUDY SUMMARY DATE October 28, 1978

Committee Number of physicians in study 8

Qua1i ty Assura9ce Comm.
Number of nursing units in study
Topic
P.rimary Appendectomy
t:4umberof other protessicoots in study

Discipline Number Discipline

,ObjeCfivesTo determine diagnostic acumen
To' Jook at LOS; 'proper fol lowup and
physical examinations
Are Complications be inq-t.reated correctly?

i~~,Qrigir191 study I~l Repeat study

Number qf records 50

Selecteo rroln .•.~.:.....- __ +-,....fo _ Basis for decision

NARRAnVE
SUMMARY
OFSTUDY
(Include problems that require action by the governing body)
. Thestody demonstrated ~hat there is d very accurate diagnostic ability in this study. All the
.cases reviewed has a cut eppendtct t+apatho loqtcat ly. The LOS was low primarily because the age group
was under 30. .'. .
there was a mi ncrJprob l em with rega,ds to rectal examinations and those particular physic ians
have'. been consul ted regardi ng thei r deci si on not to exami ne thi s area pre-operat ive 1y. I n both cases
these phys i c ians. did do rectal ecamthat ions on other patients. .
There was a 12% rate of perforation which will be reviewed by the surgeons and a process audit
may be conducted. This does not infer delay on anyones part but just the fac t+ tha t more informe t ton
is needed. Documentation is a chronic problem not limited to this institution and has been reported
to the proper groups with hopes of improving the charts. It should be emphas ized that documentation
and qual t ty of care do. not necessar l Iy go together, but it makes· auditing easier. .

Committee Chairman Execu1ive Committee Chairman Administrator

Deporfrnent/Service Chqirman(men)/Director(s)
Nursing Service Dlrector , Governing Body

94 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 Table 1

Array Storage Table True-Interrupt Driven

TIME SHARING
A(I)

A(I+Q)
Response to questions

Storage of total responses

each Pass

each question
NORTH STAR *
for

COMPUTERS
Now included in our Program Library! .
A bank-switching system which fully supports North Star DOS
A(lOO-llO) Age Summary
and Basic. Other languages to be supported in near future.

A(111-155) Physician numbers storage Program Library - $500 One Time Fee
Program Library included FREE with all purchases of $2,000.00
A(156-199) Physician cases or more.
** Business Programs Require Addressable Cursor CRT **
A(200) Over 60 days stay I

HORIZON
A(201-260) Stay of 1 to 60 days 2 User OWNE~S
Move Up To
Time ShCl'ing System
, Timesharing
1. Horizon II with aoKRAM
1. 48KRAM
2. 2 ADM-3A's
2. ADM-3A
3. IP-125 with 2K Buffer
3. Program Library
4. Dual 8" Floppy Disk System
5. D.C. Hayes Modem *2100.00
6. All connectors & cables Requires 32K North Star RAM
7. Program Library in Horizon Computer
Table 2
8" Floppy Disks
*995 1st drive & controller
List of variables *795 each additional drive
Q Number of questions Micro Mike's
905 Buchanan, Amarillo, Texas 79101
J Number of cases 806-372-3633

L Number of males CIRCLE 177 ON READER SERVICE CARD

F Number of females

w
Total length of stay all cases

Number of physicians'
INCOME TAX
u
S
Maximum

Sex
length of stay
PROGRAMS
P

B$
Physician

Chart number
FOR TRS·80™
A$ Question READ from DATA FOR INDIVIDUALS (LINE PRINTER OR
DISK NOT REQUIRED)
G 'Age of patient
1040A 4K 7.95
R Length of stay 1040 (with Schedule A 4K 14.95
&G thru F Routine)
o Days from 19]2 to admission
TC&G (Income Averaging) 4K 14.95
H Days from 19.72 to discharge

N,E,Z Date of birth: Months,days,year

* * * STATE LEVEL I OR II * * *
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL:
M,D,Y = Admission & Discharge: Months,days,year Full systems with line printer
output start at. , 189.95
FREE 7·PAGE CATALOG
AN D .DESCRIPTION
CONTRACT SERVICES ASSOCIATES
1846 W. Broadway Anaheim, CA 92804

CIRCLE 182 ON READER SERVICE CARD

JAN 1979 95
 Medical Audit Program

Instructions for using the TRS-80 Medi~al Audit Program

I

1. Be sure the cord is plugged into the outlet.

2. . Turn power sw i tch on TV to 0N.
3. .Turn power sw i t ch in back of Keyboard to ON.
4. The TV should display the word READY.
APPLE OWNERS! 5. Type tli~ letters NEH, then press the F:NTER key.
We've got software! 6. Put the program cassette into the cassette recorder.
7. Push down the PLAY sw i t ch .
Trans-Data Corporation's latest offerings for commercial,
educational, scientific and entertainment applications include: R. Type the letters CLOAO (without spaces) then the
ENTER key.
AD106 Mailing List System $50.00
APA09 Label Print. $10.00 9. An asterisk (7') should flash in the upper left corner.
ADI02 File Use Tutorial ................•.... $15.00
10. \oIhenthis stops and ·'l.EA1)Y
reappears, you can enter
APA04 Finances ...................•....•.... $15.00
APA07 Check Book $20.00 your questions as f o LLows :
AEJ05 Super Math ......................•... $18.00
AEIOa ., •.... Metric Conversion $20.00 First tYPe a number, then D., then the auestion
AEE06 Memory Aide .........•.............. $18.00
and finally stike the ENTER key.
AGI16 Horse Race $18.00
AGI03 Keyboard Organ $18.00 iD.RECTAL BLEF:DINr.
2D.ABDOMINAL PAIN
For floppy disk add $8.00. Add $2.00 for shipping and handling.
Florida residence add 4% tax.
Check, money order, or credit card acceptable.
To: Trans-Data Corporation
161 Almeria Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33134
12D.MORTALITY
CIRCLE 153 ON READ~R SERVICE CARD Be sure to start with a number (1) the letter D
then a period(.) followed by the question.
Maximum of 16 characters in each question please.
11. No." t ype 5.00= (number of nues t Lons j : e.".: 50 Q=12
12. Strike ENTER, then type RUN.and ENTER key.
13. The program is now ready to operate. Follow the

instructions as they are given.

14. For all yes/rib answe rs ; 1 = Yes, 0 No.

Medical Audit Program Listinf1

10 REM MEDICAL AUDIT PROGRAM

20 REM BY CHARLES HEMMINGER, M.D.

30 REM & JOSEPH TARANTINO, M.D.

40 REM 1-49 RESERVED FOR DATA QUESTIONS

50 REM RESERVED FOR Q=NUMBER OF QUESTIONS

60 J=O

BIONIC TOAD FOR CHILDREN 70 L=O

The same super bionic toad design (riveted
on warts and all) as on our best-selling adult 80 F=O
T-shirt. Deep purple design on light blue
shirt. Children's sizes S (6-8), M (10-12), L 90 T=O
(14-16) and, of course, adult men's sizes too
S,M,L,XL. One price for all: $4.50 postpaid in 100 W=l
USA, $5.50 to foreign addresses. Creative
Computing, P.O. Box 789-M, Morristown, 110 U=60 REM UPPER LIMIT OF STAY
NJ 07960.

96 CREATIVE COMPUTING
120 FOR 1=1 TO 260

130 A(I)=O

140 NEXT I

145 REM MAIN PROGRAM

150 CLS : REM CLEAR SCREEN

160 J=J+1

165 REM GET DATA

170 GOSUB 800

175 REM CALCULATE LENGTH OF STAY

180 GO TO 1000 : REM NESTED ~OSUB NOT ALLOWED

190 FOR 1=1 TO Q

200 READ A$

210 PRINT AT 392:1;". ";A$;" II.

,
220 INPUT A(I)

230 IF A(I)=O THEN 270

240 IF A(I)=l THEN 270

250 PRINT AT 517;"PLEASE USE 1 FOR YES, OR 0 FOR NO"

260 GO TO 220

270 PRINT AT 517;"" REM CLEARS ERROR MESSAGE

CIRCLE 159 ON READER SERVICE CARD

280 NEXT I

290 RESTORE

295 REM CASE SUMMARY

300 GOSUB 1200

310 INPUT "ANOTHER CASE ";X

TRS-80
MEMORY EXPANSION $79
KITS
320 IF X c »1 THEN 340
Each Kitconsists of: 8 Memory Chips, Jumper Blocks, and
Complete EASY TO FOLLOW Instructions
330 GO TO 150
Expands 4K TRS-80 up to 48K (3 sets)
TRS-80FLOPPY Disk (SA-400) Add On
335 REM FINAL SUMMARY
COMPLETE Ready to use with power supply and case $389
340 CLS ADD to your APPLE or $100 Bus Computer
$89 - Set of 8 250 NS
350 PRIN'I:TAB(22L;"FINAL SUMMARY" $99 - Set of 8 200 NS

No. 4116 - 200 NS (w/16K Chips), 16K, $279, 32K, $375,

360 PRINT
48K,$469,64K,568
370 PRINT "FEMALES ";F,"MALES ";L No.4115,8K,$189,16K,$229,24K,$269,32K,$309

380 FOR 1=1 TO Q 5100 Bus Expandoram Kits*

"Expand NOW or LATER to 64K (32K for *K Chips)
390 READ A$ 8K Chips: $49/Set of 8
ASSEMBLED, TESTED AND BURNED IN - ADD $50
400 PRINT I;"."·A$;((A(I+Q)/J)*100);" %" MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
FULLY WARRANTED FOR 6 MONTHS
Master Charge - VISA - C.O.D. (25% with order) -
410 NEXT I Money Order - California Residents add 6% SalesTax
Shipping Charges: $2.00
420 PRINT
M MicroComputerWorld M
430 INPUT "AGE SUMMARY (TYPE A NUMBER) ";X
P.O. Box 242 San Dimas, CA 91773
JAN 1979
(213) 286-2661
CIRCLE 195 ON READER SERVICE CARD
440 PRINT 960 G=Y-Z

450 'FOR K=O TO 80 STEP 10 970 IF N) M THEN G=G-1

460 PRINT K;" - ":K+9;" = ":A(K/lO+lOO) 980 RETURN

470 NEXT K 995 REM CALCULATE STAY

480 IF A(110) >0 THEN PRINT "OVER 89 ";A(110) 1000 GOSUB 1070

490 PRINT 1010 O=H

u,
500 INPUT "LENGTH OF STAY (TYPE A NUMBER) ";X 1020 PRINT AT 384;"DATE OF DISCHARGE ,

510 PRINT 1030 INPUT M,D,Y

520 FOR K=l TO U 1040 GOSUB 1070

530 IF A(200+K)=0 THEN 550 1050 R=H-O

540 PRINT K;"DAYS = ";A(200+K) 1060 GO TO 190

550 NEXT K 1070 Y=Y-1972 : REM MUST BE A LEAP YEAR

560 PRINT "OVER ":U;" DAYS = ";A(200) 1080 IF M> 2 THEN 1110

570 PRINT "AVERAGE STAY = ":T/J 1090 H=365 * Y + D + 31 * (M-1) + INT((Y-1)/4) - INT(.75

580 PRINT 1, (INT((Y-1) /LOO) + 1»)

590 INPUT "PHYSICIAN SUMMARY (TYPE A NUMBER) ";X 1100 GO TO 1120

600 PRINT 1110 H=365 * Y + D + 31 * (M-1) - INT(.4 * M + 2.3)

610 FOR 1=1 TO W-1 + INT(Y/4) - INT(.75 * (INT(Y/100) + 1»

620 PRINT "PHYSICIAN II ";A(I+110);" ":A(I+155) 1120 RETURN

630 NEXT I 1195 REM CASE SUMMARY

640 END 1200 PRINT AT 640;"DO YOU WANT A SUMMARY OF THIS CASE II.

795 REM DATA ENTRY 1210 INPUT X

800 PRINT AT 25; "ENTRY ";J 1220 CLS

810 PRINT AT 128:"CHART NUMBER ";B$ 1230 IF X<> 1 THEN 1420

820 INPUT B$ 1240 PRINT TAB (15) ;"CASE SUMMARY"
830 PRINT AT 192: "PHYSICIAN II ,
tt ,

1250 PRINT
840 INPUT P 1260 PRINT "CHART NUMBER ";B$,"AGE ";G,"SEX II.
,
850 PRINT AT 222;"SEX (1=FEMALE, O=MALE ) "., 1270 IF S",O THEN PRINT "MALE"
860 INPUT S' 1280 IF S"'l THEN PRINT "FEMALE"
870 PRINT AT 512;" "
1290 PRINT "LENGTH OF STAY ";R,"PHYSICIAN It ";P
880 IF S=l THEN 920
1300 PRINT
890 IF S=O THEN 920
1310 FOR 1=1 TO Q
900 PRINT AT 512;"YOU HAVE MADE A MISTAKE" l320 PRINT I;". II.

910 GOTO 850 l330 IF A(I)",l THEN PRINT "YES",

920 PRINT AT 320: "DATE OF BIRTH "., 1340 IF A(I)=O THEN PRINT "NO",

930 INPUT N,E,Z l350 NEXT I

tt ,
940 PRINT AT 350,; "DATE OF ADMISSION 1360 PRINT

950 INPUT M,D,Y 1370 INPUT "IS THIS DATA CORRECT ";X

98 CREATIVE COMPUTING
1380 CLS

1390 IF X=l THEN 1420

1400 GOTO 170

1415 REM SUM DATA FOR EACH CASE

1420 IF S=O THEN L=T~+1

1430 IF S=l THEN F=F+1

1440 FOR 1=1 TO Q

1450 IF A(I)=l THEN A(I+Q)=A(I+Q) + 1

1460 NEXT I The Apple" II, today's most popular personal computer, is at The
Computer Store. Along with the latest in Apple peripherals. Like
1470 IF G ;89 THEN A(l10) = A(llO) + 1 the new Disk'" II floppy disk drive. Or, printer and communica-
tions interfaces. And, the latest in software including the new
1480 FOR K=O TO 80 STEP 10
Apple/Dow Jones Stock Quote Reporter. The compact Apple II
1490 IF G< K THEN 1520 gives you 48K RAM memory with full color graphics and high
resolution graphics. It's the most powerful computer in its price
1500 IF G> ,:"KTHEN 1520 range.
At The Computer Store, we have more than ever before in
1510 A(K/10+100)=A(K/10+100) + 1 microcomputers, memories, terminals and peripherals. All backed
by a technical staff and a full service department. Stop in today,
1520 NEXT K
you'll find more than ever before at The Computer Store.
1530 T=T + R
The Computer Store
1540 FOR K=l TO U 820 Broadway, Santa Monica, California 90401 (213) 451-0713
The Original Name In Personal Computer Stores
Store Hours: 'Iues.c-Frf., Noon-8pm, Saturday, lOam-6pm
1550 IF R=K THEN A(200+K)=A(200+K) + 1 Located two blocks north of the Santa Monica Freeway at the Lincoln Blvd. exit.
Phone and mail orders invited. BankAmericard/Visa and Master Charge accepted.

1560 NEXT K
'--------- CIRCLE 124 ON READER SERVICE CARD --------..1

1570 IF R> U THEN A(200)=A(200) + 1

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r'·,'
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1'. '
.
D
DO'

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D

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.
>

, sors using a 4 to 15V power ". I '

1620 A(I+llO)=P supply. Thresholds automatically

• - 1~'
,....
I
(

programmed. Automatic resetting ;.::~ ',_, [ I

r 1"., Ii II II \' :.-::; ,_~ I~ t' . ,

1630 vJ=w+1 memory No adjustment requrred
Visual indication of logic levels. using
Pet pend LEOsto show high, low. bad level or > > > FASTCinmmon > » ON THE TRS·/iO
1640 A(I+155)=A(I+155) + 1 open circuit logic and pulses. Highly
sophisticated. shirt pocket portable Available for
/
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1650 RETURN moumes coil cordi. Eliminates needfor heavy
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CIRCLE 115 ON READER SERVICE CARD
CIRCLE 126 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 135 ON READER SERVICE CARD
 by Ron Hallen
How to Profit from Your Personal Chapter 3 uses up more pages explaining multiple listings. Complete programs are
Computer, T. G. Lewis, Hayden Book the binary number system and CPU provided, debugged and discussed. Each of
Company, Rochelle Park, New Jersey. architecture. I'm sure that most of the these is usable as written but modification
Softbound, 192 Pages, $7.95. readers of this book will use BASIC and information is also given. A nineteen page
I would suppose that many, if not most, that this is therefore unnecessary informa- glossary of terms at the back of the book
computer hobbyists consider the possibili- tron. Again, not enough instruction is given will. be most helpful to the computer
ty, at one time or another, of making to do more than confuse. This chapter also novice.
money with their machines. Other than the goes into some of the limitations of Chapter six discusses numerical and
fact that a fair amount of cash has been microprocessor based systems, talks about string arrays, but string arrays are describ-
invested, a hobby that makes a profit is peripheral requirements, and how to figure ed incorrectly. What is identified as a string
certainly a desirable goal. out what you need and where to get it. Now array is in effect a string variable that
I use my computer to help with my we're getting into the real meat of the text. allows a given segment to be entered or
writing but it hasn't gotten to the point From here on out, we'll be looking at real removed.
where it is paying for itself yet, especially life situations and practical solutions. Each The last chapter is an attempt to see into
since I keep adding to my investment. situation is presented in narrative form. In the future, specifically 1984 and 1994, and
Therefore, when I saw the title, "How to other words, we will be looking at people to describe the influence that personal
Profit from your Personal Computer," in and their problems. computing will have on us by then. Forthe
Hayden's brochure, I knew that I had to Tow Swift's Motorcycle Shop and its most part, the hardware predictions are
have a copy. inventory and record keeping problems are extensions of present technology and
After a first reading, I was left with the presented and a visit to a computer store nothing new is offered. Faster processors,
question, "Who is this book aimed at?" In follows. Dr. Goode's Medical Clinic is multiple processors, computers tied
the beginning it seems to be written to having a terrible time with its billing. Dr. together in networks and more compact
interest the newcomer but when it gets Goode also ends up at the computer store. cheaper memory are some of the predic-
deeply into programming, it appears to Mr. J owns a string of Saving & Loan tions. I'll save the prophesied effects on our
have the advanced hobbyists in mind. Yet Associations. He has a large central lives for you to read. Happily, they were
the main theme seems to be that it would be computer to handle all data processing and not inspired by George Orwell.
to the advantage of a businessperson to record keeping but it is getting overloaded. As I said earlier, I'm not sure who this
have a computer to do his accounting, Is a bigger brain the answer or does each book is aimed at. There is too much
billing, mailing, record keeping, inventory S & L office need its own local computer to technical information and programming
control, etc. do the more trivial but necessary daily for the businessperson who is trying to
Is it possible for one book to be all of tasks. A computer consultant is called in to decide if a personal computer will help his
these things and to do them all well? I answer this question. business or not. Yet, business applications
decided to read it again and see. "How to More situations are presented and are shown in a very good light.
Profit". starts out with an introduction to solutions suggested. Each solution is part There is a lot of good information for the
computers, goes into solid state theory, and hardware and part software but the hobbyist who might be interested in writing
then jumps to memory and I/O. All of this emphasis is on BASIC language programs. business software. The hobbyist who plans
in the first chapter. Unfortunately, only Each 'program is written in three steps or to remain a hobbyist might find less to
enough information is given to confuse and levels. First an English language outline, interest him but then again some of the
not enough to educate. The quality of the second an outline written halfway between business software has home applications as
photographs in this chapter is very poor. I English and BASIC, and finally the BASIC well. There seems to be something for
think that the book would have been much program itself. everyone.
better off without the first chapter. It gives A lot of good discussion on BASIC So if I haven't really answered the
the wrong idea of the contents of the rest of programming is provided. I especially like question [ started out with, it's because [
the text and might keep some readers from the debugging procedures. A probe is don't think that there is one specific
going farther into it. inserted into a program whenever you want answer. [ feel that just about everyone will
Chapter 2 discusses the disadvantages of to determine if a variable that you don't get something out of "How to Profit from
batch and time share processing and leaves normally see is correct. I've been doing your Personal Computer" and [ think that
the impression that none of the problems something similar by printing variables at it is well worth the price. •
mentioned apply to personal or business intervals while designing programs. Sort-
microprocessors. However, memory can ing and merging is also covered thorough- How to Profit From Your Personal
fail, disks can be accidentally' erased and ly.
components can die in any system. Still I Computer is available from the Creative
The problem solving programs Computing Book Service, P.O. Box 789-M,
agree with Lewis that the in-house system is presented include loan payment schedules, Morristown, NJ 07960 for $7.95 plus $1.00
probably the most viable for small mailing lists, accounts receivable, inven-
businesses. shipping ($2.00 foreign)
tory, household accounting and real estate

100 CREATIVE COMPUTING

 Introducing
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Available off-the-shelf at these fine computer dealers. ©

AL: BIRMINGHAM: Computer Center, (205) 942-8567. HUNTSVILLE: Computerland, (205) 539-1200. CA: BERKELEY: Byte Shop, (415) 845-6366. EL CERRITO: Computerland,
(415) 233-5010. HAYWARD: Computerland, (415) 538-8080. LOS ALTOS: Computerland, (415) 941-8154. MARINA DEL REY: Base 2, (213) 822-44119. MT. ViEW: Digital Deli, (415)
961-2670. SAN FRANCISCO: Computerland, (415) 536-1592. SAN JOSE: Electronic Systems, (408) 226-4064. SAN RAFAEL: Computer Demo Room Inc., (415) 457-9311. WALNUT
CREEK: Computerland, (415) 935-6502. DE: NEWARK: Computerland, (303) 736-9656. FL: FT. LAUDERDALE: Computer Age, (305) 791-8080. POMPANO BEACH: Computer Age,
(305) 496-4999. TAMPA: Micro-computer Systems, (813) 879-4301. IL: NILES: Computerland, (312) 967-1714. OAK LAWN: Computerland, (312) 422-8080. PEORIA: Computerland,
(309) 686-6252. KS: OVERLAND PARK: Personal Computer Center, (913) 649-5942. WICHITA: ComputerSystemsDesign, (316) 265-1120. KY: LOUISVILLE: Computerland, (502)
425-8308. MA: CAMBRIDGE: Computer Shop. (617) 661-2670. MD: ROCKVILLE: Computerland, (301) 948-7676. MI: ANN ARBOR: Newman Computer Exchange, (313) 994-
3200. ROYAL OAK: Computer Mart, (313) 576-0900. NJ: ANDOVER: Atlantic Microsystems, (201) 549-0189. BUDD LAKE: Computer Lab of New Jersey, (201) 691-1984. CLARK:
S-100, (201) 382-1318. ISELIN: Computer Mart (201) 283-0600. SUCCASUNNA: Computer Hut, (201) 584-4977. NY: BUFFALO: Computerland, (716) 836-6511. ITHACA: Computer-
land of Ithaca, (E)07) 277-4888. JOHNSON CITY: Micro World, (607) 798-9800. NEW YORK CITY: Computer Mart of New York, (212) 686-7923. SYRACUSE: Computer Shop of
Syracuse Inc .• (315) 446-1284. OH: CINCINNATI: Digital Deslqn, (513) 561-6733. DAYTON: Computer Solutions, (513) 223-2348. OK: OKLAHOMA CITY: Micronics, (405) 942-
8152. PA: FRAZER: Personal Computer Corp., (215) 647-8463. STATE COLLEGE: Microcomputer Products Inc., (814) 238-7711. TN: KNOXVILLE: Eastern Microcomputer, (615)
564-8365. TX: AUSTIN: Computerland, (512) 452-5701. DALLAS: KA Electronic Sales, (214) 634-7870. GARLAND: Digital Research Corp., (214) 271-2461. HOUSTON: Houstori
Computer Mart, (713) 649-4188. UT: OREM: Johnson Computer Electronics, (801) 224-5361. VA: ALEXANDRIA: Computers Plus, (703) 751-5656. ARLINGTON: Arlington
Electronics Wholesalers, (703) 524-2412. VT: ESSEX JUNCTION: Computer Mart of Vermont, (802) 879-1683. CANADA: ONTARIO: MISSISSAUGA: Arisia Microsystems, (416)
274-6033. TORONTO: Computer Mart Ltd., (416) 484-9708. WINNIPEG: Patrick Computer Systems Inc., (204) 774-1655. WEST GERMANY: MUNICH: ABC Computer Shop,
Schellingstrasse 33, 8000 Munchen 40 Microcomputer Shop, Toelzerstr, 8, D-815 Holzkirchen. ISRAEL: HAIFA: Microcomputer Eng Ltd., Haifa 31-070.

CIRCLE 114 ON READER SERVICE CARD

The 6800 Microprocessor, Lance A to the marketplace to take advantage of the information will quickly become obsolete.
Leventhal, Hayden Book Company, demand for basic literature about com- This book was published in September
Rochelle Park, New Jersey. Softbound, puters. . , 1978 and already there are some incorrect
103 Pages, $5.95. On the other hand, "Personal Com- listings.
The 6800 is certainly one of the most puting: a Beginner's Guide" is one of the The same remarks could also be directed
popular microprocessors and many com- best introductory texts that I've seen. The toward the review of equipment in the
mercially made personal computers are author, David Bunnell, who was a Buyer's Guide sections but I feel that this
built around it. This might indicate that technical writer with M ITS when the Altair will still be valuable information for some
6800 assembly language programming is a was born, is a very knowledgeable time to come. Especially since much of this
desirable skill to acquire. gentleman. His narration of the physical, equipment will show up sooner or later in
Lance Leventhal has written a self-study emotional and financial condition of "For Sale or Trade" ads as advanced
course with applications titled, "The 6800 M ITS at the time of the Altair unveiling is hobbyists move up to more sophisticated
Microprocessor." Except for a short very revealing. He is also the founding computers and peripherals.
discourse on CPU and PIA architecture publisher of Personal Computing The information in this book is very
and operation,' the text concerns itself magazine. basic and is intended for the person with
almost entirely with the 6800 instruction The first thing that you notice in leafing little or no exposure to personal com-
set and programs written in hex. through this book is the large number of puters. Anyone who has been reading
This is a practical application book but pictures. Granted, they are commercial computer magazines for three to six
unless you have a Micro-68 computer it publicity pictures but they serve the months will have picked up most of this
will not be too practical. All lessons are purpose of illustrating the text quite well. along the way.
given as laboratory type exercises and they You always know what the author IS The copy that I received is hardbound
are keyed on the Micro-68 which is a KIM- talking about. and housed in a very attractive jacket. If
like 6800 computer with a hex keyboard, After a brief discussion of the history of libraries were to buy and display "Personal
six digit LED readout, onboard memory personal computing and a look at a typical Computing: a Beginner's Guide," I'm sure
and PIA (Peripheral Interface Adapter). microcomputer in action, the subject of many people would pick it up and read it. If
The method of instruction is superb. applications is addressed. Not just a short theydid, they'd be hooked. In fact, as soon
Hands on application wins every time. list but page after page of detailed as my son is finished with it, I intend to
From a simple-LOAD, COMPLE- description. No actual programs are given donate my copy to the local high school. I
MENT and DEPOSIT-to interrupts and but the reader will have a much better idea think it would be a fantastic idea for all of
peripherals, every lab lesson is an explain- of what can be done when he finishes this us to donate our outgrown or otherwise
program-perform cycle. The lab sessions chapter. surplus computer books to a library,
are numbered, appropriately enough, from Next we look at the inside of a school or potential hobbyist.
o to E in hex. microcomputer and see what is going on. Since we are all bargain conscious in
Forming arrays in memory, reading the This is not an engineering level evaluation these inflationary times, I might suggest
keyboard' and controlling the LED but an overview intended to give the novice that the publisher consider a softbound
readout, designing and debugging pro- a . little background. Programming is
edition that would sell at a lower price and
grams, and doing arithmetic with the handled in' the same way. You won't reach a wider market. Hard cover books
6800 are some of the lab subjects. Using the emerge from these three chapters a are fine, in fact probably necessary for
subroutines contained in the monitor hardware troubleshooter or an effective lending libraries, but paperback books
program also gets its share of discussion. programmer but I think that this is really stand up well enough in personal usage.
Laboratory B extensively examines the meant to get you interested enough to go I am happy to recommend this book
PIA and how it is controlled with software, looking for more. with one qualification. It will only be of
and Lab C concerns itself with the interrupt Probably the most important part of this benefit to those with very little previous
capabilities of the PIA. book, from the beginner's point of view, is knowledge of personal computing. It
Every page contains assembly language the buyer's guide. Two chapters, about fifty would make a wonderful gift for that son,
programming examples and explanations, pages, are devoted to describing and daughter or friend who you would like to
and the author's grasp of the subject is evaluating the major brands of microcom- get started. Or, buy one and give it to your
obvious. A student or hobbyist who puters and the peripherals that go along local library. •
follows this court of instruction faithfully with them. The Altair, the SOL and the
from beginning to end can't help but come TRS-80 are included. So are the PET, the
away a better 6800 programmer. Apple and many others. Both the pros and
However, as I've said, the entire cons of various systems are discussed.
workbook is geared to the Micro-68 and I Bunnell doesn't pull any punches here and I
feel that it is geared to that machine so like that. It is too easy to pretend that
closely that it would be of doubtful use to everything is peaches and cream when it
the owner of almost any other 6800 based isn't. He also indicates how much it is going
computer. For instance, trying to correlate to cost to accomplish various tasks using
the instructional material to a machine different computers as models. This is
with a Teletype or ASCII keyboard-CRT something that is often overlooked in sales
I/O would be difficult, if not impossible. brochures. .
The ideal situation would be in a The final chapter, titled "The Personal
classroom where the students had access to Computing Scene," is a discussion of
one or more Micro-68s. An alternative computer clubs, stores, magazines and
would be to pack a copy of this book with shows. Magazines are particularly impor-
each Micro-68 that is sold. Another book tant because I would guess that hobbyists
by Leventhal, "6800 Assembly Language get most of their information from them.
Programming" (Osborne & Associates) is a Each magazine has what authors call a
much better choice for most would-be 6800 slant and this describes the type of material
assembly language programmers. • the editor usually prints: Some like simple
stuff, others like it more difficult, some lean
Personal Computing: a Beginner's Guide, toward software and others lean toward
David Bunnell, Hawthorn Books, lnc., 260 hardware. Bunnell tells you what to expect
Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016. from all of the major publications. Then he
Hardbound, 208 Pages, $11.95. closes his book with a brief look into the
The interest in personal computing is' future of personal computing.
increasing at an astonishing rate and The last fifty pages comprise a series of
following along behind this interest" has appendices. These list the names and
been a flood of books intended to in- addresses of 200 clubs. 500 stores and 136
troduce the beginner to this fascinating manufacturers. My only real complaint
field. I have reviewed many of these books, about the book deals with these appen-
some good ones and some bad ones. Most dices. Given the turmoil and rapid change
of the bad ones appear to have been rushee! we are now experiencing, much of this

102 CREATIVE COMPUTING

 The Dumb Terminal
lets,..· put it all together_
With the newlower-pnoed Dumb Terrnmel'" Kit, that is. electronic components. Naturally, you also get illustrated,
!".·'c';,,,,,· ••···"·';.A··q,".1 •••••ons:...upand
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of scavenged teletypes and jury-rigged TV sets. With just easy -to -understand operator's rnenuel. .'
a little time and aptitude, you can have a live and working So, if you'd like more input on the Dumb Terminal
Dumb Terminal right in your own home, garage, or Kit, just fillout the coupon and we'll send you complete,
business. One that lets you get it all out of your system free information.
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price tags and interminable lists of options. W~th Terminal Fan Club. A. select organization that will
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Fifty-nine data entry keys 1920 characters membership card to prove irrefutably you're
displayed in 24 rows of 80 letters. Plus 33 "One of Us:' (Sorry, limit one kit perperscn.)
positive action switches that let you activate And, if you include a trifling $6.00, you
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__ ------ A Creative Computing Software Profile ... ------_..

Here Cum da Software!

We evaluate the personal computing software from four
companies and conclude that caveat emptor should be
your guide.'

====================Steve North =================

Over the past year or so, companies and buzzes, and not music synthesis, wander about, you meet odd faceless
selling software have sprung up like but the Music Box works well within people who can answer any of three
proverbial mushrooms, forming a these limitations, with one voice and a questions: "Do you tell the truth?" (yes
whole little industry of its own,.just like three-octave range. The music com- or no), "Which direction am I going?"
the hardware people were doing in position language is thus very straight- (a compass heading), and "Do you
their garages and basements not too forward but likewise very limited. have anything to give me?" (a map,
long ago. No doubt most of these Music compositions may be saved and compass, pass, etc.) Another type of
organizations consist of one or two loaded on cassette tape (two demos faceless people are apparently police,
computer professionals working in are included). A "kaleidescope" dis- who will confiscate your pass if you
their spare time, but there are also play flickers in time with the music as have one, or haul you off to the
some established personal computer it's played. (However, it is not really fair slammer if you don't have one, so
software houses, too. Over the past few to call a random display of boxes on the they're definitely to be avoided. The
months we've accumulated quite a few screen a kaleidescope. A kaleidescope keyboard, instead (!)f a game paddle,
software packages on cassettes, so we should be symmetric, at the very least.) controls your direction of movement.
thought it would be fun and useful to Music Box is fine for hacking around, Other than this, Escape is very similar
present some short reviews. but if you're really serious about to the Maze Game. Also, the maze is so
computer music, then more hardware large that the game can get rather
Apple II Software is. required. (We'd heard that ALF is tedious, as demonstrated by the addi-
MUSE, for Micro User's Software coming out with an Apple version of tion of commands to load and save the
Exchange (13365 Baltimore, MD their music board which can provide current game on tape. If MUSE wants
21203) isn't much of an exchange, but much better synthesized music, but to do more games using 3-D graphics,
does have some very high quality they will not be developing much they should come up with something
Apple software. Generally just one software.) A fun way to play with your more imaginative than a slight
program per cassette, for something Apple, at least. modification of another game,
around $15, depending on the par- The Maze Game is certainly one of Sideshow contains six short games
ticular program. the best Apple programs we've ever on a single tape. Apple Tree is a two-
Tankwar is a modification of the tried. Probably almost everyone has player game, in which you try to
popular arcade game, in high resolu- seen a BASIC program that prints position your basket to catch apples
tion graphics. Each player controls his mazes, which you then solve with a which fallout of a tree at random, using
tank with a game paddle and pushbut- pencil. The Maze Game literally adds a game paddle. Nice idea. Safecracker
ton. The game paddle works like a another dimension to this idea. Instead is for two players, who compete to
steering wheel, so unless you con- of the usual static bird's-eye view, you
open the safe first by cracking the
sciously straighten out, your tank just see a perspective view of the inside of
secret combination. The game paddles
goes in Circles. The pushbutton is a the maze, which changes gradually as
are manipulated like safe dials, except
firing control. The first player to you walk forward, to show ap-
that the position of each "dial" is
accumulate 100 damage points loses. proaching walls and turnoffs, all in
indicated numerically on the screen. In
A temperature rating for each tank living color on your TV screen. Your
order to crack the safe, you must turn in
increases with repeated firing and game paddle allows you to control the
one direction to the correct number,
when it reaches sufficiently high levels, direction taken at intersections wh iIe
then in the opposite direction, etc. The
prevents firing completely. Options pressing the game button effects a 1800
Pip Shoot is for one or two players (in
selected at the start of the game turn (handy at dead-ends). Game
cooperation). The object of the game is
include tank shape, size, and color. options allow you to select the size of
to line up a moving target in the
Tankwar is not as similar to the arcade the maze, whether you leave footsteps
crosshairs and to hit it by pushing
version of the game as you might think, (which help if you need to backtrack) either game button. Minelayer and
because the controls react much and a display of the bird's-eye view Blockade are similar games, except
differently and the tanks are apparently when you type M, if you need to cheat a that in Minelayer you can selectively
self-healing at an alarmingly fast rate! little. This is quite an enjoyable and turn your trail on or off, and must use
Fun, though, once you get the hang of imaginative game, and we highly the non-continuous game paddle for
it. recommend it.
direction control (tricky!) while
.The Music Box is a simple Apple Escape is unfortunately mostly a Blockade is the standard game, with
music composition and playback tear-off of the Maze Game. This con- keyboard input. Quadripong is a
system. The Apple's built-in speaker cept here is that you're trying to escape derivative of PONG. Each player con-
was intended for miscellaneous beeps from a very large maze, and as you trols two paddles, on opposite sides of

104 CREATIVE COMPUTING

 the screen, and there are no walls. As in Kidstuff, appropriately enough, is a allows you to enter principal amount,
regular PONG, you try to keep hitting package of short games and activities term, interest rate, and number of
the ball until one or the other player designed for both the amusement and payments per year, and spits back the
misses. We decided that one player has education of your kids, ages 7 to 11. amount of each payment and the cost
a definite advantage over the other, They generally involve word spelling, of the mortgage, and also lets you see
because of the nature of the Apple's pronunciation, and meanings. Not how this is affected by prepayment.
graphics which make the angles much being between 7 and 11, it's hard to be Financier does calculations on in-
more acute on one side than the other. definite, but some members of the vestments, depreciation, and loans,
Note that all. the games on this tape are Creative Computing staff thought that with various options. In summary,
of the manual-dexterity type (no real "Ralph the Computer's" penguin joke worthwhile if you need these kind of
thinking involved.). OK if you you're was pretty strange. (We'll try to get calculations.
looking for video games. some kids to try this out).
Postscript
•••• PET Software Since home computer software is an
entirely new market, absolutely
Speakeasy Software also has a Kilobaud magazine has also recently
everyone (including Creative Com-
number of nicely done Apple entered the software market with PET
puting) is still feeling his way. As to
packages, but they don't incorporate and TRS-80 programs. We had a
slickness and professional touches,
any graphics. But since people and chance to checkout four of their PET
very few home computer software
computers have been getting along programs.
packages can hold a candle to the
without color graphics for quite a while Casino I contains blackjack and
video arcade games or the kind you
now, and it's rather senseless to roulette on one tape. Both proqrarns
plug into' your home teevee. Rough
introduce color graphics for no useful incorporate fairly slick graphics, but
edges abound, in the form of spelling
reason, this is nothing to hold against unfortunately instructions are included
errors, missing punctuation, not
them. On to the reviews... in a program on the tape rather than in
Bulls and Bears is a competitive a printed booklet. This means you have checking for bad input, not initializing
graphics mode, and even program-
version of Stock Market, an olde to memorize them before running the
computer game. Each player begins actual game. It's also a little ironic that ming bugs. Packaging is generally the
pits - only MUSE did a really admirable
with $50,000 and may buy or sell shares instructions on how to load and run a
job. Documentation is spotty. This is
in several different companies, borrow program are given in such a way that
definitely still a cottage industry.
from the bank, etc. The player with a you must load and run a program to get
In the next issue (hopefully) we'll
controlling interest in a company them. The games themselves are OK if
take a look at some more software,
serves as its director, deciding on you like computer gambling games (I
includinq Connecticut Microcom-
dividends, buying and selling "produc- don't).
puter's PET text editor, and software
tion units", taking out and repaying Casino II is a craps program. Not
from Softside Software and Program
bank loans, etc. Rather than relying on being into this kind of thing, I did not
Design, Inc.
random factors, the value of a com- understand the game and the
pany'sstock depends on realistic
factors, such as production, profits,
references to the non-existent instruc-
tion booklet were not much help either. \ii)
solvency, etc. In our play of the game,
we ended up with a bunch of very used-
up, wasted companies and over $6
million each. This was done by having
Again, fairly slick graphics
probably a nice program for some
people.
Personal Weight Control
and

and
HOME
><
each company borrow like crazy at
really usurious interest rates (10-20%,
though really that isn't too inaccurate
these days), which caused stock prices
Biorythms does include an instruction
booklet, but very strangely it has a
picture of a TRS-80 screen on the
cover! Most of the booklet consists of a
POISON
CONTROL Roger o. Linge, MD

to start fluctuating wildly. Of course, source program listing, unnecessary WARNING: your home contains
you can use the traditional methods of since you obviously bought the products which MAYBE HARM·
slowly developing production, taking cassette so you WOUldn't have to type FUL OR FATAL IF SWALLOWED.
out small loans, etc., but this takes a the whole thing into a computer, and This North Star BASIC program de-
long time. All the game needs now is also not very helpful if there are
termines the necessary EMERGEN·
some version of the SEC to prevent typographical errors. The Weight Con-
such outright fraud. We really enjoyed trol program accepts data on your CY MEASURES for ingestion of
it and would highly recommend it, height, build, etc. and then computes a household products. Disk utility el-
although for truly educational pur- suggested weight and can also plan a lows expansion of substance vocab-
poses it probably needs the diet (calories/day) if you want. ulary to over 2400 names. Access
modifications mentioned. Biorythms is typical although the time less than 6 seconds. Free an-
Microtrivia is a computerized trivia graphics are used well. There are a few nual updates. Complete Source
quiz game, with about ten questions strange things about the package, like listings.
each in twelve areas, such as "Famous the menu which asks you to select
Animals" or "Crime and Criminals." number 1, 2, 3, or 4, and the instruc-
Questions are true-false, multiple- tions in the booklet tell you to make Diskette and Manual $28.00
choice, and matching. Fun at first - but sure the cable connections to the Manual' only, with listings 8.00
once you've done all the questions, it computer were secure (the PET does WATCH FOR cassette versions.
loses interest. However, it's probably not have cable connections - the
Available at your computer store
great for showing off your computer to cassette unit is built-in). At least
a friend. The manual curiously points Personal Weight Control may be worth or from:
out that neither President Carter nor it as a "serious" application. BerkeleyMedicalDataAssociates,Inc.
Bobby Orr has played Microtrivia, but Mortgage with Prepayment and MicrocomputerConsultants
they probably don't have computers, Financier are financial calculation P.O. Box 5279, Berkeley,CA 94705
either. programs. The Mortgage program (415) 653·6707

,'---------------------------------------==~============~)
JAN 1979 105 CIRCLE 144 ON READER SERVICE CARD
 Who Really Needs
Interfacing Problems?
Interfacing things to computers has sometimes
been a real bugaboo even for experienced
engineers. Here's a sad, but true, tale of a new-
comer's experience in this area.

============= Donald E. Skiff ===============

I bought my Heathkit H8 computer thing in their literature about that fact. running, I can write circles around my
last winter, while I was working for You have to know enough to ask. Well, competition."
someone else, and planned to experi- when I had bought my Heath system, The computer came back and ran
ment with it, more than try to make it lower case was not important to me, (with the new terminal and the new
productive. Yes, there were technical either. However, a writer who submits typewriter) for six hours. The next
programs I wanted to develop, and I all-caps manuscripts is just asking for morning, together with my whole
wanted to use it to control things, such rejection slips. Naturally, my $550 system I invaded the Heath store. The
as audio-visual equipment. But mainly Heath terminal would not make lower technician really tried. "The computer
I wasjustfascinated withthe new "toy." case letters, even with a different is working, according to our test
I bought the Heath because I've built keyboard attached (I tried that, too, for routines. There must be something
scores of Heathkits over the past another $85). Benton Harbor told me wrong with the typewriter system." We
twenty years, and I trusted them to lead there's no way to modify it, either. So, went over all the literature, diagrams,
me through anything I didn't know. my investment grew. The typewriter manuals and experience and came up
And, I didn't know plenty. cost me $1800, plus another $200 for with a blank. When I left the store, I had
Several months ago I decided to the interface board. I already had $1600 a fantasy of lifting the computer high
become a free-lance writer. I had used in the H8 and H9, and the time had over my head and smashing it into the
the text editor in my computer before, come for another kilobuck. The market parking lot, then running off down the
but didn't have a printer. Since I had to for already-built Heathkits isn't great, street, laughing wildly. Instead I took
buy a typewriter for my new trade which I guess I understand. Quality another pill and drove the typewriter
anyway, I might as well combine my control in assembly is an individual controller down to the other store.
interest in computers with making my thing. "Please check it again, will you?" It
living. So I borrowed the money to buy In the meantime, however, my occurred to me to offer him ten bucks
a modified Selectric, and hooked it up. printer, which had been pounding out to find something wrong.
Easy, right? Wrong. The store where I all-caps letters, forms and programs The three days the controller was
bought the typewrit§r raised an like crazy for a month or so, stopped. gone, I went over and over the Heath
eyebrow when I told them about the The store checked out the Selectric literature trying to find a clue to the
Heathkit. They as much as told me, and their part of the interface, and problem. At one point I was so confi-
"You're on your own. We don't know reported "no problems." The local dent I input several pages of
anything about hooking this up to a Heath store looked at the interface manuscript (the terminal was working
Heathkit." I smiled, knowingly. board, replaced a UART, and gave it fine) and stored it on tape, to be printed
Naturally, they want to sell their own back. "No problem." It ran for two out "when the controller is fixed." At
computers. So I insisted on copies of hours, then quit again. another point I was so discouraged I
circuit diagrams and any other The day I brought my new Hazeltine went out shopping for a new computer.
technical data they might have. . terminal home, the computer was in the Let's see ... $1600, plus $2000, plus
I'm one of those people who don't shop for a week. They sent it back with $1300 for the new terminal, pius ... To
know they don't know. I connected the a new memory chip and a bus driver. get simply a replacement computer,
machines together the way I inter- "No problem." with only the peripherals necessary to
preted the diagrams and, of course, RS-232 is standard, right? You got it. run my terminal, two cassettes and the
nothing happened. After a couple of When the terminal didn't work with the printer, will cost me somewhere
days of cussing and trying, I called H8, I called Heath again. (I'm taking between $1400 and $2200. If I get the
Benton Harbor. "I'm not familiar with blood pressure pills by now.) They told cheapie (one of the in-house
that printer, and I really don't know me (right off) to bypass the optical assemblies of available boards and
what to suggest. What you've tried isolator on the serial interface board. box, being offered by one of the local
sounds as if it should work, though." That worked, although I still don't know computer stores) I will have spent
They really were sympathetic, but as why, and at this point I don't ask. $6300 for a typewriter that forgives my
the store said, I was on my own. Mind you, all this time I'm trying to mistakes.
I found a couple wires in a plug that make a living writing technical "You could have hired a part-time
might have been touching, and I tried manuals, pounding away at 15 or so typist, for that," my Loved One reminds
positive and negative strobe and ready words per minute manually on two me. But she admires my persistence.
connections, and finally got the system thousand dollars worth of typewriter. It's the cussing she complains of. Right
"Up And Running!" Hurray! I'm loslnq days at a time running back now I'm sitting here at the Hazeltine,
People who make terminals that print and forth trying to get the system into inputing this as though I know that
only capital letters don't make a big operation. "Don't worry," I'm telling my when I turn on the Selectric, it will
Donald E. Skiff, 2448 Vera Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45237. Loved One, "when I do get this thing begin chattering away... •

106 CREATIVE COMPUTING

 And only iCOMbas it.
It's here. The new iCOM 4511R. memory to 40 megabytes.
Slide these S-100 components into a And the 4511R is fast, typically, an order
standard 19-inch rack and you've got big of magnitude faster than floppies. Disks spin at
computer storage capacity for your microsys- 2400 rpm, and the average access time is only
tem: 10 megabytes of useablestoraqe. 40 milliseconds.
The 4511R disk drive incorporates two But hardware is only part of the story. The
5 MB platters. The bottom one's fixed. And the 4511R is available with CP/M T~ a sophisticated
top one is removable, for efficient data backup operating system which supports FORTRAN
and operating flexibility.
You can change cartridges easily, so the
and BASIC. The iCOMFamily.
effective storage capacity of the system is The mew4511R hard disk subsystem
limited only by the space on your shelf. rounds out iCOM's line of rnicroperipherals't
The bipolar disk controller provides From our compact little 2411 Microtloppy'"
integral power supply and key lock security. to our new dual-density, dual flexible disk
It can handle three more drives, too ... drive 3812 system, iCOM is the first name to
boosting total, on-line, random-access look for in microperipherals.

IS "".l:O-

~~ ~ -: ------~

icom mIC~OPE~PHE~lS
Products of I::!!I Pertec Computer Corporation.
Dealer
20630 Nordhoff
inquiries invited
St., Chatsworth. CA 91311. (213) 998-1800

iCOM and Microperipherals are registered trademarks of Pertec Computer Corporation. Microfloppy is
a trademark of Pertec Computer Corporation. CP/M is a trademark of Digital Research. Inc.

CIRCLE 136 ON READER SERVICE CARD

GP8ativ8 Gomputinfj
book s8PviG8 -------
"You can
ask me for
Programming in BASIC anything you
like, except
BASIC and the Personal time."
Computer
Dwyer and Critchfield. This book will
get you involved with personal com-
puting, writing programs and ex-
panding the use of your computer by
showing the great diversity of ap-:
plications possible on any micro-
computer. One of the most compre-
hensive presentations of BASIC ever.
As a text or addition to your personal
library, this book will tell you all you
ever wanted to know about BASIC.
350 pp. $12.95 [9F]. A Guided Tour of
Computer Programming My Computer Likes Me
In BASIC This entertaining self-teaching work-
book introduces the BASIC language
Dwyer and Kaufman. This book tops
all introductory texts on BASIC. to young or old. Problems and ex-
amples are drawn from population
Filled with detail and examples, it
problems and demographic data. A
includes sample programs for many
nice, easy start into BASIC. Large
simulations, several games, reserva-
format. 60 pp. $3.95 [8K].
tions systems and payroll. Aimed at
the novice, but of value to everyone. Basic For Home
156 pp. $5.2n [BL].
Computers
Albrecht, Finkel, & Brown. This book
shows you how to read, write, and
understand the BASIC programming
BASIC Programming, 2nd language used in the new personal-
Instant BASIC
Edition size microcomputers. Includes Jerald R, Brown, This is an 'active
detailed descriptions of everything participation' workbook designed to
Kemeny & Kurtz. An introduction to
you need to know to make your teach you Basic using your com-
computer programming through the
computer work for you-includes puter. The author's quiet writing style
language of BASIC. The authors
how to get started, numerous coupled with zany, wild graphics
include in-depth discussions of many
applications and games, lists of guarantee that you will have a barrel
applications including files and text
resources, much more. 332 pp. $5.95 of fun while learning Basic. 159 pp.
processing. 150 pp. $9.95[7E]
[7G] $9.95 [7L],

Programming in Problem Analysis and

Other languages Programming Style
Programming in PASCAL ANS COBOL How to Solve Problems The Little Book of BASIC
Peter ,Grogono. This book is an Ruth Ashley, An excellent self- Wayne Wickelgren. This helpful book Style: How To Write a
excellent introduction to one of the teaching book for people without analyzes and systematizes some of Program You Can Read
fastest growing programming previous programming experience the basic methods of solving
mathematical problems. Illustrative John M. Nevison. Learn how to write
languages today. The text is arrang- and with no access to a terminal. The
examples include chess problems, better, easy-to-follow programs with
ed as a tutorial containing both author anticipates common errors of
logical puzzles, railroad switching Nevison's rules of style and turn out
examples and exercises to increase first-time COBOL users and gives
problems and ones from science and legible, correct programs, Two hours
reader proficiency in PASCAL. Con- extra help to readers through these
engineering. For each, the author of BASIC programming is all that is
tains sections on procedures, files, parts. 242 pp. $4,95 [7H].
provides hints for the reader to tackle necessary to profit by this book, Con-
and dynamic data structures such as
the problem and then a complete cepts of problem-solving and struc-
trees and linked lists, 359 pp. $9,95
[lOA]
A Simplified Guide to solution is given. Want to solve a tured programming are included. 160
Fortran Programming complex problem with a computer? pp. $5.95 [9V].
Daniel McCracken. A thorough first Begin here. 262 pp. $6.50 [7Y].
The Art of Computer
text in Fortran. Covers all basic
PASCAL User Manual and statements and quickly gets into case The Thinking Computer: Programming
studies ranging from simple (printing Mind Inside Matter Donald Knuth. \The purpose of this
Report (2nd Edition) columns) to challenging (craps series is to provide a unified, read-
Jensen & Wirth. This book consists of games simulation). 278 pp. $10.50 Bertram Raphael. Artificial in- able, and theoretically sound sum-
two parts: the User Manual and the [7F]. telligence, or AI, is the branch of mary of the present knowledge con-
Revised Report. The Manual is computer science concerned with cerning computer programming
directed to those who have some making computers "smarter," With a techniques, along with their histori-
familiarity with computer program- A Fortran Coloring Book minimum of technical jargon, this cal development. For the sake of
ming and who wish to get acquainted Dr, Roger Kaufman. This book is one book discusses the capabilities of clarity, many carefully checked com-
with the PASCAL language. The of the most entertaining computer modern digital computers and how puter procedures are expressed both
Report is a concise reference for both programming books around. Learn they are being used in contemporary in formal and informal language. A
programmers and trnprementors. It computer programming the "painful- AI research. Discusses the progress classic series. Vol. 1: Fundamental
defines Standard PASCAL, which ly funny way." Filled with examples of AI, the goals, and the variety of Algorithms, 634 pp. $21.95 [7R]. Vol.
constitutes a common base between and illustrations plus a light sprink- current approaches to making the 2: Seminumerical Algorithms, 624 pp.
various implementations of the ling of jokes. Guaranteed to teach computer more intelligent. $8,50 $?1.95 [7S]. Vol. 3: Sorting and
language. $6,90, [lOB] you FORTRAN. 273 pp. $6,95 [40] [7Xj Searching. 722 pp. $21.95· [7T]
 Learn With Computer Games Other Games & Activities
Basic Computer Games Fun With Computers and The Way To Play Star Games
David Ahl. Here are 101 classic Basic The newest, most comprehensive Razzi, Brightfield and Looney. For
games all in Microsoft Basic for your
Donald D. Spencer. Mathematical
encyclopedia of games in the world. Star Trek and Star Wars fans, here's a
TRS-80, PET, Apple, Sorcerer, etc. Complete rules for over 2000 games book that invites you to "join the
recreations and games are an ex-
Everyone is complete with large and indoor pastimes including race Space Force for the greatest galactic
cellent medium for teaching com-
legible listing, sample run, and board games, strategic board games, battle of your life!" A game book, not
puter programming. The reader
descriptive notes. Has all the best tile games, card games, solitaire a puzzle book, it challenges you to
learns the BASIC programming
games: Super Star Trek, Football, games, dice games, table games, crack space-age binary codes and
language during the process of
Blackjack, lunar lander, Tic Tac casino and gambling games, games help your friends escape from the
Toe, Nim, Life, Basketball, Boxing, learning to program fun type
of chance and many more. Over 5000 krakon's clutches. $6.95. [10K]
Golf, Hockey, Craps, Roulette, Awari, problems. The book introduces the
drawings and diagrams in color. The
Bagels, Mastermind, Hammurabi, reader to flowcharting, and the
perfect sourcebook for the computer
Fur Trader, Splat and many, many BASIC programming language. In-
game author. 320 pp. $7.95. [10H]
cludes many BASIC programs, car-
more. Now in its 5th printing. 200 pp.
$7.50. [6C] toons, and drawings. Written The I Hate MathematiCS
specifically for use by junior high
Game Playing with BASIC school students. 96 pp. $5.95 [10F]
Book

.
Marilyn Burns. This book is for
Donald D. Spencer.
challenge of competition
Enjoy the
with your
personal computer. Amuse yourself
•••••
...
••••••
.,
nonbelievers of all ages, but especial-
ly for kids who are convinced that
mathematics is (1) impossible, (2)
with such computer games and
puzzles as 3-D Tic- Tac- Toe, Rou-
• •••
•••••••
only for smart kids, and (3) no fun

lette, Baccarat, and more. Includes

•• ••••
••••••
anyhow.
mathematics
This book shows
is nothing more (nor
that

rules of each game, how each game

••
.• Mt.~~ ••
less) than a way of looking at the Cross-Sums
works, illustrations and the output
produced by each program. The last
chapter contains 26 games for reader
solution. 176 pp. $7.95 [100]

Chess and Computers

""-'-
.•~&
••••
I •••••••••
... world and is. not to be confused with
arithmetic.
several
In this book you'll find
hundred mathematical
events, gags, magic tricks, and ex-
periments to prove it. 128 pp. $3.95
[11B]
Maltby & Fulbrook. The answers are
numbers! Vertical columns must total
the same as horizontal rows. It's a
new puzzle gatne - constructed by
Richard Maltby, Jr., master puzzle-
maker for Harper's and New York
David Levy. This book is loaded with Fun & Games With the
chess games-computer versus Toybook Magazines. 30 puzzles including
Computer Steven Caney. "More than 50 toys Nursery Rhymes, Children's Hour,
computer and computer versus
human. SEttle down with this book, Ted Sage. 'This book is designed as a and projects have been chosen with Golf, Movies, Famous Dates, and
text for a one-semester course in imagination and care to provide a more. 108 pp. $1.95 [10l]
set up your chess board, and play the
games. As with any good chess book, computer programming using the high ratio of satisfaction and fun in
half the enjoyment is found in playing BASIC language. The programs used return for effort invested." -Parents' Geometric Cross-Sums
along, duplicating the moves and as illustration'S and exercises are Magazine. It is " ... a must for kids and Maltby & Fulbrook. Another puzzle
reading the authors comments. 145 games rather than mathematical anybody else interested in conjuring game. This one has 30' puzzles
pp. $8.95 [10C] algorithms, in order to make the book up delightful playthings out of odds ranging in difficulty from easy to
appealing and accessible to more and ends and scraps of stuff around fiendish. Each diagram takes a
students. The text Is well written, with the house." -Whole Earth Epilog. special shape - Triangles Fun, The
many excellent sample programs. Packed with illustrations, photos, Magic Hexagon, Shapes Within
Highly recommended."-The and step-by-step instructions. 176 Shapes, Literature in 3-D.; and more!
Mathematics Teacher. 351 pp. $7.95 pp, $3.95 [10J] 108 pp. $1.95 [10M]
[8B].

Game Playing With

Computers (Revised 2nd Art and Music
Edition) .Artist and Computer The Technology of
Donald D. Spencer. Now you can Ruth Leavitt. This unique art book Computer Music
sharpen programming skills through covers a multitude of computer uses
a relaxed and radically different and the very latest techniques in Max Matthews. If you're interested in
creating music' or your micro-
What to Do After You Hit approach. Including 70 games, computer-generated art. In its pages,
puzzles, and mathematical 35 artists explain how the computer computer, here is an excellent source
Return recreations for a digital computer. It's book written by the "Father of Com-
can be programmed either to ac-
Another collection of games and sim- fully illustrated and includes more tualize the artist's concept (such as puter Music." Includes funda-
ulations-ail in BASIC-including than 25 game-playing programs in the visualization of fabric before it is mentals of digital sound generation,
number guessing games, word FORTRAN or BASIC, complete with woven) orto produce finished pieces. including the sampling theorem,
games. hide-and-seek games, pat- descriptions, flowcharts, and output. Over 160 examples, some in full digital to analog converters, analog
tern games. board games. business Brand-new "how to" information for color. 122 pp, $4.95 softbound [60]. to digital converters, filtering and
and social science simulations and applying mathematical concepts to $10.00 hardbound. [6E] storage of musical data. Also, a
science fiction games. large format. game playing with a computer. 320 description of MUSIC V, a high level
158 pp. $8.00 [8A]. pp. $16.95 [10G] music language. $16 hardcover[10N]

To Order
Use the bound-in order form or send
your check for books plus $2.00
shipping and handling per order
(Foreign: $1.25 per book) to Creative
Computing, .. ' P.O. Box 789-M,
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add 5% sales tax. Visa or
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For faster. service, call in your bank
card order toll free to:

800-631-8112
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GP68tiv6 Gomputind book' s6Pvic6
,......-- ...
Getting Started

,
#.
, ..
"Every why
~
,
Microprocessors: From
Chips to Systems
RodnElY Zeks.
detailed
A complete
introduction
and
to
" r:" microprocessors and microcom-

, wherefore".
•
•
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 3D Space Simulation Game

Lloyd Johnson

Space Maze is a three dimensional maze game written in

BASIC/RT-11. The game consists of maneuvering a space
ship past ten robot sentries toward a space station. If you
come within 1000 km of the sentries they destroy you and
you lose the game. Neither the space station nor the
sentries move. A more detailed description of how the
game is played may be found in lines 150-350 of the
program.
Spherical coordinates were chosen for the printout
since distance is cine of the parameters. All coordinates in
the printout are referenced to your space ship which is
always located at the origin. When your space ship moves
the coordinate system moves with you. The following
figure illustrates how spherical coordinates are used to
define the position of a robot sentry.
Theta can vary from 0 to 180 degrees while phi can vary
from 0 to 360 degrees. By using these two angles along
with the distance from the origin, the position of any point
in three dimensional space can be uniquely defined.
As the space ship moves, the new position of the
sentries and space station in reference to the space ship is The initial position of the sentries is selected randomly
updated on half minute intervals. The program keeps track with positions less than 500 km or greater than 1750 km
of everyone by referencing the space ship and sentries to from the station thrown out and reselected. The game may
the station and translating to the other reference system be made easier by increasing the maximum distance from
for the printout. Translation betweeri reference systems the station to 2000 km. This is done by setting "A" equal to
was easily accomplished in rectangular coordinates. This 2000 at line 680 in the program. If "A" is reduced to 1500
required subroutines to convert from spherical coor- the sentries are packed closer together and it is more
dinates to rectangular coordinates and vice versa. These difficult to find a path through them.
subroutines may be found at lines 880 and 1900. An explanation of the strategy employed in the sample
Lloyd Johnson, 3872 Ballatine Rd., Eagen, Minnesota 55122 run is as follows:

112 CREATIVE coMPUTING

SHIPTIME: OMINUTES The nearest sentry is over address listed in lines 30-50 of the Space Maze program
2300 km away. I can easily risk and I will do my best to accommodate. -
going 1300 km straight at the
SPACE MAZE
station since the sentries can't
harm me until I am within 1000 DO YOU WANT INSTRUCTIONS
ENTER A NUMBER BETWEEN I
(Y/N)?N
AND 500 TO BEGIN THE MISSION?103
km of them. SENTRY DISTANCE PHI THETA
I 2822.2 11. 1327 30.2087
SHIP TIME: 13 MINUTES There is a 60 degree variation 4 2370.99 319. 17 46. 1714

between the station's phi STATION

SHIP TIME: 0
3392.43
MINUTES
358.794 33.7077

angle and sentry #4's phi ENTER VELOCITY,

?10Q, 358, 33. 13
PHI AND THETA COORDINATES AND TIME INTERVAL.

angle as well as a 32 degree

SENTRY DISTANCE PHI THETA
variation in their theta angles. I 1542.2 23. 5527 29.0132
2 2471.32 41. 4369 31. 9313
I will risk going 500 km 3 2445.63 334.802 72.9045

straight at the station since it 4

6
1358.11
2266.27
298.209
35.1123
66.0344
67.6532
is quite unlikely this maneuver 9
2090.68
2038.01
19.5871
16.2939
56. 135
51.7482
will bring me 358 km closer to 10 2084.96 307.736 41.4986
STATION 2092.66 359,273 34. 1499
sentry #4 which would be SHIP TIME: 13 MINUTES
ENTER VELOCITY, PHI AND THETA COORDINATES AND TIME INTERVAL
fatal. ?100, 359. 34, 5

SHIP TIME: 18 MINUTES Sentry #1 is now very close. I SENTRY DISTANCE PHI THETA
2B.49B
1 1062.94 36. 795B
can increase the distance to 2 2019.71 51.1628 33. 5696
3 2107.79 331. 652 81. 6962
#1 and decrease the distance 4 1139.5 285.751 83.0882

to the station by staying on 6

5 2675.39
1929.95
303.039
40. 1477
7.45022
76.6037
the X-V plane (theta = 90) and 7
8
1657.21
2871. 98
23. 4024
337.491
63.0726
53.1166
moving at right angles to #1 9 1582.06 19.8606 57.6199
10 1679 297. 49 46.9076
with respect to the phi angle. STATION 1592. 66 359.358 34. 1971

This is done by typing in a phi SHIP

ENTER
TIME: 18
VELOCITY,
MINUTES
PHI AND THETA COORDINATES AND TIME INTERVAL
angle 90 degrees less than the "7100,305.90,1

phi angle for sentry #1. SENTRY DISTANCE PHI THETA

1 1069.12 47.8781 29. 1023
34.3161
SHIP TIME: 19 MINUTES Although the last maneuver 2
3
2037.5
2019.89
55.9593
332.94 81.3321
achieved its objective, it also 1046.36
2664.27
283.929
302.246
82.4695
5.31916
moved me closer to sentry #4. 1941. 24
1642.23
43.17
27.2476
76.683
62.807
Since everyone is above the 2805.49 33B. BBI 52.0906
9 1563.05 24. 0751 57.1769
X-V plane (theta 90), I can 10 1608.08 296.825 44. 4955

increase everyones distance STATION

SHIP TIME: 19
1562. 77
MINUTES
4. 90438 32.5492

by going straight down (theta ENTER

?I"OO,O,
VELOCITY,
180,3
PHI AND THETA COORDINATES AND TIME INTERVAL.

= 180). SENTRY DISTANCE PHI THETA

47.8782 22.8473
SHIP TIME: 22 MINUTES By using a strategy similiarto 1 1339.22
2291. 53 55. 9594 30. 0835
that used at SHIP TIME: 18 3
4
2086.29
1125.68
332.94
283.929
73. 1596
67. 1496
MINUTES, the distance to 5
6
2963.11
2031. 43
302.246
43. 17
4.78131
68.4205
sentry #4 may be increased 1799.23 27.2476 54.278
8 2999. 17 338.881 47.5641
while simultaneously 9 1743. 98 24. 0751 48. 8653

decreasing the distancetothe 10

STATION
1834.16
1822.81
296.825
4.90439
37.913
27.469
station. SHIP
ENTER
TIME; 22
VELOCITY.
MINUTES
PHI AND THETA COORDINATES AND TIME INTERVAL
?100, 10,90,3
SHIP TIME: 25 MINUTES This maneuver will direct my
SENTRY DISTANCE PHI THETA
ship straight at the station for 1 1279.55 80.9192 15.3086
3 minutes or 300 km. 2
3
2204.99
1867.22
68.8791
327.066
25.9398
71.1134
1146.52 267. 527 67.5877
SHIP TIME: 28 MINUTES Sentry #1 is dangerously 2968.83 237.909 5. 95594
1807.75 48.8925 65.5878
close! Again I will employ the 1578.04 31.5797 48. 2646

strategy used at SHIP TIME: 2819.22

1538.52
334.351
28. 1563
44.1241
41. 7821
18 MINUTES. 10
STATION
1805.11
1705.91
281. 392
2.08988
36.7127
18. 5478
SHIP TIME: 25 MINUTES
SHIP TIME: 31 MINUTES I· have reached the point ENTER VELOCITY, PHI AND THETA COORDINATES AND TIf'lE INTERVAL.

where the station is almost ?100, O. 18.3

directly overhead. By SENTRY

I
DISTANCE
1006.53
PHI
96.7336
THETA
19.4951
decreasing the theta angle to 2 1938.06 74. 1852 28.8491
3 1719.51 325.356 79:3055
70 degrees my spaceship will 4 1078.67 262. 552 81.9093
2692.45 225.512 7.80924
start to angle upward. I used 6 1652.56 51.4156 73.772

the phi angle of the station 8

7 1339.68
2560.3
34.11
333. 128
55. 1692
47.2354
since it will move me away 9
10
1278.59
1575.81
30.8113
276.496
47.6139
42.5038
from sentry #1 as well as move STATION 1405.95 2.52031 18.6676
SHIP TIME: 28 MINUTES
me toward the station. ENTER VELOC I TY, PHI AND THETA COORDINATES AND TIME INTERVAL.
?100, 0, 90, 3
SHIP TIME: ? MINUTES I blew it! I wasn't watching SENTRY DISTANCE PHI THETA
sentry #9 at all. By typing in a j 1061.48 135.493 26.636
2 1921.76 92.8728 27. 9543
shorter time interval I 3 1487.5 318.615 77.6128
4
probably would have been 5
1156.11
2737.36
247. 509
205.131
82.4545
12.9735
able to maneuver around him. 6
7
1492.38
1156.92
60.9273
45.2891
71. 9736
48. 5945
8 2374.69 328. ~19 42.9406
I am currently working on a variation to this proqrarn 9 1112.72 43.424 39.2297
10 1581.42 260.367 42.7253
where the sentries will move in random orbits around the STATION 1340.5 7.53621 6.46268
station. I also have another version of this program in SHIP
ENTER
TIME: 31
VELOCITY,
MINUTES
PHI AND THETA COORDINATES AND TIME INTERVAL.
which the sentries are enemy space ships and are 7100,7,70,2
SENTRY 9 HAS TOTALLY DESTROYED YOUR SHIP.
programmed to move toward you and attack. Anyone
interested in a listing of this program can write to me atthe

JAN 1979
113
 10 REM: SPACe: MAZE 1300 REM: INPUT VEt...OCITY AND MOVE SHIP
20 REM: 1310 REM:
30 REM: LLOYD JOHNSON 1320 PRINT "ENTER VELOCITY, PHI AND THETA COORDINATES AND TIME INTERVAL. "
40 REM: 3872 BALLANTRAE ROAD, APARTMEN f l-, 1330 INPUT R (24), P (24), T(24) I Tl
50 REM: EAGEN, MINNESOTA 55122 1340 IF R(24)(=100 THEN 1370
60 REM: 1350 PRINT "MAXIMUM VELOCITY IS 100 KM/MIN. "
70 PRINT SPACE MAZE" 1360 GO TO 1320
80 PRINT 1370 1=24
90 PRINT "DO YOU WANT INSTRUCTIONS (Y/f\I)"; 1380 GOSUB 1900 \REM: CONVERT FROM SPHERICAL TO RECTANGULAR COORDINATES
100 INPUT A$ 1390 T3=.5
110 IF A$="Y" THEN 140 1400 T2=0
~20 IF A$="N" THEN 360 1410 IF T3+T2(Tl THEN 1430
130 GO TO 90 1420 T3:::TI-T2
140 PRINT 1430 X( 1 )=X( 1 )+X(24)*T3
150 PRINT "YOU ARE IN COMMAND OF A SPACESHIP ON AN AHCHAEOLOGICAt " 1440 Y(1):Y(1)+Y(24)*T3
160 PRINT "EXPEDITION WHICH WAS ASSIGNED TO MANEUVER WITHIN 500 Kl'l IJF AN" 1450 Z(1)=Z(1)+Z(24)*T3
170 PRINT "ABANDONED ALIEN SPACE STATION TO PICK. UP t1NCIENT ARTIFACTS, " 1460 FOR 1:::3 TO 21 STEP 2
180 PRINT "THIS SHOULD BE DONE IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME TO MINIM] ZE THr·" 1470 GoSUB 1820 \REM: REFERENCE POSITION OF SENTRIES TO SHIP
190 PRINT "THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY'S EXPENSES. " 1480 IF FNE( 1-1 )<=1000 THEN 2000
200 PRINT 1490 NEXT I
210 PRiNT "DANGERS INCLUDE TEN ROBOT SENTRIES SITTING STATIONi",RY IN SPI\CE" 1500 T2=T3+T2
220 PRINT "AROUND THE STATION. THESE SENTRIES WILL AUTOMATICALLY DESTROY" 1510 IF T2<Tl THEN 1410
230 PRINT "YOUR SHIP IF YOU COME WITHIN 1000 KM OF THEM, " 1520 T4=T4+T2
240 PRINT 1530 RETURN
250 PRINT "YOUR MAXIMUM VELOCITY IS LIMITED TO 100 KM/MIN THE;" 1540 REM:
260 PRINT "ENABLES YOU TO CHANGE YOUR COURSE TO ANY DIRECTION REGARDLESS" 1550 REM: CONVERT FROM RECTANGULAR TO SPHERICAL COORDINATES
270 PRINT "OF YOUR PREVIOUS VELOCITY AND COURSE. " 1560 REM:
280- PRINT 1570 R( I )=FNE( I)
290 PRINT "THE SCREEN WILL DISPLAY THE DISTANCE AND COORDINATES 01- THE" 15BO IF X(I)<>O THEN 1610
t~90 P(I)"';'QO
300 PRINT "SENTRIES AND STATION IN SPHERICAL COORDINATES REFERENCED TO"
310 PRINT "YOUR SHIP. ONLY SENTRIES WITHIN 3000 KM WILL BE DISPLAYED" 1600 GO TO 1650
320 PRINT "SINCE THE SCANNER RANGE IS LIMITED. THETA VARIES FROM 0 TO" 1610 P(I)=ATN(Y(I)/X(I»
330 PRINT "180 DEGREES AND IS MEASURED FROM THE Z AXIS. PHI VARIES FROI'l" 1620 P(I)=FNB(P(I»
340 PRINT "0 TO 360 DEGREES AND IS MEASURED FROM THE X AXIS." 1630 IF X(IDO THEN 1650
350 PRINT 1640 P( I )=P( I )+180
360 PRINT "ENTER A NUMBER BETWEEN 1 AND 500 TO BEGIN THE MISSION"; 1650 IF R(I)(:>O THEN 1680
370 T4=0 1660 T(I)=O
380 F=O 1670 GO TO 1800
390 DlM X(24), Y(24), Z(24), R(24), P(24), T(24) 1680 IF ABS(l(I)/R(I»<:>1 THEN 1740
400 REM: ODD COORDINATES 3,5.7. 21 ARE SENTRIES REFERENCED TO THE STATION 1690 IF Z(I)/R(IDO THEN 1720
410 REM: EVEN COORDINATES 2.4,8 .. 20 ARE SENTRIES REFERENCED TO lHE SHIP 1700 T(I)=180
420 REM: COORDINATES SUBSCRIBTED BY 1 IS SHIP REFERENCED TO STATION 1710 GO TO 1750
430 REM: COORDINATES SUBSCRIPTED BY 23 IS STATION REFERENCED TO SHIP 1720 T(I)=O
440 REM: COORDINATES SUBSCRIPTED BY 24 IS VELOCITY VECTOR 1730 GO TO 1750
1740 T< I )=FNB(FND(Z(I )/R( I»)
450 INPUT T
460 FOR 1=1 TO T 1750 IF P(I)(360 THEN 1770
470 X=RND(I) 1760 P(I)=P(I)-360
480 NEXT I 1770 IF P (I) )=0 THEN 1800
490 DEF FNA(X)=RND(XHHOOOO-5*1000 1780 P(I )=P( I )+360
500 DEF FNB(X):X*180/3. 14159 1790 GO TO 1750
510 DEF FNC(X):X*3. 14159/180 1800 RETURN
520 DEF FND(X)=3.14159/2-ATN(X/SGR(1-X· ...2» 1810 REM:
530 OEF FNE(I)=SGR(X(I) .•..
2+Y(I) 2+Z(I) 2) 1820 REM: REFERENCE POSITION OF SENTRIES TO SHIP
540 GOSUB 590 \REM: INITIALIZE ALL POSITIONS 1830 REM:
550 GOSUB 810 \REM: SCAN 1840 REM: I MUST ALWAYS BE 000
560· GOSUB 1300 \REM: INPUT VELOCITY AND MOVE SHIP 1850 X(I-1)=X(I)-X(l)
1860 Y( I-ll=Y( 1 )-Y( 1)
570 GO TO 550
1870 Z(I-l)=Z(I)-Z(l)
580 REM:
590 REM: INITIALIZE POSITIONS 1880 RETURN
1890 REM:
600 REM:
/ 610 X(ll=FNA(X(ll) 1900 REM: CONVERT FROM SPHERICAL TO RECTANGULAR· COORDINATES
1910 REM: '
620 Y(l)=FNA(Y(l»
1920 T< I )=FNC(T(I»
630 Z( 1 )=FNA( Z< 1»
1930 P(I)=FNC(P(I»
640 FOR 1=3 TO .21 STEP 2
1940 X(I):R(I)*SIN<T(I»*COS(P(I»
650 X(I)=FNA(X(I»/3
660 Y(I)=FNA(Y(I)}/3 1950 Y(I)=R(I>*SIN<T(I»*SIN(P(I»
670 z r I )=FNA<Z(J» 13 1960 ZeI )=R( I >*C05<T( I»
680 Ad:.1750 1970 T< I )=FNB<T( I»
690· REM: A DEFINES THE MAXIMUM DISTANCE THE SENTRIES CAN BE FROM 1980 P(I)=FNB(P(I»
700 REM: THE STATION. DECREASE A TO 1500 FOR A MORE 1990 RETURN
710 REM: CHALLENGING GAME. 2000 PRINT "SENTRV"(I-1)/2"HAS TOTALLY DESTROYED YOUR SHIP."
720 IF FNE( I )<=500 THEN 650 2010 END
730 IF FNE( I D=A THEN 650
740 GOSUB 1820 \REM: REFERENCE POSITION OF SENTRIES TO'SHIP
750 NEXT I
760 FOR 1=2 TO 20 STEP 2
770 GOSUB 1550 \REM: CONVERT FROM RECTANGULAR TO SPHERICAL COORDINATES
780 NEXT I
790 RETURN
800 REM:
810 REM: SCAN
820 REM:
830 REM: REFERENCE STATION TO SHIP Answers to last months' puzzle
840 X(23)=-X(1)
850 Y(23)=-Y( 1)
860 Z(23)=-Z(1)
870 1=23 ....
880 GOSUB 1550 \REM: CONVERT FROM RECTANGULAR TO SPHERICAL COORDINATES
890 PRINT
900 PRINT "SENTRY", "DISTANCE", "PHI", "THETA"
910 FOR 1=2 TO 20 STEP 2
920 GOSUB 1550 \REM: CONVERT FROM RECTANGULAR TO SPHERICAL COORDINATES
930 IF R (I D3000 THEN 950
940 PRINT I/2,R(I),P(ILT(I)
950 NEXT I
960 PRINT "STAT.ION", R(23), P(23)' T(23)
970 PRINT "SHIP TIME: "; T4;" MINUTES"
980 IF F=l THEN 1060
990 IF R(23D500 THEN 1280
1000 PRINT
1010 PRINT "CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE NOW ABLE TO COLLECT THE ARTIFACTS. "
1020 PRINT "THE NEXT PROBLEM IS TO GET AT LEAST 5000 KM FROM THE STATION"
1030 PRINT "SO YOU CAN WARP OUT.
1040 F=l
1050 GO TO 1280
lObO IF R(23)(5000 THEN 1280
1070 IF T4>100 THEN 1120
lOBO PRINT
1090 PRINT "CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE MISSION IN RECORD TINE. "
1100 PRINT "YOU ARE A SUPERB PILOT. "
1110 GO TO 2010
1120 IF T4>150 THEN 1170
1130 PRINT
1140 PRINT "CONGRATULATIONS YOU MADE IT IN GREAT TIME. "
1150 PRINT "YOU ARE A GOOD PILOT.
1160· GO TO 2010
1170 IF T4>200 THEN 1220
11BO PRINT
1190 PRINT "IT TOOK YOU A WHILE BUT YOU MADE IT OUT OF -THERE'. ALJVE"
1200 PRINT" WITH THE ALIEN ARTIFACTS. GOOD WORK. "
1210 GO TO 2010
1220 PRINT
1230 PRINT "YOU FINALLY MADE IT."
1240 PRINT "THE INSTITUTE HAD GIVEN YOU UP FOH LOST SINCE Il TOCIK"
1250 PRINT "YOU SO LONG. "
1260 PRINT '''YOUR NAVIGATIONAL SKILLS COULD USE SOME PRATICE. "
1270 GO TO 2010
1280 RETURN
1290 REM:

114 CREATIVE COMPUTING

Back Issues of
July 1977
Sol: The Inside Story; Report from DREADCO; Home Computers: Here Today, Everywhere
Tomorrow; A Chip Is Born; The Care and Feeding of Your Home Computer

August 1977
The Kit and I, Part I, by someone who's never soldered before; Tooling Up, tips for the do-it-yourself
hardware beginner; Binary Clocks; APLomania, for home or small business? The
September 1977 computer
PLATO makes Learning Mickey Mouse; How Computers Work; Xeroxes and Other Hard Copy •
Off Your CRT; The Kit and I, Part II; Charged Couples, howCCDs work and how they're made;
Personally Yours From IBM, is the 5100 a home computer?
magazine
October 1977 for the curious
Putting Two & Two Together, binary arithmetic Explained for the beginner; Microprocessor Aid for
the Deaf-Blind; The kilobyte Card: Memory for Pennies; Building a Basic Music Board

November 1977 100 Pages Per Issue!

Project Prometheus: Going Solar With Your Micro; The Kit and I, Part Ill;What is a Microcomputer
System, Solomon and Veit tell how to put together a personal computer system; The Wordslinger:
2200 Characters Per Second

December 1977 Regular Columns by:

Computer Country: An Electronic Jungle Gym for kids; the gkit and I, Part IV: Testing, Testing, - Lee FeIsenstein
Copycat Computer, a file-copy program for your personal program exchange; A Beginner's Guide
To Peripherals; Artificial Intelligence? Theodor Nelson
Joseph Weizenbaum
. January 1978 . - Bill Etra
Synthetic Skin for Your Robot and How To Make It; The Code That Can't Be Cracked; TLC: The Frederick Chesson
Visual Programming Language, the easy symbolless way to chart programs; First Timer's Guide to - Eben Ostby
Circuit Board Etching - A. I. Karshmer
Andrew Singer
February 1978
The Mailing List Program; Up and Running at the Elections, micros give quicker results;
Flowgrams-A New Programming Tool; Assemblers, the closest thing to a universal microcom-
puter language? Get your back copies
March-April 1978 while they last!!
Introduction to real time concepts; Felsenstein: An Absolute-Time Clock; Dreyfus: Things (We are not planning a Best of ROM
Computers Still Can't Do; Introduction to Interpreters; Othello Game; Weizenbaum: Incomprehen- book.)
sible Programs; The Quasar Robot Revealed; Chesson: Cryptanalysis; Review of the PET.

----------------------------
I Please rush me the following back issues of ROM:
issue (month) ( ) $ 2.25 each postpaid
I
I
In a hurry?
Call your Visa or Master/Charge
I () 5.00 for 3 issues postpaid order in to:
I 14.00 () for all 9 issues postpaid I 800-631-8112
I ------ Cash, () check, m.o. enclosed I
(In NJ, call 201-540-0445)
Name
I Address _
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I City -----------:---------------------------------- State Zip --- I
I Send to: Creative Computing, P.O. Box 789-M, Morristown, NJ 07960 I
 Puzzles 6 Problems
Superprimes Run Jeff, Run
Definition: A SUPERPRIME is an integer such that it is If Matthew can beat Jeff by one-tenth of a mile in a two-
prime and every integer obtained by deleting a digit from mile race and Jeff can beat Steven by one-fifth of a mile in
the right is a prime. E.g., 7331 is prime, 733 is prime, 73 is a two mile race, by what distance could Matthew beat
prime, and 7 is prime. Thus 7331 is a superprime. Steven in a two-mile race?
Problems: The Mathematics Student
a. How many 2- and 3-digit superprimes exist and what
are they?
b. Which digits of a superprime can be a 1,2,4,5,6,8, and
O?
c. Are there any superprimes
(other than 7331)?
with more than 3 digits
Thinkers: Corner
Macug Newsletter
© Layman E. Allen

WORD PUZZLES
How many of the problems (a) through (f) below can
you solve by forming a network of words that have
exactly as many letters as the number listed as the
GOAL? (Suppose that each symbol below is imprinted on
a disc.)
To qualify as a network
(1) all sequences of discs across and down must be
Costume Party words,
(2) the words must have two or more letters and not
At a party there are: 14 girls, 11 adults without costumes, be proper names,
14 women, 10 girls with costumes, 24 people without (3) all of the discs in the REQUIRED column must be
costumes, 8 women with costumes, and 10 males with used,
costumes. How many people are at the party? (4) as many of the discs in PERMITIED as you wish

. . ....
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
may be used, and
(5) at most one of the discs in RESOURCES may be
used.

Yea, Team! Example: The number of letters in the words of the

Of the members of three athletic teams in a certain school, network
21 are on the basketball team, 26 are on the baseball team, CAT is 7: CAT=3, TO=2, ON=2
and 29 are on the football team. 14 play baseball and ON 3 + 2 + 2 = 7
basketball; 15 play baseball and football; and 12 play The number in the network CA TI is 3.
football and basketball. Eight are on all three teams. How
many members are there altogether? PROB. GOAL REQUIRED PERMITTED RESOURCES
The Mathematics Student
[a] 7 SM EHT EFLPR
[b] 10 AEO MSPZ GIKORTU
[c] 12 FO 0 FOO MNOPQRST
[d] 14 CVXE EHON BDJKLMWY
[e] 18 AACP EORT ABDEFHIR
[f] 22 E L R M T AEHOOV BEJLNPSUYZ

Emily Lime vOl8v

IlIIJ'10ql"J' UU"J''pe0t! ple~8ed M-006l 'a8ua51l1alul uewnH)o iuauraouau
-u3 a4110) uouspunoj a41 W01) isanbai uodn alqel,eAe SI sawe5 leuolI
Emily Lime -on nsur raqio pue sun inoqa uoueuuoju: aal~ 'saJnl8nllS Pl0M 10 awe9
Has a marvelous time a41 :SOt!OM-NO 5uIAeid a~11Aew noA 'alzznd 10 pUI~ SI41Aolua noA II
Giving her friends palpitations: .L
3 0
Arranged in this rhyme lIIJ tJ 'Ii' H 'Ii' 3 d X 3 H
As EMIL 3 II o l 3 tJ 'Ii' 3 lIIJ 0 o
y Z [I] .L 0 o [a] II [p]

LIME ~ 0
:::l 0 S 3 H S
0 0 .L [:>] 3 .L 'Ii' lIIJ [q] 3 lIIJ [a]
She's a problem in multiplication. (Each letter
stands for a different digit.) :(SJaljIO ere aJaljl A/luanbaJJ) SJaMsu\t palsa66ns awoS

116 CREATIVE COMPUTING

 / PET
$795 THE PET memory $795.00 conventional rnorutor $29.95

CONNECTION $240.00
$280.00
Second Cassette onve
RS·232 Pnnter Adapter -
$99.95
EXPANOAPET - Economical 16K
memory e •.pansecn lor Ihe PET (in-
Cabinet S 35.00 assembled board $98.50 cludes" daughter board) $435.Q(I
WIthout daughter board $.395.00
Networks Modem lor PET With power supply, case &
Attaches to DAA $320,00 connector $169.00
Cabinet s 35,00 • Beeper - PET connonec
beep' $24.95

Hams! Add a NEW ASCII INTERFACES

PET to your rig. READER/PUNCH 8 LEVEL PAPER

for Reader/Punch

'300ay dehve,y on Interlaces

Comcuteoz e your stat.on w.ln
M.crOlron,cs M-65 Ham Interface TAPE/READER Boards & Cables
and ,"cluded sottware You s,mply PUNCH . Parallel $220
plug the unit Into your PET and RS232 ser.et $350

t----------,
you're ready to clisplay, transmit
ancl receive either CW or ATTY at Board Cables Power Supply
rates up 10100 WPM Parallel $490
Senat $615
ASSEMBLED KITS SELECTRIC-BASED Board. ceeree Power Supply EnCIMu'.
TERMINAL FOR PET LOW-COST PRINTER Parallel $575
$99.95 FOR PET . ser.ar $780

$895 ThiS IS a comptetets retvrbrsnec

SECOND CASSETTE We have Interfaced our TC-71 \0 the Teletype KSR-33 term,"al ready 10
euacn rc your PEl's Interlace to
FOR PET-$99.95 PET Use with IheIEEE-488 bus as a
use as a pnoter

Hazeltine
pnntee or With the VIA User Port tor
ThiS peripheral from Commodore bronecnonat 10. Ideal lor Word
gives you the ability to use one tape Prccessmg applications
deck lor Input and one lor output
cccv nres. etc

1400
KIM-1
The ong,na
board
l
compute,fully eeceoceoie 511'19
1e
'liiii""iiMaii~iilllilfIIi"Ii6"W~
•

Assembled

$179
with power supply
Urgently needed: Nowa 5th Generation
$209 in Terminals:
EXPANO YOUR KIM SYSTEM:
• Peripherals
Introductory Sale Price -
KIMSI
KIM 10 S·I00 Board
• Manufacturers surplus Immediate Delivery
• Closed stores stock • 24 x 80 display
Assemoled $169

Connector set
• RS-232C interface
• 110 to 9600 Baud
KIM.
E.pans.onboard
• 12" CRT Monitor
16 lnx64chr. display. 128 printable • Remote screen control
MICRO TECH.
'Assemoled
POWER SUPPLY
$34.95
CASH characters.
or Baudot).
cassette
software
3 serial
UART (ASCii
interfaces
110, true composite video.
& • Uses 8048 microprocessor
• State-of-the-art design
KIM ENCLOSURE AVAILABLE TTL compatible;
nection.
easy power con-

A full capability terminal completely

assembled with a 90 day warranty
for less than you'd pay for a kit.
TC-71 SELECTRIC TERMINALS
TOP'QualitYPflnhng
Wllh RS-232, PITC
terminal
code. jn- "

~1"
crcces uesk. tac cnarmne
ASCii version employs 6602
for code conversion, See our
calalog for details.
ASCII $8"
Refurbished S695
Working $495
As-Is $339

ASCIt INTERFACE FOR rC.71 $1

• Color graphics on your TV

• Music and sound synthesizer
• Bultl·in cassette tape drive
• Large 53·key keyboard
• Two joysticks included
• 14 Fru cassettes worth $294
• Edu·8ASIC easseue included
• 8080 Microprocessor NOW!
• 8K RAM. 2K ROM
Edu·BASIC - Write programs
II you tan't decide between a Concentration - The memory game
sophlstlcatedvideogameanda Doglight -Aerial Dallies
home computer Ihen the tntar.
Add·Em Up - A math game
aCI Model One is lor you. Hook il
Biorhythm - Pial your own
to your color TV and you've gol
Blackiack-wagervideobucks
both! You can play one ollhe
games which are included Iree Compute-A·Color - Easy graphicS
Hangman - The word game
or you can load Edu·BASIC and
write your own games.(ou can Knockdown - A dice game

save programs or data using Maze - Computer maze

IhebuIII·in cassette race drive Regalia - Race you. ship
Best 01 ,n you get over $294 Showdown - Gunlight
worth ot tree cassettes inctud-

CIRCLE 183 ON READER SERVICE CARD

 this, it be every day nourished and fed cautiously and
prudently with the arcanum of human blood, and kept for
.forty days in the perpetual heat of a venter equinus, it
becomes, thenceforth a true and living infant, having all
the members of a child born from a woman, but much
smaller. This we call a homunculus; and it should be
afterwards educated with great care and zeal, until it
grows and begins to display intelligence. Now, this is one
of the greatest secrets which God has revealed to mortal
and fallible man.
In 1816, at the age of twenty-two, Percy Bysshe Shelley,
one of the great lyric poets of the English language, eloped
with one Miss Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin. This romantic
event was made slightly irregular since Shelley was at the
time a married man. Because of the rather obvious
problems, they went to live along the shores of Lake
Geneva in Switzerland, with George Gordon, Lord Byron.

TObor the Great attacks a kidnapper spy in this 1954 film.

Robots
The first mention of robot-like machines is found in the
•
twilight of remote mythology. Vulcan, the limping god, is
attended by handmaidens of gold who were said to
resemble "living young damsels, filled with minds of
wisdom." An enormous stone colossus was built by
In
Aurora to commemorate the death of her son, Memnon,
Son of the Dawn, during the battle of Troy. Two sources;
Juvenal and Strabo, tell us that the colossus made vocal
Fiction
sounds when struck by the rays of the morning sun. The
island of Crete was guarded by Tallus, a giant metal man
who strode the cliffs, challenging all who would enter or
leave the kingdom of Minos. Any ship approaching Crete Bruce V. Haskell
without the king's permission was crushed byTallus' huge
club.
In the Middle Ages, Roger Bacon was reputed to have
created a speaking head. This head had the rather singular
distinction of having been mentioned by three English
poets: Butler, Pope, and Byron. We are told that Bacon had "The damned Frankenstein complex," said
wanted Britain surrounded by a wall of brass for Bogert, consciously imitating one of the
protection against invaders. A speaking brass head was other's pet phrases.
first built to tell Bacon how the wall was to be constructed. From Lenny, by Isaac Asimov
The head took seven years to finish, and the "spirit" who
was prevailed upon to make it speak informed him that if
he did not hear what the head had to say, then all the labor
would be in vain. Two friars sat watching the head, day and
night for three weeks. Finally, they found they could not Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta were the talk of the
keep awake any longer, so they left an attendant on guard scientific world at that time because of their work with
and went to sleep. Sometime later the head spoke, but said electricity. Galvani had made frog legs jump electrically,
only, "Time is." This seemed too trivial a remark to awaken and people were interested in the relationship between
the friars, so the attendant did not. The head spoke a electricity and life. One evening a small group including
second time, half an hour later. "Time was." Again, the Byron, Shelley, and Mary Godwin were talking about this
friars were not told. At the end of a third half hour, the head idea of creating life. Byron and Shelley both felt that real
said, "Time is past," and collapsed. life could not be given, but might be brought back to a
The first of the man-made men is associated with the corpse by galvanic methods. In fact, it might be possible to
qolem. found in the Bible in Psalms (139,16). It means any give life to a body assembled from parts of other bodies.
unformed substance or embryo, or anything incomplete, That night Mary lay awake, and began to see the idea of
like an eyeless needle. According to Talmudic tradition, her story. She thought of it only as a short story, but when
Adam was a go/em made of dust gathered from the four she told Shelley, he insisted that she write a novel. Both
corners of the earth and created in twelve hours. Byron and Shelley thought they would write fantastic
The medieval alchemists sought to create homunculi or novels, but it was Mary who eventually did. She wrote
little men, to help them in their laboratories. One recipe for everywhere, carrying her manuscript around with her.
the creation of a homunculus is as follows: At the end of the year 1816, the first Mrs. Shelley
Let the semen of a man putrify by itself in a gourd glass committed suicide, and Shelley and Mary returned to
with the highest putrefaction of the venter equinus (horse England to be married and to have her Frankenstein
dung) for forty days, or until it begins at last to live, move, published. The novel was first sold in 1818, when Mary was,
and be agitated, which can easily be seen. Afterthis time it nineteen! It was a fantastic success, and has never
will be in some degree like a human being, but stopped fascinating people. Percy Bysshe Shelley may be
nevertheless, transparent and without body. If now, after THE Shelley to scholars, but there is little question that

118
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley has had the greater effect on
the average person.
The monster that Frankenstein created was about eight
feet tall, and extremely frightening. Frankenstein,a
student of anatomy, assembled this being (it had no name)
in his laboratory and gave it life with a huge electric shock.
The monster went insane because of the fear it inspired in
those people to whom itturned for help. It revolted against
humanity, and especially its creator, Frankenstein. In the
end it killed all of Frankenstein's family, including his son
William (seemingly modeled on Mary's son Willmouse).
Then the monster wandered off, presumably to die of
remorse.
The moral of Frankenstein was obvious. It is
sacrilegious to create a soul. This kind of inevitable
wrongdoing by the monster robot continued until modern
times, specifically with the stories of Isaac Asimov.

King Kong fights the King Kong Robot in the fantastic Japanese film.

The First Law of Robotics: A robot may not injure a

human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to
come to harm.
The Second Law of Robotics: A robot must obey the
orders given it by human beings, except where such
orders would conflict with the First Law.
The Third Law of Robotics: A robot must Protect its own
existence, as long as such protection does not conflict
with the First or Second Laws.
In Asimov's stories these laws form an integral part of a
robot's "positronic" brain. As he describes it, the
positronic brain is a platinum-iridium sponge with brain
passages marked out by the production and destruction of
positrons, Dr. Asimov confesses that he does not really
know how the positronic brain works, but it permits his
robots to escape from the seemingly inexorable fate of all
previous robots. Now it is impossible for a robot to turn on
its masters.
The design of robots required a whole new science
called "robotics." Robotics is a word coined by Asimov,
although it seems the only natural name for the science.
Dr. Susan Calvin became fiction's first robopsychologist.
A robopsychologist is not a robot who is a psychologist,
but a psychologist who is also a roboticist. She went to
Boris Karloff as Dr. Frankenstein's monster. work for United States Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc.
At first U.S. Robots was not allowed to make robots for use
But before Asimov, there was one more important phase on Earth. They could only be used on the moon and
in fictional robot development. It came in 1921, when Karl colonized planets. This was due to that "damned
Capek wrote R.U.R. Capek was a Czech, and it is from the Frankenstein complex." But after a relatively short time it
Czech word robots meaning servitude orforced labor that was seen that robots did not - in fact, could not - break
we have the English word robot. R.U.R., written in play the laws of robotics, and they were permitted on Earth.
form, was translated into English in 1923. R.U.R. stands for The time is rapidly approaching when science fiction
Rossum's Universal Robots. will become science fact, as it often does. Whether Jules
Like Frankenstein, Rossum discovered the secret of Verne foresaw the Nautilus and a trip to the moon or was
creating artificial life. His robots are created to be workers, part of the inspiration for them is a moot point, but robots
but things do not work out as Rossum plans, because will soon be a fact.
mankind, its motivation now lost, ceases to reproduce The human brain has an estimated storage capacity of
itself. Politicians show the robots how to make war, and between 10'0 and 10'5 bits (the Encyclopaedia Britannica
finally the robots rise in rebellion to destroy what is left of represents about 2 x 109 bits). We will soon be able to
mankind and take over the world. pack electronic memory with this same density. Disney's
Dr. Issac Asimov, who worked professionally in the field Hall of Presidents presents astonishingly real mechanical
of biochemistry at the Boston University School of men. These technologies will inexorably meet to form
Medicine, was the first to realize that the creator does not robots. When they do, robots must be under some form of
have to be destroyed by his robot creation. Just as knives built-in control like the Laws of Robotics. If not, the
are made with handles sothat they may be held safely, and fictional stories of Frankenstein and Rossum, and the real
electric wires are insulated so that they do not give shocks, abuses of the telephone system by the "phone-freaks" and
so too the robot may be put under control by application of their blue-boxes, the potential misuse of centralized
a few simple laws. These laws have made Asimov the true personal-data files, or electronic embezzlement, may
father of modern fictional robotics. seem very mild by comparison. _

119
 _----_A CreativeComputingEquipmentProfile... _.

Ohio Scientific Superboard II

and Challenger 1 P

===========================RandyHeuer===========================
Anyone who has been thumbing applications. Based on a 6502 tunately, very few editing features are
through a recent issue of Creative microprocessor, this BASIC is one of available. A line delete and character
Computing, looking at the adver- the fastest available on any microcom-
tiserrients for new microcomputer puter. For arcade type games this is a
systems has to be somewhat amazed big plus (I have developed a 'tank' type
by the latest entry from Ohio Scien- game on the Superboard II for
tific. The headline proclaims, "The Creative which performs without un-
Age~ of Affordable Personal Com- desirable pauses in execution). More
puting Has Finally Arrived." What it's on games later.
referring to is the Super-board 1,1Micro- When the BREAK key is depressed,
computer. Affordable refers to the Superboard II responds with
Superboard II's base price; $279. "C/W/M?". These respectively stand
For your $279, you get an 8k BASIC- for Cold start, Warm start and Monitor.
in-ROM and 4k RAM, on a single board The cold start clears the program Challenger 1P. "Cosmetic" version of the
with a 53-key keyboard. All you need memory and initializes the BASIC Superboard complete with power supply
to start programming is a video interpreter. The warm start initializes and case. .
monitor (or a standard TV using an RF the BASIC interpreter without destroy-
modulator) and a 5 volt, 3 amp power ing the program memory. This is very rub out are provided (however the rub
supply. For those who' don't wish to useful when, for one reason or out does not backspace the cursor,
have a bare board staring them in the another, you hit the BREAK key, and but instead prints underlines. This is
face, a dressed-up version of the then don't have to (or can't) reload the rather disconcerting compared to
Superboard II including power supply program from tape. The Monitor systems with a backspace). The dis-
and case is available for $349; this is allows you to directly examine and play is not memory mapped and no
called the Challenger 1P.. For an alter machine code. cursor commands are available, 'so
additional $69 you .can have an ad- corrections to code al ready entered
ditional 4k of RAM plugged into your are made by retypinq the line. If you
Superboard II' or Challenger 1P. intend to do a lot of. your own
Further memory expansion beyond 8k programming, this can be aggravating.
requires a separate expander board, The 300 baud cassette is a bit slow,
available from Ohio Scientific with an but fortunately Ohio Scientific has
additional 8k RAM for $299. This arranged for the program being load-
board can be further expanded to 24k, ed to be displayed on the screen as it
giving you a 32k system. loads. Thus you can see if the program
As with any microcomputer system is being loaded correctly without
now available, the Superboard II waiting until the tape is finished. This
contains a number of positive features is an especially nice feature compared
and deficiencies which the potential to systems on which you have to load
purchaser must consider along with an entire program before you know if
his needs, skills and pocketbook you have an error in Line 1.
before deciding which system to buy.

VIDEO DISPLAY
The video display has good and bad
points. First the good news: The
character set is one of the most
HARDWARE FEATURES Superboard II. Assembled; requires 5V extensive available, consisting of 256
Perhaps the finest feature of the power supply, video monitor, and cassette alphanumeric and graphic symbols.
Superboard II, besides the low price, is recorder to be up and running. Characters for racing cars, houses,
the standard 8k floating point BASIC tree, ships, planes, tanks and even the
which comes installed in ROM. Starship Enterprise are provided.
Developed by Microsoft, this Jull- Combined with the fast BASIC inter-
feature BASIC has scientific notation, The keyboard is a standard preter and CPU, this sugg~sts that
string operations, etc. Six and.one-half "Typewriter Style" keyboard. Both many arcade style games will be
digit precision is claimed by Ohio upper and lower case characters are available as software in the future. Of
Scientific and a 9'12 digit BASIC is available, although lower case can not course, you always can write your
offered on diskette for more precise be used in BASIC instructions. Unfor- own! And when you do, you'll have a

120
/~----------------------------~-----------------------
good source from which to draw new
ideas. PSEUDO-CURSER CONTROL COI1MANDS FOR THE OHIO SCIENTIFtC SUPER BOARD II
The display is normally 26
characters high by 24 across. This is a
very low horizontal density
(characters per line), and herein lies The following prograftfting exaftple deftonstrates how special characters
one of the major drawbacks of Super- are ftoved about the screen using the Superboard II coftputer. In this
board II. Due to the relatively small exaftple, a tank(special character 248) is ftoved up the screen 5 spaces,
number of characters that can be turned 90 degrees to the right(special character 250) and ftoved 4 spaces
displayed at anyone time (624· to the right.
characters for the Superboard II as
compared to 800 for the Commodore
PET, and 1792 for the Exidy Sorcerer),
the characters appear very large. On 10 PC=54029:REI1**SET PRESENT CURSER POSITION
our 12" mon-itor, each character is 20 TK=248:REI1**SET TANK SYMBOL
almost ¥a" on a side. While this feature 25 POKE PC,TK:REM**PLACE TANK AT STARTING CURSER POSITION
is great for graphic symbols such as 30 REI1**110VE TANK VERTICALLY 5 SPACES
tanks and the like, it is a definite 40 FOR 1=1 TO 5
problem with alphanumeric output 50 GOSUB 6000:REM**MOVE CURSER UP 1 SPAEE
and program listings. Due to the large
60 POKE NC,TK:REM**PLACE TANK IN NEY CURSER POSITION
70 POKE PC,32:REM**PLACE BLANK IN OLD CURSER POSITION
character size and close vertical
80 PC=NC:REI1**ESTABLISH NEY CURSER POSITION
proximity of the characters, readability
90 NEXT I
of text is poor. I have frequently found
100 TK=2S0:REM**CHANGE TANK SYI1BOL
it necessary to double space all output
110 POKE PC,TK:REM**TURN TANK
during software development, which
120 REM**MOVE TANK 4 SPACES TO THE RIGHT
effectively reduces the number of lines 130 FOR J=l TO 4
(of 24 characters) that can be viewed 140 GOSUB 7000:REI1**MOVE CURSER TO THE RIGHT 1 SPACE
at anyone time to 13. In addition, long' , 150 POKE NC, TK:REI1**PLACE TANK IN NEU CURSER POSITION
program statements (ON X GOTO's, 160 POKE PC,32:REM**PLACE BLANK IN OLD CURSER POSITION
etc.) often take up as much as 3 lines 170 PC=NC:REI1**ESTABLISH NEU CURSER POSITION
in a listing, further reducing the 180 NEXT J
amount of code which can be viewed 190 END
at anyone time. Thus, the display 6000 REI1**SUBROUTINE TO MOVE CURSER UP ONE SPACE
should be examined carefully by a 6010 REI1.*PRESENT CURSER POSITION IN PC
potential purchaser to be certain that 6020 REI1**NEU CURSER POSITION IN NC
the extensive graphic character set 6030 NC=PC-32
(and low price!) more than compen- 6040 RETURN
sate for the lack of ease in program- 7000 REI1**/10VE CURSER TO 'fHE RIGHT ONE SPACE
ming. 7010 NC=PC+l
While I am not an expert on 7020 RETURN
hardware, it seems as though this
problem could have been avoided by Siftilar pseudo-curser coftftandscan be developed for all other
Ohio Scientific. The Challenger liP directions, including diagonals.
has a feature which allows the user to
switch from a 32 x 32 character format
to a 32 x 64 format (see Creative DOCUMENTATION this manual of little use and beginners
The documentation that was provid- will probably find it hard to under-
Computing, May/June 1978). It would
be very desirable if the Superboard II ed with the Superboard II was sub- stand.
had a similar feature. Listings could be stantial in quantity, but less sub-
The best manual for usefulness and
viewed in the 64 character format and stantial in quality. We received a readability was the Character
then the display could be switched to number of separate documents in a Graphics Reference Manual. It
the 32 character format for graphics. thick 3-ring binder.
demonstrated and explained the use
The Superboard II Users Manual
of the character set with POKE
Another problem with the display was marked preliminary as of August
statements and the technique used to
results from the lack of any cursor 1978. It contained an adequate section
poll the keyboard during program
commands. Essentially, the cursor on setting up the system and loading
execution. It had some excellent
remains on the same line of the screen programs from tape. It also contained
examples and demonstration
at all times. Thus you must use scroll- a short introduction to BASIC and
programs. Unfortunately,. rather than
ing to clear the screen or format out- some sample programs that would
being a separate manual for the
put. Alternatively, you can use POKE have been much more valuable to the
Superboard II, instructions are mixed
statements to enter a character at a new user had they contained some
with those for the Ohio Scientific 540
given screen location. For our graphic explanation of why they do what they
Video Board. This requires some close
routines here at Creative, I've do. Hopefully the final version of the
reading on the user's part.
developed a series of Pseudo-cursor Users Guide will be better.
The remaining manuals were
command subroutines for use with The 8k BASIC-in-ROM Reference
devoted to schematics and technical
POKE statements in order to move Manual was rather disappointing. It
information which would not normally
characters about the screen. [See contained only a brief discussion of
concern the average user.
box.] Obviously cursor commands BASIC and a short list of BASIC
with PRINT statements would be commands and error codes. Users WRAPPING IT UP
easier if they were available. with programming experience will find Ohio Scientific appears to be ready

121
 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
STRUCTURES
ELLIOTT I. ORGANICK, ALEXANDRA I. FORSYTHE, and
ROBERT P. PLUMMER
A volume in the COMPUTER SCIENCE AND
APPLIED MATHEMATICS series
Treats both the syntax and semantics of programming
languages. Through the extensive use of contour dia-
grams, you'll be introduced to FORTRAN, SNOBOL,
ALGOL, LISP, and PASCAL in terms of conceptual mod-
els of computer structures.
1978 659 pages hardbound

COMPUTER ORGANIZATION AND

ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING
Creative Computing's Superboard /I was up JAMES L. PETERSON
and running five minutes after unpacking. A volume in the COMPUTER SCIENCE AND
APPLIED MATHEMATICS series
Using Knuth's MIX as a reference system, this book logi-
to support their new system with cally develops the concepts basic to computer organiza-
accessories such as disc drives and tion and assembly language programming. Concepts are
future software (the few early software related to IBM System 360 and System 370, PDP-8,
tapes sent to us seemed to need a little HP 2100, PDP-11, Burroughs 5500, CDC 6600, and INTEL
more work; perhaps their final issues 8080.
have been improved). Whether other 1978 448 pages hardbound
\
software companies provide a sub-
stantial volume of Superboard II FORTRAN
SAMUEL L. MARATECK
software remains to be seen (Creative
Covers the new standard for FORTRAN '78 as well as
is planning several tapes). Obviously WATFOR, WATFIV, and WATFIV-S features, using this
just how much software eventually unique dual-page format: the left-hand page discusses
becomes available depends largely on a specific programming technique while the right-hand
the demand for it. page capsulizes and supports the discussions with dia-
So whether the Superboard II is grams, programs, and tables.
right for you depends on what you 1977 663 pages paper
want 'out of your Microcomputer
System, and what you are willing to BASIC
put into it. If you consider features SAMUEL L. MARATECK
. a well written introduction to simple BASIC ..
such as extensive graphic capability,
well worth purchasing."-Interface Age, April 1978
speed of execution and price impor- Uses the same winning dual-page format as FORTRAN.
tant, then the Superboard II and 1975 400 pages paper
companion Challenger IP deserve
your serious consideration. _ COMPUTERS AND THE CYBERNETIC
SOCIETY
MICHAEL A. ARBIB
Over the past four years we have "may be the best this genre has to offer."
taken delivery on over 25 computer -Creative Computing, July/August 1978
systems. Only two have worked totally A provocative discussion of the growing role of com-
puters in western society.
glitch free and without adjustment as
they came out of the carton: The 1977 494 pages hardbound
Tektronix 4051 (at $7000, the most
expensive computer we've tested) and
the Ohio Scientific Superboard II (at
$279, the least expensive). Problems
with others ranged from simple
problems like cassette recorder
volume/tone adjustments and RF
modulator adjustments to more
serious problems like head misalign-
ment and broken connectors, to quite
serious deficiencies like 5 faulty ICs
on one system and the wrong con-
troller circuit on another.
Personally I was impressed that we
successfully loaded a long program
from tape within 5 minutes of the
Superboard II coming out of its box.
We could use more good engineering
like that.-OHA

\
~
..
~
~~----------------------------------.
 COMBINATORIAL ALGORITHMS: DIGITAL PICTURE PROCESSING
For Computers and Calculators AZRIEL ROSENFELD and AVINASH C. KAK
SECOND EDITION A volume in the COMPUTER SCIENCE AND
APPLIED MATHEMATICS series
ALBERT NIJENHUIS and HERBERT S. WILF
Digital Picture Processing is a completely revised,' en-
A volume in the COMPUTER SCIENCE AND
larged, and updated version of Azriel Rosenfeld's Picture
APPLIED MATHEMATICS series
Processing by Computer (Academic Press, 1969). This
Since publication of the first edition of Combinatorial new publication supersedes the earlier work, incorporat-
Algorithms in 1975, this field has continued its rapid ing much new material and covering the principal de-
evolution. Taking account of these developments, the velopments in the field over the intervening years. It
Second Edition contains several substantially rewritten features a much more extensive mathematical treatment
chapters encompassing theoretical and algorithmic im- of picture digitization, compression, and restoration. The
provements. Features of the new edition include the authors have provided brief introductions to linear sys-
presentation of a number of speedups, storage econo- tems theory and the theory of stochastic processes, as
mies, and program simplifications, the addition of sig- well as numerous exercises, thus making their presenta-
nificant new theoretical material, and the inclusion of tion easily accessible to students in electrical engineer-
two whole new chapters. j ing and computer science.
1978 320 pages hardbound 1976 '478 pages hardbound

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:
A Computer Oriented Approach PROGRAMMING STANDARD COBOL
WINCHUNG A. CHAI and HENRY W. CHAI
SECOND EDITION
A. A. AFIFI and S. P. AZEN A businessman and college professor are the perfect
team for this introduction to ANS COBOL and its uses in
SECTION HEADINGS: Introduction to Data Analysis. business programming. Thirty-four actual programs il-
Elementary Statistical Inference. Regression and Corre- lustrate special programming techniques.
lation Analysis. The Analysis of Variance. Multivariate
1976 342 pages paper
Statistical Methods.
1979 435 pages hardbound

DATA BASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

FOUNDATIONS OF SECURE DIQ,NYSIOS C. TSICHRITZIS and
COMPUTATION FREDERICK H. LOCHOVSKY
Edited by RICHARD DeMILLO, DAVID DOBKIN, A volume in the COMPUTER SCIENCE AND
ANITA JONES, and RICHARD LIPTON APPLIED MATHEMATICS series
Here is perhaps the first book-length treatment of both From concept to implementation-here is a unified treat-
\ the practical aspects of security and the latest theoretical ment of data base management systems. The book be-
I developments. The articles synthesize practical, design- gins with an introduction to underlying concepts opera-
oriented, and theoretical issues in the following areas: tive in all major DBMS systems. It proceeds to survey
operating system security; database security; proprietary today's most important commercial systems.
software protection; data encryption; protecting. elec- 1977 388 pages hardbound
tronic transactions; the state of research in security; the
social implications of security research; realistic expec-
tations from security research; fruitful areas for future
research. COMPUTER CHESS
1978 416 pages hardbound MONROE NEWBORN
A volume in the ACM Monograph series
One of the first detailed surveys of computer chess, pre-
STRUCTURED PROGRAMMING senting 38 games (with commentary) played between
O.-J. DAHL, E. W. DIJKSTRA, and C. A. R. HOARE machine and machine, and man and machine.
The seminal work on structured programming by the 1975 200 pages hardbound
leading authorities in the art of programming. A must for
your computer library!
1972 220 pages hardbound Mail your order today!

Indispensable references for your home library

Please send me the following books:
o PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE STRUCTURES,

o
ISBN 0-02-528260-5,
COMPUTER
@ $18.95 each.
ORGANIZATION AND ASSEMBLY LAN6UAGE
Academic Press, Inc.
PROGRAMMING, ISBN 0-12-552250-9, @ $17.95 each.
A Subsidiary of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers
o FORTRAN, ISBN 0-12-470460-3, @ $10.95 each. 111 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10003
o BASIC, ISBN 0-12-470450-6. @ $10.95 each.
o COMPUTERS AND THE·CYBERNETIC SOCIETY, At!: Jane Grosinger
ISBN 0-12-059040-9, @ $13.95 each.
o PROGRAMMING STANDARD COBOL, ISBN 0-12-166550-X, o I've enclosed my check/money order for $ _
@ $10.95 each. o Please charge my order to:
o DATA BASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, o American Express 0 Diner's Club 0 VISA 0 Master Charge
ISBN 0-12-701740-2, @ $17.95 each.
o STRUCTURED PROGRAMMING, ISBN 0-12-200550-3, Card No. _
@ $13.50 each.
o COMPUTER CHESS, ISBN 0-12-517250-8, @ $19.50 each. Exp irati on Date ---;-;-,;--.,.-_--:-:--,---_---,-:-- __ -,-;
o COMBINATORIAL ALGORITHMS: For Computers and (All orders subject to credit approval)
Calculators, ISBN 0-12-519260-6, @ $19.50 each, NAME _
o STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: A Computer Oriented Approach,
ADDRESS _ I
ISBN 0-12-044460- 7, @ $19.50 each. I
o FOUNDATIONS OF SECURE COMPUTATIUN, I

,,
CiTY /STATE/ZIP _
ISBN 0-12-210350-5, @ $19.50 each. I
o DIGITAL PICTURE PROCESSING, ISBN 0-12-597360-8, PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
@ $32.75 each. Add sales tax where applicable.
,
I

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------~,
CIRCLE 165 ON READER SERVICE CARD
 RANDOM THOUGHT 201
On the first day of class our assignment was to draw
up a list of random things. So I came up with a group
which I thought pretty much illustrated the concept:
1) Battleships in WW2.
2) 1347 A.D.
3) Things Einstein ate for breakfast in 1907.
4) Sexual reproduction in trilobites.
5) Punctuation marks in sign language.
I handed it in, and got a C minus. "Not enough
THE SUN aimlessness in design," was the note scrawled in what
(a play) looked like the ancient ascript on the tomb of a dead
Pharaoh. I was pretty upset.
Instructions: Build a stage in the middle of an open field. As the term got along the instructor took on a more
Have the audience seated on this stage. Have plenty of haphazard manner. Sometimes he would lecture on
refreshments available. imaginary numbers, at others: the invention of money,
balloons, Nietzsche's hygienic habits, why stars twinkle
Act I only at night, etc. Sometimes he didn't show up. Now
THE SUN: The sun rises with a show of spectacular (Jnd thcn we didn't show up. And one time we all showed
colors and pageantry. OPTIONAL: (clouds may be used lip, but he didn't say anything. He just stared and smiled
to heighten the effect. along with chirping birds.) in an ecstatic sort of way, winking occasionally at
THE AUDIENCE: Bursts into applause, with oohs and individual students, in an attempt to keep our attention.
aahs interspersed. By the end of the term, I was catching on to his game.
Intermission (approximately 6'12 hours) So for his final exam I dropped out of school, moved to
North Dakota, enrolled in a Russian ballet class, and in a
Act II light-hearted patriotic moment tattooed "Don't tread on
THE SUN: The sun reaches the highest point in the sky. me" on thc heels of my feet.
THE AUDIENCE: Cheers and claps, but with some
Unfortunately, I missed the last dayof class when I
catcalls intermixed-in anticipation of the sun's
was packing for my move to North Dakota. I didn't find
imminent descent. (NOTE: if stage is located at the
out until it was too late that the exam was cancelled.
equator, wild cheering in appreciation of the extra
effort. )
Intermission (approximately 6'12 hours)
Act III
THE SUN: The sun sets below the Earth's horizon-very
colorful, but more austere and formal than in Act 1.
THE AUDIENCE: A foreboding atmosphere prevails, as
the audience claps in both appreciation and relief. As
thle sun begins to disappear the audience grows tense.
Two or three people faint when the finality of the, act
becomes apparent. Some demand their money back.
,(Just before the curtain of darkness falls, a plane flies
overhead and skywrites in large white letters; THE
END.)

THE ULTIMA TE PARTY

All 74 billion people who once inhabited the Earth, are
invited to a party. The invitations state 8 p.m., and to my
surprise give my apartment as the place. The dress is
casual. They all arrive within a couple of hours of ecch
other. But the party's a bomb. There isvery little food, no
space, and the various languages present a com-
munications problem. After a while tempers grow short
and fights break out. One in the kitchen is unusually
violent for a party and a man is stabbed. He turns out to
be the first man. He dies. In turn everyone else
disappears in order of birth, dating back almost 3 million
years. This takes some time, and goes on well into the
middle of the night. Finally I am left alone with 74 billion
cups and glasses to clean. I put it off until morning.

Peter Payack

124 CREATIVE COMPUTING

TRS-80 rs..
Read this ad
andsave
over
$1001
Special
Introductory ..
Price:$395

Introducing the
Vista VaG Mini Disk System
o 23% MORE STORAGE CAPACITY - Increases your usable storage capac-
ity 23% from 55,000 to 67,800 bytes on drive one.
o FASTER DRIVE - Electronically equal to the TRS-80 Mini-Disk System, but
up to 8 times faster (Track-to-track access in 5ms for the V80 versus 40ms
for TRS-80).
o DOES NOT VOID TRS·80 WARRANTY - V80 also has so-day warranty.
o HERE'S WHAT YOU GET:
Minifloppy disk drive/Power Supply/Regulator board/Compact case
o DOUBLE DENSITY FOR DOUBLE STORAGE - The V80 will work with the
Vista double-density expansion unit when available.
o SHIPPED TO YOU READY TO RUN - Simply take it out of the box, plug it
in and you're ready to run.

--~---------------------------------
MONEY-SAVINO COUPON
To. Vista Computer Company; Dept. CC19
• 2909 Oregon Court, Torrance, CA 90503
(213) 320·3880

Please send me V80 unit(s). @ $395.

ViltQ
This is my: 0 1st 0 2nd 0 3rd 0 4th disk drive. (If this is your 1st drive, you need a connecting cable at $29.95.)
Check here for cable: 0
(In California, add 6 % sales tax.)

I've enclosed: 0 Check 0 Money Order

Please charge to: 0 Master Charge 0 Visa Card No, _
Card Expiration Date Signature _
Name _
Address ~ _
City State/Zip _
CIRCLE 129 ON READER SERVICE CARD
 We'll be bringing you a report on some of
Behind the Scenes at the the new products unveiled at the West Coast
Computer Faire next issue, however, we
3rd West Coast Computer Faire thought you'd like to see what it's like before a
major conference opens. Maybe one of these
issues we'll show you the aftermath too!

Backdrops are hung, tables draped and small Hardware is checked out (and repaired if
booth signs are hung about 1 day in advance. necessary, hopefully, but not always before
the show opens).

Even the biggies (IBM shown here) are not Radio Shack brought eight TRS-80 systems
immune from hardware glitches. and tons of literature. Jade on the spot.

J" Dave, and Phil try to find a place for The show floor from above about 5 minutes
everything in Creative's booth. seething masses.
126 CREATIVE COMPUTING
 VIOOO Floppy Series.$2699.
--- . Up to 2 million characters of
---___ IBM·compatible storage.
Cost effectiverress.-!!tat's what you get
with Vista Disk Systerns.-Whether it's the
V200 Minifloppy, the VI00lrrlo~or any
of the quality products in between -.~
Vista series (with the standard Digital '
Research CP / M Operating System) is the
most cost-effective system available.
Now Vista's new, compact case makes
every 8" system easier to handle and better-
looking. And"Vista disk systems operate
with any Z-80 / 8080-based computer con-
taining at least 24K of main memory.

CIRCLE 130 ON READER SERVICE CARD

WHO NEEDS ONE?
Watch for fabulous TRS-80 Levell! releases
in the February Creative Computing!
"Your work will be cut in half ... so they said
j=ayabtes, and invoicing will no more be dread. Radio Shack
General ledger and billing will be done ... one, two,
three TRS-80 Software
Irs all really simple .... Just wait and see.
NOneed to run parallel, you'd be a fool CS-2001. TRS-80 4k Level I Games-1. Battl-
Anyone can do it, no need for a school ing Deathstars, an exciting two player
It's simple, accurate, timely and fun realtime graphics game. Hangman chal-
Just turn on the printer ... your job will be done." lenges you to guess the computer's word
before you're hung. Lunar Lander in which
The abacus served me for many a year you try to land safely on the moon. Kid's
My pencil and paper to me were quite dear Math Race teaches simple arithmetic. Or
I knew how to work them, took pride in my skill play checkers against your TRS-80. $7.95.
I think something was happening against my will.
"I know nothing about it," ... "You can't live without
it." Apple 1.1Software
"I don't know, it's confusion" ... ''Take my word, it's CS-4001. Space Games-1. Four color-
illusion." graphics programs for your Apple, in-
"Are you sure I can do it?" cluding Rocket Pilot an advanced lunar
"If you'll only pursue itl" lander simulation in which; you guide your
spacecraft over the mountain to a safe
I wondered the outcome when we finally went live landing on the opposite side. In Saucer
WOuld I still be in business. could I really survive? Invasion, you protect the earth by shooting
My office girls worked it, I watched with hesitation down.Jhe alien invasion fleet with your
i still wasn't certain, had much reservation. missile launcher. In Star Wars, you line up
the Tie fighters in your sights and fire before
The next day I found out the thing didn't work they get away. Dynamic Bouncer is a color
I thought for a moment I might go berserk graphics demonstration progn~(T1 for your
I turned every knob and pressed every button Apple which fills the screen with colored
Did just what they told me, but the damn thing did walls that appear and disappear at random,
nothin'. while a bal'l bounces around within. $7.95.

I dialed a number and ranted and raved CS-4002. Sports Games-1. Four exciting
(Later I was ashamed of the way I behaved) graphics games. Includes an amazing
"Nothing's happening," I told them, "nothing at all." Baseball game for two players who control
That's when I noticed ... the plug out of the wall. infielders and outfielders, type of pitch, and
the swing of the bat. Even has sacrifices,
Sheepishly, timidly I hung up the phone double plays, and home runs. Horse Race
I'm certainly glad I was there all alone. allows up to eleven players to bet on the
It wasn't a minute till the employees came in outcome of a horse race. Slalom challenges
I watched them start the equipment ... easy as sin. you to ski through the gates in a minimum
time. In Darts you try to throw your darts as
Two weeks have passed, and no more am I spastic
close to the bullseye as possible by con-
A few program problems, but nothing too drastic. trolling the game paddles. $7.95.
'I'm back to my normal routine of the day
I have too much to do than to watch my help play. CS-4003. Strategy Games-1. Play Check-
My work involves talent and much ability ers" in color against the Apple. Skunk is a
I say that, of course, in all humility. dice game for one or two players. UFO is a
space game in which you must outwit an
My product is certainly one of the future
enemy spaceship. Blockade with exciting
Oh, didn't I tell you? I distribute computers.
graphics and sound effects, with a one or
Eunice M. Corm two player option. Genius, a 'challenging
trivia quiz. 'Requires Applesoft BASIC.
$7.95.

CS-4201. CAI Programs-1. US Map asks

you to identify states and their capitals.
Spellin,g helps ttie user study a list of
words he has previously entered. Math
The Creative Computing Number Drill for simple arithmetic problems. Add-
With-Carry is a sophisticated tool for teach-
Area Code 201 ing addition of two and three place
Telephone 540-0445 numbers by helping the student work the
P:O. Box 789-M problem digit by digit, adjust to the
Zi P Code 07960 student's level of skill. $7.95.
State Sales Tax Number 111301548
Street Address - Dumont Place 51
Bank Account No. 26128108
Business established in 1974

Our total number 142841076-M

 CS-l005. Graphics Games-2. Six favorite
Why should you select PET (8K) Software games. LEM, lunar lander with a graphic
Creative Computing CS-l 001. Logic Games-l. Six favorites from
display and optional auto-pilot. Nuclear
Reaction, a game of skill for two players.
Software? BASIC Computer Games with super Artillery, in wh.ich two players shoot it out
graphics. Awari, the African logic game with over computer-generated terrain. Bounce
1. Highest quality 'programs-outstand- 12 pits and 36 beans. Bagels, which traces the path of a ball bouncing around
ing applications for education, recrea- challenges you to guess a secret 3-digit the screen. Checkers, with graphic display,
tion, business, and household manage- number. Martin Gardner'S Chomp in which from our BASIC Games book. Dodgem, try
ment. you chomp on a cookie with a poison to outmaneuver another player or the
2. Best value-up to ten different pro- corner. Flip-Flop-change a row of X's to computer to get your pieces across the
grams per tape. O's. Hexapawn played with three chess board first. $7.95.
3. Reliability-programs thoroughly test- pawns. Hi-O, a solitaire peg-removal game.
ed and de-bugged. $7.95. CS-l006. Conversational Games-l. TeJk to
4. Redundant recording- two copies of ELIZA, the computerized psychoanalysis
every program on each tape. CS-l002. Number Games-l. Six number program. Compose poetry with Haiku.
5. Professional quality tape-high density logic games including Guess in which you Challenge your vocabulary and word-
oxide, 100% calendered, flat frequency guess a secret number. 23-Matches-try not guessing skills with Hangman. Hurkle, try to
response, low noise, high output. to take the last match. Letter in which you find the hurkle on the 10 by 10 grid in five
6. Anti-jam cassette-teflon lubricated guess a secret letter. Number, a random moves. In Hexletter, you compete to capture
six-rib gasket, hard welded windows, jackpot game. Trap in which you trap a more letters on a hexagon than your oppo-
double locking self lubricating hub, mystery number between two trap numbers. nent. $7.95.
double flanged rollers on stainless steel Stars gives you stars as clues to the secret
pins, heavy metal shield. number. $7.95.
7. Hard plastic box-best protection, easy CP 1M Software
to file. CS-1201. Sensational Simulations-l. Five CS-9001. Games-l. An 8" floppy disc
8. Widely available-carried by most retail super simulations including the popular containing the first fifty-one games from
computer stores. Animal in which the computer learns Basic Computer Games in Microsoft Basic.
9. Made in U.S.A. animals from you. Fur Trader lets you trade All the games from Acey Ducey to Hi-O
10. Inexpensive-best value per dollar of furs in old Canada. Hammurabi in which including such favorites as Animal,
any software. you manage the city-state of Sumeria. Or try Bullfight, Craps, and Hangman. (To run this,
1I!!'II!il!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!l!!J!!I!
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CIRCLE 140 ON READER ,sERVICE CARD I
 EDITOR'S NOTE
Speed Reading This is a chapter from the new book 32 BASIC Programs forthe
Commodore PET Computer, written by Tom Rugg and Phil

Made Easy Feldman. It's available at most computer stores, or from dilithium
Press, P.O. Box 92, Forest Grove, OR 97116 (reprinted
permission) .
with

... via your PET At the end of the article are some notes about how you can
convert the program for use on other computers.

Tom Rugg e. To put the program into a sort of flashcard mode, in which
Phil Feldman the phrases are flashed, but no replies are necessary, insert
This program turns your computer into a tachistoscope (tah- these two lines:
kISS-tah-scope). A tachistoscope is used in reading classes to 515 GOTO 710
improve reading habits and, as a result, improve reading speed. 715 GOTO 590
The program displays a word or phrase on the screen for a
This will cause. each phrase to be flashed (all for the same
fraction of a second, then asks you what it was. With a little
length of time), and then displayed again so you can verify
practice, you'll find that you can read phrases that are displayed
for shorter and shorter time periods. what it was.
Main Routines
How To Use It 120 - 150 Initializes variables.
The program starts off by displaying a brief introduction, and 160 - 220 Reads DATA statements into T$ array.
waiting for you to press any key (except the "stop" keys or shift 260 - 380 Displays introduction.
keys, of course). After you press a key, the screen is blanked out 400 - 420 Waits for operator to press a key.
except for two horizontal dash lines in the upper left-hand corner. 430 - 450 Picks random phrase from T$ array. Ensures no
After two and a half seconds, the phrase is flashed on the screen duplication from previous 5 phrases.
between the two lines. Then the screen is blanked out again, and 460 - 465 Clears screen and displays horizontal lines. (
you are asked what the phrase was. 470 - 500 Displays phrase for appropriate length of time.
If you respond correctly, the next phrase is displayed for a 505 - 5~0 Waits, then asks what the phrase was.
shorter time period (.05 seconds less). If you respond incorrectly, 550 Determines if typed phrase matches the phrase
the program shows you what the phrase was, and the next phrase displayed. .
will be displayed for a longer period of time (.05 seconds more). 560 - 640 Shortens time for next phrase if reply was correct.
The fastest the Commodore PET can display a phrase and Saves subscript to avoid repetition. Goes back to 400.
erase it is about .02 seconds (one-fiftieth). See if you can reach 700 - 740 Shows what phrase was. Lengthens time for next
the top speed and still continue to read the phrases correctly. phrase. Ensures that time period is a multiple of .05
A lot of research has been done to determine how people read seconds. ,
and what they should do to read faster, with better comprehen- 800 - 810 Special routine to display phrase for shortest time
sion. We won't try to explain it all, but a couple of things are worth (about .02 seconds).
mentioning. 840 - 870 Subroutine to display horizontal dash lines.
To read fast, you should not read one word at a time. Instead, 910 - 9999 DATA statements with phrases to be displayed.
you should learn to quickly read an entire phrase at once. By
looking at a point in the center of the phrase (and slightly above Main Variables
it), your eyes can see the whole phrase without the necessity of
T Time (seconds) that phrase will be displayed.
scanning it from left to right, word by word, Because the
J Number of "jiffies" that the phrase will be displayed.
tachistoscope flashes the entire phrase on the screen at once, it
B ASCII number for character to clear screen.
forces you to look at a single point and absorb the whole phrase,
L Limit of number of phrases.
rather than scanning left to right, word by word.
T$ Array of phrases (read into from DATA statements).
If you can incorporate this technique into your reading, and
C Count of number of phrases actually read.
increase thewidth of the phrases you absorb, your reading speed
R$ Temporary string variable. Also, reply of operator.
can increase dramatically.
R Work variable. Also, subscript 'of phrase to be displayed.
P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 - Subscripts of the 5 previous phrases.
Easy Changes
S Starting time of display of phrase (in jiffies).
a. Change the phrases that are displayed by changing the K Temporary work variable.
DATA statements that start at line 910. Add more and/or
replace those shown with your own phrases or words. Line Suggested Projects
140 must specify a number that is at least as large as the a. Instead of picking phrases at random, go through the list
number of DATA statements. So, to allow for up to 100 DATA
once sequentially. Change line 250 to set R to zero, and line
statements,change line 140 to say
430 to add one to R, then check If R is greater than C.
140L=100
b. Instead of only verifying that the current phrase doesn't
Be sure to enter your DATA statements in the same form
duplicate any of the previous five phrases, modify the
shown in the program listing. You may want to start off with
program to avoid duplication of the previous ten or more.
shorter phrases or single words to begin with. Later, try
Changes will be needed to lines 440, 450, and 600.
longer phrases. Do not alter line 9999, which has to be the
last DATA statement. In a 4K PET, you have room for about c. Keep score of the number of correct and incorrect replies,
60 phrases of the approximate size shown in the program and display the percentage each time. Alternatively, come
listing. In an 8K PET, you can probably have over 200 of up with a rating based on the percentage correct and the
them. Be sure to have at least 6. speed attained, possibly in conjunction with a difficulty
factor for the phrases used.
b. To change the length of time the first phrase is displayed,
change the value of T in line 120. If one-tenth of a second is d. Add the capability to the program to also have a mode in
too fast, try two-tenths. Use a multiple of .05 seconds, or else which it can display a two to seven digit number, chosen at
make it .02 seconds (the maximum speed). random. Have the operator try several of the numbers first
(maybe five-digit ones) before trying the phrases. The
c. To cause all phrases to be displayed for the same length of
phrases will seem easy after doing the numbers.
time, remove lines 570 and 720.
d. If you want to Change the waiting period before the phrase is Conversion Notes
flashed on the screen, change the 1500 in line 465. To make
Although this program uses several special features of the
the delay five seconds, change it to 3000. To make it one
Commodore PET 2001 computer, it can be converted fairly easily
second, change it to 600.
to work on many other computers, too. You need to have a pretty

132 CREATIVE COMPUTING

fast CRT display (at least 600 baud, with 1200 baud or more being
preferable). You also need to have the BASIC language,
preferably a Microsoft-compatible version (e.g., Altair, Radio
Shack Level II, OSI, etc.). Here are a few notes:
1. PRINT CHR$(147) and PRINT CHR$(B) on lines 260,500
and 800 cause a "home up, clear" to occur. That is, the
cursor moves to the upper left corner and the screen is
cleared.
2. Line 250 randomly initializes the RND function using the
PET's internal timer as a seed.
3. Line 860 performs a "home up." The cursor moves to the
upper left corner, but the screen is not cleared.
4. Lines 480 and 490 handle the time delay for each phrase to
be flashed on the screen. The variable TI is reserved on the
PET to get the current measurement of the PET's internal
timer in "jiffies" (one-sixtieth of a second). If you have no
internal timer, leave these two lines out to cause the phrases
to be flashed as fast as possible, You can insert a FOR-NEXT
loop to cause variable length flashes, if you like.
'5. The GET function in line420 is used to determine when a key
has been pressed, so you can indicate when you are ready to
continue. Also, line 400 has a GET in a loop to ignore up to 5
keys that may have been pr,essed too soon. You might want
tosubstitute an INPUT statement to accomplish this, orelse
possibly use the INP function. _

CIRCLE 107 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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COMPUTER LAB OF NEW JERSEy

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The program clears the screen and displays two parallel lines in the upper
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The program as the phrase was. The operator responds correctly. BUDD LAKE. NEW JU?S[Y O"/um
(201) 691-1~)H.1
The program acknowledges the'correct response, and indicates that the
next phrase will be shown for a shorter length of time.

CIRCLE 106 ON READER SERVICE CARD

133
As a spectator 5
computer chess
rather boring. T
developers of
4.6 are coming
with an inn
r_
method of ma....·.•..
much more in

Theodore Ehora

A classic confrontation, along the Kaissa was meeting its first serious Duchess beat the Soviet program after
lines of the Fischer-Spassky match, competition since it had won the title. 48 moves. Although Kaissa pulled itself
was anticipated in the World Computer The Russians, because of their great together and defeated the rest of its
. Chess Charnplonship that took place in popular enthusiasm for the game, had opposition, it was still beaten by Chess
Toronto in 1977. Although there were programmers working full time to 4.6, which defeated all its opponents
sixteen entries, representing eight develop their electronic champion. and won the title.
countries, excitement was generated In contrast, Chess 4.6 was a spare An exhibition game between Kaissa
by the expected clash between Chess time hobby for its two authors. Its most and Chess 4.6 only added salt to the
4.6, a Northwestern University recent achievements before the Toron- Soviet wound. Kaissa lost that game
program from Evanston, Illinois that to tournament ranged from winning the after 44 moves.
was authored by Lawrence R. Atkin Minnesota Open (for humans) to Winning the computer chess cham-
and David J. Slate, and Kaissa, the winning the U.S. Computer Chess pionship was the last thing on the mind
Soviet program created by a ten-man Championship. It had been improved of David Slate, as he walked through
team from the Institute of Control since lOSing the first world cham- Northwestern's computer center in the
Sciences in Moscow. pionship, then named Chess 4.1, but it summer of 1968. Slate, a graduate
. Kaissa, named after the mythical was unknown whether these in- student in physics, was in the systems
goddess of chess, was the defending novations could beat Kaissa. bay area when he noticed a green
champion, having scored four straight In the first round of the tournament binder with the word "CHESS" printed
wins at the first championship that took the unexpected happened. Kaissa on it. The authors of this chess
place in Stockholm during August of faced Duchess, a chess playing program were Lawrence Atkin and
1974. Three years later in Toronto, program from Duke University. Keith Gorlen (who has since left the

CREATIVE COMPUTING
134
project). Both Atkin and Gorlen were "We wanted everyone to think they puter must numerically evaluate all the
undergraduate students in computer had missed the first version," said resulting positions, then combine
science. Atkin describes his original Slate, with a chuckle. these results to assign a numerical
reason for writing a chess program as a "We, on the inside, know just how evaluation to the contemplated move.
means of escaping the boredom of flaky the whole set-up is," remarked This evaluation will reflect whether the
being a student. They had written their Slate, as he described Chess 4.6, with move is more favorable for the com-
first program in April 196~.Atthetime, its house language program of over puter or its opponent. Finally, the
both of them were relatively weak 30,000 steps. "We have a certain sense computer will choose the move which
players. that a human would make moves at a has a numerical evaluation that gives it
certain level, but that is not reasonable the most favorable position from the
Slate who was an expert player, to assume for a computer. It's metal possible selection of moves. The
decided to write his own program and and semiconductors with electric evaluation of a position considers such
by September, 1968, Northwestern had currents running around inside. Every things as material advantage, pawn
two chess playing programs. Each of one of those things had to be perfect in structure, king safety and mobility.
these programs had their own order for it to play." Occasionally, the computer will
strengths and weaknesses. The Atkin- Indeed, the idea of a chess playing reject a certain move after it discovers a
Gorlen program had a primitive tree. computer seems absurd if you look at bad position could arise from that
search function, which allowed the the statistics of this complex game. move. This saves the computer from
computer to look ahead in moves. It According to Claude Shannon, a wasting time in investigating useless
also had a bad judgment of the computer scientist whose 1950 paper variations.
resulting positions. Slate's program pioneered computer chess, there are Many of the opening moves of the
was just the opposite; it made good 10'20 different sequences of moves that game have been investigated by
evaluations of the game, but was weak begin with the initial position of the human players. Openings from the
in looking ahead. quiet "Giuoco Piano" to .the dynamic
In 1969 Slate told Atkin that he had "Sicilian" are programmed in the.
decided to write another program. computer and played by rote for the
Atkin replied that they should combine fi rst six to fifteen moves. After that, the
thei r two prog rams, si nce each of them computer begins to "think" about the
had separate strengths and talents that position. Presently, Chess 4.6 holds
they could bring to the project. The over 6,000 different opening positions
reswlting program was eventually nam- in its memory bank.
ed Chess 2.0. Chess players are categorized in
As they began to write their new- classes by the United States Chess
program, they also became aware of Federation, in ascending order, as
the literature on computer chess. The E,D,C,B,A, expert, master and senior
new program implemented alpha-beta master, with class "C" being an average
pruning, which greatly increased the tournament player. The World Chess
playing strength of the program. Federation bestows the higher titles of
"I remember this scene at the con- International Master, Grandmaster and
sole," recalled Slate, as he described World Champion, which are earned by
the first test game of the new program. international competition. Both Slate
"Atkin was playing the program. It (the and Atkin rate Chess 4.6 as an expert.
program) was really playing chess. Atkin noted that the program plays
Playing very sharp, very nicely. It acted better than either one of its creators.
as if it knew what was going on on the "The problem of trying to rate a
chess board. Punishing mistakes computer is that computers really play
ruthlessly.. .. and at the very last a different game of chess than people
moment, when it had one move to go to do," stated Atkin. "What happens is
checkmate Atkin-of course he was that the machine plays tactics like a
quite ecstatic over this experience;the Grandmaster and makes strategiC
monster we had created had come to -rnoves like an 'E' class player. You end
destroy us. It was just thrilling!"- up with something in the middle."
suddenly when it was going to Another interesting difference
checkmate him, the display started to between man and machine is the fact
go completely berserk. Weird numbers that a chess master will often play an
appeared on the screen; fizzing and inferior move, gambling that his oppo-
sparkling started and then it dissolved. nent will not be able to exploit it. The
"The program had died a horrible computer assumes its opponent will
death; the strain was too much. Its first find the proper reply to all its moves.
game. He indicated that a fast com-
victory was too much for it." . This difference between computer
puter would take 1090 years to examine
Eventually they discovered the flaw and man continues to challenge Atkin
all the possible moves, before the first
in the program. They had told the and Slate. Already they have added a
move is made.
computer that it could only have fifty new innovation which allows Chess 4.6
Since all serious tournament play is
legal moves in one position. However to analyze its opponent's probable
timed, any chess playing computer
the checkmate position was complex move while the opponent is thinking.
would lose the game by exceeding the
and there were over fifty legal moves Now, they hope to devise a way for the
time limit if it was programmed to look
available. computer to build a hypothetical model
at all the possible variations in a
After play-testing their new program, of its opponent's.play. By using such a
position.. So how do you get a com-
they began to distribute it to various model, the computer could probe its
puter to "think" through a game of
computer installations. Because the opponent's weaknesses and play a
chess?
software products were usually adver- gambling move.
tised with a number after it, they Chess 4.6 analyses an average of
decided to call it Chess 2.0. Why did three moves ahead. Since one move by J.BIIT was the name of a program
they call the first version 2.0 instead of the computer can result in a variety of devised by chess master Hans Berliner.
Chess 1.07 responses by its opponent, the com- In that name he stated the basic
:.IAN 1979
135
purpose for programming a chess The bet is presently for 1,250 pounds found is that if we put our program on
playing computer: Just Because It Is sterling (about $2,125) and has beerr' faster machines, its play is significantly
There. However,practical purposes for placed with three computer scientists. better. (Presently Chess 4.6 is run on a
the chess playing program have Although the time limit for the bet is CDC Cyber 176. A six-fold increase in
already been found. Presently, the August, 1978, Levy has indicated that speed gives the computer an extra half-
specific techniques used for playing he will renew the wager after that move to look ahead.) If there is another
chess have already been used in period. step, another order of magnitude in the
programs that handle a telephone- "The bet was made by Levy with power of machines, I think that we
switching system and an electronic- three computer scientists," explained : can-well, its hard to say. I think we can
power grid. Atkin. "It is up to them to come up with beat him once in a while-that is better
"It is a good research base," said a program-steal, borrow or than I think we can do now, which is
Atkin. "If you're interested in how to whatever-that will play Levy. We've almost never."
make computers solve difficult tenatively agreed to be that program. Presently Atkin and Slate, along with
problems, language translation Right now there are negotiations going David Cahlander of Control Data, are
problems, perception problems .... on trying to arrange the location forthe busy' finding ways to improve Chess
those kinds of problems are very match." 4.6. One of their most recent plans is a
difficult because there are enormous "One way to beat him is with a way to cut down on the boredom of
amounts of data and a huge informa- conceptual breakthrough. What we've attending the program at a tournament.
tion base. One example would be "Actually, when you have a terminal,
language translation problems which its a drag," said Atkin. "You're sitting
deal in huge vocabularies. Those are there, with the board in frontofyou and
difficult problems, but they are basical- the terminal on your side. The com-
ly similar to chess. So chess can be puter makes a move. You make it on the
used as a simple problem to help solve board. You sit there twiddling your
the more difficult ones in the field of thumbs while the other guy (or com-
artificial intelligence." puter) is thinking. He makes a move.
While the future for computer chess You type it in the terminal. You're just.
and its practical applications looks an automaton, sitting in the middle.
promising, the immediate future holds Getting very frustrated it's
plenty of challenge for Chess 4.6. nervewrackinq."
Perhaps the most dramatic of these "What we're trying to do right now is
challenges is the Levy wager. build a robot that takes the place of the
In 1968 David Levy, an International programmer sitting between the ter-
Master and computer expert, wagered minal and the board. The robot will
that he couldn't be beaten by a chess have an arm that picks up the pieces.
playing computer in a ten-game match. ONE Df>.Y AT T\-IE flRlrr d •••.• We'll just sit back and watch." -
ROSoliC CHeSS "1OURNAIII",.1

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2. Microchess - Graphic display, beginning to intermediate,
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CIRCLE 138 ON READER SERVICE CARD CREATIVE COMPUTING

 Dear Mr. Uter:
No need to settle for second
best any longer. Now you can
produce "hard-copy" print-
outs on a Selectric II, and do it
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You really should
information on

IF YOU OWN A IRS 80~ .

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SPECIAL NOTE:
SELECTRA-PRINT is a Selectric II typewriter and
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publisher is searching for manuscripts circuits for the hobbyist, engineer, YOU NAME IT, WE'LL WRITE IT!!
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The S S I Microcomputer Software Guide

Thousands of programs available on disk, cassette, paper tape; in books, listings,
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$ 7.95 postpaid U.S

A Companion to Uiterwyk's Interpreters by Dave Gardner

Over 70 memory addresses mapped inMSI and SWTPC 6800 Basics, plus 30 custom
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POSTAGE PAYABLE IN u.s. FUNDS
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CIRCLE 186 ON READER SERVICE CARD

 THE ART OF COMPUTER
BITSinc
BooKs to erose the impossible
PROGRAMMING
Praised by critics as the best
books in their field, these texts
~«" ~. - are part of a projected seven
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r..,.-'<.~ • The Best of the Microcomputer
volume omnibus survey of
computer science now being
(j"- Book Field completed by Donald E Knuth,
• 150 Titles Volume I, FUNDAMENTAL
• Self-published Works ALGOR ITHMS, 634pp,;
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Send cheque or money order, or for more details on
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8 Teesdale St. -Moncton, N. B. - Canada - E1A 5K5
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by Terrapin, fne.

PET OWNER'S
introducing 2nd Cassette Interface Sanyo
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CIRCLE 178 ON READER SERVICE CARD

Attachable to any computer via parallel interface

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ferior articleunder the name 01 french
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 SP-30a
Printer

$575, 1-10 quantities

STANDARD FEATURES:
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CIRCLE 200 ON READER SERVICE CARD

ATTENTION-
HUMANS
The Klingons are hot on the trail of the
Enterprise. To gain speed, we're unloading
our supply holds of Star Trek T-shirts, posters,
etc. Help us escape the Klingons and keep the
galaxy safe by buying these items at drastical-
ly reduced prices!!

MR. SPOCK STAR TREK COMPUTER IMAGES·

T-SHIRT Mr. Spock Poster, Large (17" x 23") computer
Mr. Spock T-Shirt is a image on heavy poster stock. A digital
black design on a scanning densitometer transformed each 50
beautiful pale green micron square point on the negative into a line
shirt. Available in adult printer character (using two overprintings).
sizes S, M, L, XL. All regular price $1.50.
cotton, made in USA.
Set of 7 Computer lrnaqes. Kirk, Spock,
Regular price $4.50.
McCoy, Sulu, Scott, Uhrura, and the Enter-
prise. On heavy poster stock. 8% x 11. Regular
price per set $1.50.

~
Orders must be prepaid. (No bank cards)
Send to Creative Computing, P.O. Box 789-M, Morristown, N.J. 07960
Computer Career Opportunities
If you've gone as far as you can with your present company you should come work with us at Digital. We'll
give you all the room you need. We're.a billion-and-a-half dollar company that continues to grow by intro-
ducing hot new products like VAX.So there's always plenty to challenge even the best people.
, Field Engineers/Technicians with experience in: ' Software Specialists with experience
, CPU troubleshooting and repair in:
, Core troubleshooting and repair ' Real time event driven applications
, Peripheral fault isolation and diagnosis ' Operating systems design and
, Sales Professionals with a solid track modifica tions
, RSX-ll, RSTS-E, TOPS 10
record of success in selling computers to
, Business applications design
any of the broad range of markets.
, COBOL, FORTRAN
Have you
outgrown the
company you're An equal opportunity employer m/f.

working for?

Take a step in the right career direction today by sending your resume to Harry Crawford,
Digital Equipment Corporation, Dept. HI013820, 129Parker Street, Maynard, MA 01754.

- the trw;hte ~ Zany new teXt -rY"o~

HIT I>ress.
f...
eorle..o .
Lo..~~n 1.'nY'ov~h 1'YOfess·lontt.l"Pro~Y'a.mmeY"s
W·I \\ enjo~ yea.tlin~ t.n ·,s fA-·I"'", u\t~ funnj book,
on C omputer.s ~ntl C ompvt.eY" PY'b~ Y'o..m~·ln~.
Whtt.t '..s me r e - the~ 'l/ All leA.rn someihi!1.9
from ·1 t ·In The pro cess! ~DS.!: FORTRAN
t.ex Ls os e a.s l)u \\ lA.5 Door no..iIs. Stude nts
use them 0..5 tllj 5w~:lt€V"5 but the~ Drea..d.
",eecl·,ng to 'fea.d. theM.

A FORTRA"N COLORING :BOOK

'IS cl"\-\-tev-ent!
I
I
I
-----------~----------------
Please rush me a copy of The Fortran
0 $7.95 cash, check m.o. enclosed
Card number
Coloring
0 Visa
Book
0Master Charge
Exp. date _
I Name
I Address ---------------------
I City State Zip -'-----

ISend to cP6ativ6 compatiuQ PO Box 789-M. Morristown, N.J. 07960

 ARE YOU
TAKING FULL
.. ADVANTAGE
OF YOUR
COMPUTER?
D NO
Then we want you. Assembled at the Per-
sonal Computing Festival of the 1979 Na-
tional Comp~ter ~onference will be scores
. of experts with diverse backgrounds. Your
imagination cannot help but be triggered with new uses and applications
for your own computer. Over 25 technical sessions will cover such topics
as: languages, education, robotics, small business applications, speech

DYES
synthesis and recognition, and investment analysis. Live demonstrations
of applications by individual users will enable you to see the latest per-
sonal computing realities in ac- . Then we need you.
tion. Commercial e..xhibits will bring You have developed
you up-to-date on industry offer- an application to a
ings in microcomputer products, point where your re-
systems, and services. Take full sults are up to your own high personal standards. Speak to
advantage of your computer by us, and the world, at the NCC 79 Personal Computing Fes-
attending the NCC Personal Com- tival. You can help your friends and colleagues take full ad-
puting Festival at the Americana vantage of their own computers by presenting a paper, chair-
Hotel in New York City, June 4-7. . ing a session, or demonstrating your application. Valuable
For continuing information about prizes will be awarded for outstanding applications demon-
the complete computing experi- strations and for the best papers published in the NCC '79
ence at NCC, simply fill out and Personal Computing Proceedings. Fill out the coupon be-
return the coupon below. low, check the box on conference participation, and we'll
send you complete information. The deadline for submit-
ting ideas and proposals is February 1, 1979. But remem-
ber ...whether or not you're presently taking full advantage of
your computer, there's a world of information on the very latest
in personal computing awaiting you at NCC 79 in New York.

CJ(CC 79 f

PERSONAL COMPUTING FESTIVAL

c/o AFIPS, 210 Summit Avenue, Montvale, N.J. 07645
cc I
I o Please keep me up-to-date on NCC 79 and its Personal Computing Festival.
o Please rush me information on participating in the Personal Computing Fes-
tival program sessions.
o I'm interested in demonstrating my own personal computing application; please
send me details.
o My company is interested in exhibiting at the Personal Corr.putinq Festival.
o Please send information on the NCC 79 Travel Service.
Name Title _
Company----------------------------
Street ~ _

L City ~ State Zip,-------

 --
"1\
~.

,-.t;~{-.../
..,.....~ ."

These original graphics were generated on a Calcomp drum plotter.

The process involved scan digitizing monochromatic photographs with
6 bit encoding (64 gray levels) and generating an offline plot tape from
this data using a program termed EDGANG. This program computes
COMPUTER GRAPHICS
the strength and direction of the gradient at each point in the format and
plots uniform length vectors at points where the gradient strength
Still Life
exceeds a specified value. The vectors are drawn orthogonal to the
Young Woman
gradient direction with 0.1 radian angular resolution.
Business Man
Designed and executed by R. Michael Hord, Institute for Advanced
Computation, 128 South Royal St., Alexandria, VA 22314,

.
-.""'~~""
,,'
'

JAN 1979 143

 Index to Advertisers
Reader
Ser.vice No. Advertiser PageoNo.

Aeaaemte Rress, Inc. ~23, 122

Aevaneed Computer Products 43
AFIPS (NCC) 142
Apoll0 D.istribuliol'l 26
AIlP'le Cemputer Co. 8
AVI'! Electronies 99
Berrehmask computing Services 138
Berkeey Medical Data Assoc., Inc. 105
Bits,lme. ~39
The Bottern Shelf 39
Brunswick Cemputer Software 139
George A. Clisham 138
Cloae Magazil'le 45
G0mpOl'lent Sales, lne, 31
Camputalker Cansultants 67.
Computer Compeneats 51
Cemputer Consultants 138
C0mpl1ter J;lnte~prises 33
C0mputer, Factory 5
Computer tnformablon Exchange 99
Computer Lab of NJ 5
Cemputer Mart af Califormia 82
Computer Mart 01 NY 57'
Cemputer Prefessienals' Baok Club 17
Computer Stere of Santa Monic,;a 99
Gernputhin~ 11
Computrex 40

oonnectteut Miemcomputer 54, 55, 57

Continental Specialties ern
Contract Serviees Assoeiates 95
Creative Computil'lg 129,141,140,96
j2~ Creatlve Software §7
IilGMPl:I'I'ER 132 Crornemeo 1
178 D & R Creative Systems 139
123 lDataseareh 7.5
Digital Equipment Corp. 141
Di@ilal Press 89
electronic Control Technology 34
Exidy 37
Frazer and Associates 138
Graham-Dorian El'lterprises 7
Hayde~ aook, Ce. 71
o Houston Instruments 16
Ithaca Al1dio W1
Lear Siegler, Ine. 1'03
Lifeboat Asseciates 65
Ligeri Data Serviees 40
4-Year Cumulative Index to Marketlime Systems, Inc.
Mathematical Applications Serviee
35
136
Creative Computing and ROM Michael Shnayer Sottware
MicrecompLlter Devices
87
137
Micro Mike's 95
Yes, folks, Creative Computing has Midwest Scientific 13
Micrec0mputer Worla 97
been around for four (count them, 4) Microsoft 23
years! Our first issue was Nov/Dec Microtronix 47
1974 and Vol. 4, NO.6 was Nov/Dec MiniMicro Mart 27
Mr. K 40
1978. For those of you with all those Netrenics R & D Ltd. 82
issues around it's sometimes difficult New Englal'ld Eleetfcmies Co. 11
to remember just when that neat article Newman Computer Exchange 117
Ohio Scientifio CIV
on Magic Squares appeared, or which Osborne & Associates 91
four issues carried the CAI Series of Pereom Qata Company. lrre, 35
Personal Programming Service 73
articles, or in which issues we review- Personai Software 79
ed all 34 books on BASIC. Personal Systems COAsulting 97
Pertec CemfDuter CorfD. 107
Also, not to overlook our cousin PhysiciaJJs Mior0computer Report 90
ROM, we've included all the meaty Practical Applications 61
articles, programs, reviews and other Pwcessor vechnalogy 14,15
Quality Software 99
information from that periodical too. Radio Shack 21
We've cross-referenced articles that 138 Rainbow Compwtil'lg, Inc. 136
have appeared in both Creative Com- 122 Small System Software 45
127 Smoke SigAal Broadcastinq 2
puting magazine and the Best of 185 Softside Ptlalicatioms 32
Creative Computing Vo/s. 1 and 2, ~87 Softsysterms Technology 26
hence, the current source of every 120 Southwest Technical Products Corp. CII
186 SSI 138
article is listed. ~4Q Sybex, Inc. 130,~31
Articles are classified by subject area 200 Syntest 140
and listed by title and author. Over 2000
separate items are included. The index
L..!~~:::=:~=::::::;:!:::== 188
113
Tarbell Electronies
Terrapin, Inc.
61
~39
Price for this blockbuster of an index 157 'rhinker Toys 10
107 'riny-C 133
does not include a cross-reference to is just $1.00 postpaid, $1.25 for first 176 Total Digital EJJ@ineering 139
author. class delivery, $2.00 foreign. Orders 153 Trans-Data Corp. 96
The index was put together by Jane must include payment (no bank cards, 105 TransNet Oorporation 34
174 TYCJS0f!ware Assoeiates 40
Fletcher on a DECsystem-10 using the COD's, or orders to be billed). Send to 133 U.S. Brekers 138
text editor and runoff (with a Diablo Index, Creative Computing, P.O. Box 158 Val'lta@e Press 138
1620). 129 & Itista Cemputer Company 125,126
789-M, Morristown, NJ 07960. 130

144
CREATIVE COMPUTING
 ess.
Faster, easier and more economical digi-
tal testing. That's what CSC's Logic Probes are
ore.
without pulse memory capability. Handling a
minimum pulse width of 300 nanoseconds, this
all about. And that's what engineers, technicians 300 K ohm probe is the economical way to test
and hobbyists need, to deal with the increased
use and complexity of digital circuits ..
Unlike oscilloscopes, meters
=====s =

and other conventional test equipment, CSC

J
probes are logic-state oriented: Just touch the
probe to a circuit node and instantly read logic circuits up to 1.5 MHz. It detects pulse trains or
state, detect level transitions, check duty cycles. single-shot events in TTL, DTL, HTL and CMOS
And store high-speed, low-rep-rate events circuits, replacing separate pulse detectors,
that even fast scopes miss. pulse stretchers and node state analyzers.
By accurately detecting the state of indi- LP-3 LOGIC PROBE. $69.95*
vidual logic elements without removing ICs or Our LP-3 has all the features of the LP-1
cutting copper paths, CSC's circuit-powered, plus extra high speed. It captures pulses as
narrow as 10 nanoseconds, and monitors pulse
trains to over 50 MHz. Giving you the essential
capabilities of a high-quality memory scope at
about 1I100ththe cost. LP-3 captures
one-shot or low-rep-rate-events all-but-
multi-family Logic Probes locate over 95% of impossible to detect any other way. All without
circuit problems in minutes instead of hours. the weight, bulk, inconvenience and power
And they're easy to use. Simply connect two clip consumption of conventional methods.
leads across the power supply, touch the probe
tip to a node and watch the LEOs.,=, R

LP-1 LOGIC PROBE. $44.95*

LP-1 has a minimum detectable pulse
width of 50 nanoseconds and maximum input
frequency of 10 MHz. This 100K ohm probe is Use CSC's highly versatile logic probes
an inexpensive workhorse for any shop, lab or for testing, debugging or servicing any type of
field service tool kit. It detects high-speed digital circuit. They give you a lot of information
pulse trains or one-shot events and stores about IC circuit conditions ... and help you do
pulse or level transitions, replacing separate more in less time. For less money.
level detectors, pulse detectors, pulse
stretchers and pulse memory devices. All, for NEED MORE INFORMATION? CALL
less than the price of a DVM. 203-624-3103 to order, or for the name of
LP-2 LOGIC PROBE.. $24.95* your local distributor. Prices slightly higher
LP-2 performs the same basic functions outside U.S.A.
as the LP-1, but for slower-speed circuits and
© 1978, Continental Specialties Corporation. Prices, specifications, subject to change without notice. •Manufacturer's suggested retail.

=5=
CONTINENTAL SPECIALTIES CORPORATION
Corporate Headquarters: Europe, Africa, Mid-East: CSC UK LTD.
Continental Specialties Corporation Shire Hill Industrial Estate, Units 1 and 2
70 Fulton Terr., Box 1942, New Haven, CT 06509 Saffron Walden, Essex CB 11 3AQ
351 California st, San Francisco, CA 94104 Telephone Number: SAFFRON WALDEN 21682
(415) 421-8872, TWX 910-372-7992 TlX817477

CIRCLE 111 ON READER SERVICE CARD _

-----------------------
 lbe All! of Affarc!able ~nal
Computing Has Finally ArrIved.
Ohio Scientific has made a major breakthrough in small com- math functions and built-in "immediate" mode which allows
puter technology which dramatically reduces the cost of per- complex problem solving without programming! This computer
sonal computers. By use of custom LSI micro circuits, we have can actually entertain your children while it educates them in
managed to put a complete ultra high performance computer topics ranging from naming the Presidents of the United States
and all necessary interfaces, including the keyboard and power to tutoring trigonometry all possible by its fast extended BASIC,
supply, on a single printed circuit board. This new computer graphics and data storage ability.
actually has more features and higher oertorrnance.than some The machine can be economically expanded to assist in your
home or personal computers that are selling today for up to business, remotely control your home, communicate with other
$2000. It is more powerful than computer systems which cost computers and perform many other tasks via the broadest line of
over $20,000 in the early 1970's. expansion accessories in the microcomputer industry.
This new machine can entertain your whole family with spec- This machine is super easy to use because it communicates
tacular video games and cartoons, made possible by its ultra naturally in BASIC, an English-like programming language. So
high resolution graphics and super fast BASIC. It can help you you can easily instruct it or program it to do whatever you want,
with your personal finances and budget planning, made possible but you don't have to. You don't because it comes with a corn-
by its decimal arithmetic ability and cassette data storage capa- plete software library on cassette including programs for each
bilities. It can assist you in school or industry as an ultra powerful application stated above. Ohio Scientific also offers you
scientific calculator, made possible by its advanced scientific hundreds of inexpensive programs on ready-to-run cassettes.
Program it yourself or just enjoy it; the choice is yours.

Ohio Scientific offers you this remarkable new computer two ways.

Challenger 1 P $349
Fully packaged with power
supply. Just plug in a
video monitor or TV
through an RF con-
verter to be up and
running.

Superboard II $279
For electronic buffs. Fully
assembled and tested. Re-
quires + 5V. at 3 Amps
and a video monitor or TV
with RF converter to be up
and running.

Standard Features .., ,...ORDER FORM _

Order direct or from your local Ohio Scientific dealer.
• Uses the ultra powerful 6502 microprocessor o I'm interested. Send me information on your:
• 8K Microsoft BASIC·in·ROM
Full feature BASIC runs faster than currently available o Personal Computers 0 Business Systems
personal computers and all 8080·based business corn- o Send me a Superboard II $279 enclosed
puters.
• 4K static RAM on board expandable to 8K
o Send me a Challenger 1P $349 enclosed
• Full 53·key keyboard with upper/lower case and user o Include 4 more K of RAM (8K Total) $69 more enclosed
programmability
• Kansas City standard audio cassette interface for high Name
reliability
• Full machine code monitor and I/O utilities in ROM Address
• Direct access video display has 1K of dedicated memory
(besides 4K user memory), features upper case, lower
City State Zip _
,, .
case, graphics and gaming characters for an effective
screen resolution of up to 256 by 256 points. Normal TV's
with overscan display about 24 rows of 24 characters; Payment by: BAC(VISA) __ Master Charge __ Money Order
without overscan up to 30 X 30 characters.
Credit Card Account # _
Extras
• Available expander board features 24K static RAM (addi- Expires Interbank #(Master Charge) _
tional), dual mini-floppy interface, port adapter for printer Ohio Residents add 4 % Sales Tax
and modem and an OSI 48 line expansion interface.
• Assembler/editor and extended machine code monitor TOTAL CHARGED OR ENCLOSED
available. LAll orders shipped insured UPS unless otherwise requested. FOB Aurora, OH J

Interested in a bigger ,system? Ohio SCientific offers 15

other models of microcomputer systems ranging from
.1.11
America's Largest Full Line Microcomputer Company
single board units to 74 million byte hard disk systems. 1333 S. Chillicothe Road • Aurora, Ohio 44202 (216)562·3101
CIRCLE 146 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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