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VOL 6NO 5 MARCH -APR I L 1978 "'U"' .. o'"
Dr. Dobb's Journal is published 10 times a year by People's Computer Company, a non-profit educational corporation. For a one-year subscription, send $) 2 to Dr. Dobb's Jormlol, Dept 57, 1263 EI Camino Real, Box E, Menlo Park, CA 94025 or send in the postage-free order card at the center of this magazine. • •
VOL 6 NO 5 SUBMITTING ITEMS FOR PUB LICATION SUBSCRIPTIONS MAR·APR 1978
LABEL everything please, your name, address and the date; U. S. Subscriptions sa/yr. (6 issues) o STAFF CONTENTS TYPE text if at all possible, double-spaced, on 8Y:. x 11 inch o 515/2 yrs. (12 issues) o Retaining subscription @$25 white paper. EDITOR ($17 tax deductible) SPECIAL STUFF Phyllis Cole DRAWINGS should be as clear and neat as possible in black o Sustaining subscription@$100+ ASSISTANT EDITOR ink on white paper. ($92+ tax deductible) 10 TRS·80: A CONSUMER'S COMPUTER? Tom Williams Tom Williams has doubts ART DIRECTOR LISTINGS are hard to reproduce clearly, so please note: Foreign Surface Mail . Meredith Ittner 16 EPIC COMPUTER GAMES • Use a new ribbon on plain white paper when making a o add S4 /yr. for Canada PRODUCTION Denn is Allison and Lee Hoevel consider Adventure·like games listing; we prefer roll paper or fan-fold paper. o add S5/yr. elsewhere Donna Lee Wood • Send copies of one or more RUNs of your program, to 34 MICROCOMPUTER COMMUNICATION FOR THE HANDICAPPED ARTISTS verify that it runs and to provide a sense of how things Foreign AIR MAIL T im Scully's programs help a cerebral palsy patient Maria Kent work - and to motivate more of us to read the code. o add S8/yr. for Canada Ann Miya RUNs should illustrate the main purpose and operation of o add SI 1/yr. for Europe ARTICLES Judith Wasserman your program as clearly as possible. Bells, whistles and o add S14/yr. elsewhere TYPISTS special features should just be described in the documen Payment must be in U.S. dollars Barbara Rymsza 8 MICROCOMPUTERS IN 1978 tation unless they're particularly relevant. drawn on a U.s. bank. Sara Werry Adam Osborne looks ahead • Make sure your code is well documented - use a separate BOOKSTORE sheet of paper. Refer to portions of code by line number or These back issues are available at SI.50each: 26 BUCKETS Dan Rosset label or address please, not by page number. When writing Vol 5, No 6 Mac Oglesby's bucket brigade pours it on PROMOTION documentation, keep in mind that readers will include Vol 6, Nos 1, 2, 3, 4 Dwight McCabe 28 BYTE INDUSTRIES beginners and people who may be relatively inexperienced Andrea Nasher Chuck Bradley interviews Nels Wink less about recent changes. with the language you're using. Helpful documentationl CIRCULATION 44 PRAYER WHEEL PROGRAM annotation can make your code useful to more people. Foreign Distributors of People's Computers Bill Bruneau Documentation should discuss just which cases are covered Edrid uses his disc as a Tibetan prayer wheel BULK SALES and which aren't. Vincent Coen Home Computer Club 45 COMPUTER CONTAGION Christine 80telho I • If you send us a program to publish, we reserve the right to LP Enterprises 1070-57 Yamaguchi DRAGON EMER ITUS Howie DiBlasi and his students are hooked annotate it (don't worry, we won't publish it if we don't 313 Kingston Road Tokorozawa, Saitama, Bob Albrecht 48 MEASURING TIME ON THE PET AND OTHER MICROCOMPUTERS like it). IIford IGl lPJ JAPAN Larry Tesler discusses timing intervals from one microsecond on up • Last but not least, please try to limit the width of your Essex, UK RETAINING SUBSCRIBERS listings: 50-60 characters is ideal. Narrow widths mean less Kougakusha Publ. Co., Ltd 52 THE PATTER OF LITTLE FEET reduction, better readability and better use of space. Rudi Hoess Haneda Biru 403, 5-1 More from Robert Rossum on cheap approaches to the mechanics of robotics David R Dick 2-Chome, Yoyogi Electron ic Concepts PTY Ltd Mark Elgin 59 FROG RACE LETTERS are always welcome; we assume it's OK to publish Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo 151 Ground Floor Cambridge House John B Fried 8 Erickson keeps 'em jumping them unless you ask us not to. Upon request we will withhold 52·58 Clarence St JAPAN Scott Guthery, Computer Recreations your name from a published letter, but we will not publish 60 IBM 370 MODEL 69: Features and Devices Sydney NSW 2000 W A Kelley correspondence sent to us anonymously. We reserve the right Computer Age Co., Ltd A Nonymous provides the latest info John C Lilly to edi t letters for purposes of clarity and brevity. ASC II Publishing Kasumigaseki Building Frank Otsuka 305 HI TORIO 3-2-5 Kasumigaseki REGULAR STUFF Bernice Pantell 5-6-7 Minami Aoyama Chiyoda·Ku, Tokyo 100 Larry Press Minato-Ku, Tokyo 107 JAPAN Shelter Institute 4 EDITOR'S NOTES JAPAN Cover illunration Ellery McKnight 4 LETTERS SUSTAINING SUBSCR IBERS 14151 325·9883 14 REVIEWS Algorithmics Inc, Bruce Cichowfas 32 FORTRAN MAN Lee Schneider and Todd Voros embark on a new adventure People's Computers is published bimonthly by People's Computer Company, 1263 EI Camino Real, Box E, Menlo Park, CA 94025. Don L Behm People's Computer Company is a tax -exempt, independent, non-profit corporation, and donations are tax-deductible. BYTE Publications, Carl Helmers, 55 SPOT: The Society of PET Owners and Trainers Second class postage paid at Menlo Park, California, and additional entry points. Virginia Peschke, Manfred Peschke Programs, prai$8, peeves, and ponderings are proffered Copyright © 1978 by People's Computer Company, Menlo Park, California Paul, Lori and Tom Calhoun 8ill Godbout Electronics 61 ANNOUNCEMENTS Dick Heiser, The Computer Store
2 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR-APR 3 ,
assumption the young programmer has ience. This printer is a real showstopperin the amount of computer experience a e"ed. If he really does have a very long looks, and I really hope that there is some person has and the kinds of games he/she running algorithm (unlikely for a begin way we can use it in our computer center, plays. Keith, who knows five or six pro ner), we can easily add a command to to give us the output capability we des gramming languages likes to play LETTERS disable the check or the number of perately need. COMBAT; Bill likes LIFE (he has been pseudo-instructions executed between programming for quite a while); I like iI/put and output operations. InCidentally, the computer center in this STAR TRADER. Everyone (wen, almost EDITOR'S NOTES school has been supported through everyone) likes STAR TREK. However, Jim Day has not addressed the issue of Those of us who do not consider people Todd Voros student fund raiSing, and will be available the non-computer people tend to go for 'The Computer as Art Critic' (Vol 6, to be wann-blooded machines cannot Milwaukee, WI to every student in the school who has a different kind of game. I think the need for such a device. I believe it to be favorite game for non-computer people t • •• REWARD for in/ormation No 3) at all, but only described a use sec in this the same quality of Art as we leading to the arrest and conviction of the Computer as Counting Machine. see in Rembrandt or da Vinci. the only student-purchased computer (at least around here) is OREGON. of anyone reproducing Ollr so/nvare But besides this rather obvious fault, his center of its type for miles around! Evidently someone explained the ENTER in ANY way without our written remarks display two somewhat more sig The computer will only become an ade statement to them for it is fun to watch permission . ..• nificant errors. quate art critic when the people making Please help us if you can. Many people them type 'Bang' as fast as they can. I the evaluation become themselves will be grateful for any assistance you guess that perhaps a personal challenge The above quote is NOT a para The first of these deals with the nature of computers. can give. is needed by al l game players and the phrase from a Vllol/led poster lor An. It is of little consequence whether possibility of pseudo-death gives the rnsrlen- ir's part 0/ an ad currently people like three green blobs beller than Tom Pittman W.J. Bajcz player a sense, however small, of reality. running in computer magazines. two red circles. The art of the picture is San Jose, CA Faculty Advisor Software protection is an issue 0/ greater than the sum of its parts. If this Lakeland High School Now for some ideas I got after answering growing cot/cern. Unless the soft were not so, it would be a relatively triv 1630 Bogie Lake Road these questions for myself. Most of the ware producer can expect a ial mailer to write a computer program Milford. MI 48042 talk concerning the Don Quixote Starship reasonable renlm from his/her to analyse and correlate the parts of HELP!! has been theoretical. Now mind you I efforts we ....111 nol see the massive known art , and then extrapolate to have nothing against theory and am quantity of quality programs produce vast amounts of new art to the We have a computer: Digital POPS/a myself an idealist but I have answered all needed to realize the potential of same specifications. Why is it, for exam (identical to S/e bus) my OQS questions and am ready to pro home computers. Would-be free ple, that three green blobs and two red Replies to Dennis Allison's notes on my ceed with the physical planning and ilJnce soft'.... are producers and sma// circles appearing on one canvas contri letter in the Jan-Feb 78 issue of People's We have a printer: Mohawk Data Sciences implementation of the thing. Here are software distn'bution companies bute to its being 'Art', white the same Complllen on Tiny Languages: MOS 7160. It's a remote print Ouring an especially indolent December some ideas for an interactive, progressive, are especiolly vulnerable, since they forms on another (say, that of the artist's station with a 7 track tape drive day I started to wonder what makes realistic computer space simulation: lack ClIpi/al to pursue suspected lazy understudy) only show it up to be Point 3: The reason this is important is and a drum printer rated at 1250 people play games. I also began to 1. It can be accessed by many terminell at th. software thieves through fhe legal an uninspired imitation? that the user (a kid, probably) will be lines per minute. wonder why Bob Albrecht hasn't been same time. In fact, it wiH work much better system. composing his progranl at the keyboard. pushing the Don Quixote Starship lately. with many. The second of Jim Day's errors is, 1 If he illtends to fit 12 more statements We also have: thirty-seven student mem The second question was easier to answer 2. All types of people must be represented in The issue lJju close to home: think, much more serious. That is that he but there is only room for 6, we should bers, and one slightly tired faculty than the first, because the first is question the program. Good guy., bad guys, etc. ing the thOUght processes of over four 3. All needs of a lPata lOCi.tv must be foresaan people are crying to sell the copy ignored the fact that art is a reflection of ring the TTY beU (or beeper, or what advisor, who do not have the and met with timely and 8dequatelltlswers. righted DRA W program published the artist's personal philosophy. Ukewise, ever) when available space is 75% con slightest notion of how to interface billion people. While the second is only 4. Political. social, end biological differences in this magazine. A distributor the critic expresses his personal philoso sumed. Humans have a poor perception the two devices. We know that it trying to fathom the incongruencies of an between speclel must be foresaan and again, of PET software has told me phy in responding to the art. When these of storage requirements when cod ing at looks like quite a job. (6 months? old dragon's intellect. an adequate and timely an_r mU$l be that DRA W has beell submitted 6 years?) supplied and change. implemented. philosophies agree, the crhic sees the art a keyboard. He can then alter his think 5. Entire geme In four dim.nlionl. Length, for sole to his company by several as 'Great' or at least, 'I like it.' When the ing and perhaps review what he already Second things first. There are two pos width. bnladth, and tim.. , individuals. artist and critic have differing Weltall has, knowing there is 25% of the space We need: HELP sible answers to the second question: 6. Speeds m.asured in kllom.ters per second. schauullgen, the cri tic will not like the left for changes. either Bob hasn't been doing any syner 7. All money Is automatically transacted .Iee No obvious solution to the dilemma work, and given the choice, will not aquire If you have any ideas for us in this dilem gistic beer drinking lately and has given tronlcally. up on the idea, or he has been pUlling all 8. There ara threa type. olliPac. Ihlps: exists. HopefUlly a general COII it for his future enjoyment. This is of Poillt 4: f do not follow your reference ma, please contact me at your conven- A. Trading ships sciousness-raisillg will lead the vast course something of an oversimplifica on unconditional branching in T1LK. The his effort Cnto the work he and Dennis ,. Capteins pick their own ape.dt. majority of software usen to realize tion, but the poin! is that if you show a trace branches referred to are on thegell Allison are doing with Tiny Languages. It Cargo limit is Inversely proportiooal that stealing software and contrib random set of art objects to a random set era ted pseudo-code level, ,wt the source had better be the second reason, for if it's to speed. level, if you take the approach of gener the first 1 won't renew my subscription. 2. Unit of currancy is the URanium uting to the spread of stolell of people with no consideration for their SPecie unit (URSP). Ona UASP software has the undesirable long presuppositions, you will get a random ating pseudo-code. TlLK source syntax equal. the cost of one mole of tenn effect of discouraging software set of responses. But if you mechanically has no GOTOs. First things second. What makes people Uranium 238. production. Meallwhile, rustlers are produce the elements of art (whatever play one game inSlead of another or even 3. PurpoRl is to make (11 much mooey (11 rustling, vigilantes are becoming that means), they will have as much sig Point 10: Detection of 'Infinite Loops': play games at all? I'm not an expert by possible by trading merehendi$8. A fundamental assumption we can make any means, but I figure that I've spent B. Aggressor Ihips increasingly vigilallt, and those of nificance as a mechanically produced ,. The equipment I. crude and bulky us considering freelallce sofMare collection of words: they may be interest is that a program that does not interact about 200 hours in a computer room so but the aggressor has great mobility. production ore taking a long hard ing from a technical point of view, but with the user is probably malfunctioning. far this school year. I have watched all 2. The .ggresso1's purpose il to atteek look at the rocky rood ahead. since they are a reflection of a mechanis Since kids (inexperienced programmers) types of people play games. From a pro enemy trading ships, enemy defend tic world-view (either the programmer or are likely to be writing programs in TILK, grammer that knows five or six languages ing Ihlpl, .nd hostile plan'lI. 3. Aftar 11'1 aggrelfor has luc:callfuUy Phyllis Cele his machine, depending 011 how you look if their program does not request inpllt or to a non -computer person, the motivation crippled an enemy trading ship or at it) they will be appreciated only by output often, say, a few thousand pseudo behind playing seems to be the need to .n.my defending ship, the aggressor instructions, we should make the graceful win. I think I see a correlation between absorbl all .nergy, fuel, etc. from the critics who see the world mechanically. "I'll huve an oil on the rocks."
4 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 5 crippled ship. SuecHSfully conquer languages tike PASCAL or SNOBAL. I disk-perhaps as a modem-day prayer ing I plenet gives command of that realize thai you are trying to prepare wheel? And yes, we found the rumors planet to the ajMjreS5or. The program THIS MACHINE READER SURVEY IlUtomaticelly CHAIN'. over to a people for the home computer boom but to be true-see page 44. 'KING'·lIke program after a plal'l8t you must realize that kids are getting We've had a gratifying response to the vide materials for family and friends; has beel'l cOflquered. access to more and different languages in This machine, it played one, reader survey published in our last issue. interest is equally divided in teaching C. Defender ship. school and have to leam them somehow. It pushed START and PROGRAM RUN, We've tabulated enough returns to begin people of varying ages. Games are of 1. Tha defender ship has more $Ophisti It's an I-8-M 360-85, to form a picture of our readers. About importance to many (60%) as were small ~led equipmel'll thllll 1111 IIggIl!lisor but it il ulually defel'lding either a And you know as well as I do how expen· This computer came alive! 50% of you are computer professionals business applications, scientific applica trading ship or a planet IIfld ceo't sive manuals are. When, when, when, and aboul 25% educators while 70% iden tions, household records, and graphics wander far off. when, when are you going to go to The TEASER game, described in the This machine, it played two, tify with the category 'hobbyist: Appar (about40% each). Approximately 20·25% 2. Purpose of the defender "'ip i. to monthly publication????????? I almost September '74 issue ofPeopleJ Computer Told programmers what to do, ently some hobbyists don't yet own are interested in each of the other survey defand planets and treeling ship •. 3. When defenders protect trading ships need you monthly. After about a month Company and also in What to Do After It's an I·B-M 360-85, working computers (55% of our readers categories except for work with the and planats they are paid il'l uranium and a half I find myself (it's almost too You Hit Rerum, is a very clever and pop· This computer came alive! do), but 75% of you expect to purchase a handicapped, which drew the atlention of (fuel for their engines!. hard to say) looking at other computer ular game. Has anyone ever noticed that home computer or additional equipment about 5%. 9. Tha trading rulel and merchandise are magazines. I don't mean little stuff like the diagram showing the '102 possible This machine, it played three, within the next 6 months. About 40% of balically like STAR TRADER. Printed out errors endlessly, 10. Star .ystem clasli8l are 81 follows: I-Urban, OeatilJe Computing, I mean the heavy positions (excluding rotations and reflec you have extensive computer experience Issues conceming what you want more or Il-Suburbllll, III-Fringe wburban (rich), stuff like (shudder, shudder) IEEE tions)' is incomplete? There are, in fact, It's an I-B-M 360-85, and another 40% are fairly experienced. less of are hard to get a handle on-you're IV-Rural, V-Frontier, VI-Industrial, Computer and (s.hudder, shudder) Byte. more than 102 possible positions. This computer came alive! The balance have little or no experience. a very diverse group. About 25% want VII-Specialized: Vlla-Penel, Vllb-El'lter I try, I really do, but the bug has bit too People's Computers' readers may enjoy more related to languages and program !ainment, VIIe·Medical, Vlld-Educatiol'lai, hard. deriving a complete analysis. (Hint: look TIlis machine, it played four, Not unexpectedly, 96% of our readers ming, another 25% are interested in more Vile-Retirement, VIII-Science research end development. for complementary positions.) Spit its punch cards on the floor are male. About 50% of you are 30·50 applications such as games, graphics, 11. Hi!p te)(es may motivate some plavers to Kudos on your robot articles. Keep 'em It's an I-B·M 360.85, years of age, 30% are 19-30, and 15% education, and CAl. About 15% would turn pirate. coming. Let's hear some more from Jim Day This computer came alive! over 50, with the rest 18 and younger. A like to see more hardware related articles. 12. All ships are controlled by humans. No PISA-please. I wou ld like anyone who is Granada Hills, CA whopping 80% have at least a bachelor's For everyone who loves Fortran Man, computer-controlled ship. with perfect interested in amgte/Ir rocketry to contact This machine, it played five, degree-and many of you who don't just someone else hales it-with 15% object move. or purposefullv botched up moveli. Wrote pure noise onto tape drive, 13. Aggressor. and pirates h .... the ability to me by mail. haven't yet completed college. ing to date. change the time IIIld point in 'Pace the ship It's an I-B-M 360-85, i•• Ining il'l. Also, thanx for keeping your format as I like the new magazine format except This computer came alive! To date, education is the category in Ah well, we'll just keep doing the best 14. At the point It which a player enters the a cockeyed concoction of intelicclUalism, for one thing. Leafing through old issues which most readers (70%) expressed we can! game he/.... decide. to be either a trader, This machine, it played s.ix, aggressor, or defender. This should give craziness, zaniness, and crud. Without I noticed as I got to the newer issues that interest. About 45% of you want to pro- molt people a chance to upre" th&mselws the last we wouldn't be able to distinguish you have less of the good old ink draw Told the C. E. what to fix, politically within the game. the first three. Nuf said. ings-not good. They are (were) one of II's an I·8·M 360-85, the things that set your mag apart from This computer came alive! or assembly language. If PET has such That's about all concerning DQS except Phil Dolan others. So please bring back the dragon plans, I suggest you publish articles about the drawing I sent along. It is an aggressor 7415 Portland Ave stuff-I miss the dragon emeritus. This machine, it played seven, ship. The little holes above and below the Richfield, MN 55423 Decided it was sent by Heaven, TIle letter refe"ed to below appean ill the PET machine language. port holes are fixed lasers. I have 102 different games to exchange It's an I-B-M 360-85, column 2 o/page 58. with anyone. Keep up the good work. This computer came alive! Philip Gash After my letter to you, a copy of All Redding, CA Douglas 'Oit·Dil' Philips TIlis machine, it played eight, Introduction to Your New Pet. .. arrived. Box 329 Shipped itself to Rome air-freight, It isn't what I had hoped for, but it is a Commodore is publishing its cassette Venetia, PA 15367 It 's an '-B-M 360-85 , start in the right direction. In addition to Monitor 13.1 alollg with instructions. • • • lance read about a person pUlting an infonnative dialogue on si mple BASIC Meanwhile there's a Kim·oriented 6502 CJ c:J c:J Buddhist prayers on a disk. I wonder if This computer canle alive! • • • the 38-page booklet included some inter· Programming Manual available from Kim you could publish any such prayers? face info, a brief memory map and some dealers and 6502 specifications are Then, on the theory that they can't hurt This machine, it played nine, Told the Pope it was divine, discussion of first-order PET trouble available [rom MOS Technology. Our I hope you don't mind if I solicit help and might help, your readers could all shooting. 7-part Data Hal/dler series, which con from your omnicient readel1lhip. Could put prayers 10 spinnin g on the various It's an I-B·M 360-85, This computer came alive! cluded last isslle, also dealt with assembly someone please fill me in on the disks they have access to. I will be glad The PET repair service is SUPERB! My programmingo!the 6502. PICTURE attribute in PL/I ? Also, when to put them on my disks if you print PET was returned in good running order are you going to print a listing for a chess them in People's Computers. Thjs machine, it played ten, To sing once more push START again, exactly one week after it was shipped to game in BASIC? (I'm kidding again-or them. am I? Sometimes I can't tell). As the people who built Notre Dame, It 's an 1·8·M 360-85, This computer came alive! I remain, A new copy of the PET warranty arrived, Another thing: I wish you would do some (9Q) which was filled in and returned. I Sorry to hear that the Data HandJer calculator stuff. Especially the program Anonymous Lyrics (more or less) liberated from the assumed it is to be effective this date for User's Manual will end with Part 7. I mables. And while learning math with cal Science Fiction Folksong Songbook. 90 days. If so, BRAVO for Commodore; hope Mr Don Innlan will write a complete culators may seem elementary there is a We have a policy 1I0r to publish any cor All responsibility denied. they stand behind their products. book on the operation of the specific art to it. respondence from Anonymolls, but in Data Handler. What do 1 think of this case all exceptioll seemed in order. My big ears have caught some conversa People'S Computers? IT'S GREAT. You ought to (there I go again, playing Anonymous'letter, mailed in Blooming Contributed by the Milwaukee Science tion nth hand from friends that Commo editor-sorry, Phyllis) have some articles ton, IL, was the second rumor we'd Fiction Club via Lee Schneider. dore does not intend to come out with a John Waskowitz teaching the very basic parts of other heard as to the use of such prayers on a "/ CQm(JtJ.te, therefore /Ilm • .. 0 _0_0 _0 _0_0_0 _0_0 _0 _0 manual or booklet on the PET machine Jackson Heights, NY
6 PE OPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 7 is not clear that the 16-bit microproces for small microcomputer systems to be But there is nothing particularly new in sors will establish Significant markets for configured out of just two or three chips. the situation I describe. The way the MICROCOMPUTERS 10 1978 themselves, but at least the fact that they microprocessor industry works, and for are 16-bit devices gives tllem a basis for What does all of this mean 10 the micro that matter the way the whole semicon hope. computer user? Strange to say, not very ductor industry works, is that they intro much. The microcomputer industry duce radical new products and dramatical What about support logic? Probably the characterized by the IM8Al/ALTAlR ly drop prices, at which point new markets most significant new support devices to type microcomputer, became a reality emerge based on tlle new economics. appear in 1978 will be peripherals' con when microprocessor prices dropped low These may be looked upon as 'entry trollers-floppy disks, CRT and key enough for such products to be commer points'. A new industry emerges when it board controllers. Do not be misled into cially viable. The 8080A. 6800 and 6500 sees its entry point. Once an entry has thinking that these are really one-chip microprocessors were quickly adopted been made, an enormous amount of time controllers; they are not. But they do by this new industry. and money must be invested in areas that provide on one chip much of the logic force you to stay with the microprocessors required by control interfaces to appro The earliest microcomputers were of and semiconductor devices that caused priate peripherals, thereby significantly little value to anyone, since they had no your entry pOint. Thus, industries that reducing cost and crop counts for inter software, no peripherals and no support spring up based on their ability to use face logic. devices. Over the past two years a signif microprocessors stay with their entry icant body of software has been devel point microprocessors for a long time. In addition to the peripheral device oped-for the 8080A, 6800 and 6500 Any move to a new product is held back BY controllers, there will be a number of instruction sets. A large number of peri by the inertia of redeveloping new soft ~:J\ C'AM OSBORNE new support parts offered 10 enhance pheral devices is now available-providing ware and support peripherals. existing microprocessors. These support you have an 8100 bus. A bewildering parts will do two things: they will provide profusion of memory cards and other S;lIce 1975. Adam Osborne's boob have microcomputer users understand this ware base of any microprocessor in functions previously unavailable, and support cards is available-again presum For your part, you should ask yourselves been introducing people 10 microproces phenomenon; you must come 10 terms existence. Unfortunately for microcom they will provide previously available ing you have an 8 I 00 bus. the following question: 'Is the hardware sors and their applications. His well with the fact that there will always be puter users (but fortunately for other funct ions combined on single multifunc I now have adequate for the job I wish to written, comprehensive books have been radically new microprocessor products microprocessor manufacturers). Texas tion chips. Previously unavailable func Just because a large number of 16-bit do?' If the answer is yes, then the new enthusiasncaJly greeted by microcomputer and that they may be far more powerful Instruments is not likely to make much tions include direct memory access and microprocessors appear in 1978, is every developments of 1978 are not particularly fans. O[ speciIJl interest to newcomen to than the microprocessor you are using TMS 990 software available to TM8 9900 priority interrupt control formicroproces body going to abandon products already important to you, since you will reap tile field is his series An Introduction to now, but that is no cause for panic. users. sors that did not have it, plus analog-to on the market? By no means. However relatively little benefit from them. If you Microcomputers. available through Ihe digital and digital-Io-analog converters great these new 16-bit microprocessors find that your current needs are not being Pee Bookstore. Volume 0, The Begin In order to understand the realities of this Next tltere is the MicroNova from Data and telephone communications devices. may be, they will initially have very little met by available microprocessors, then ners Book,' (see review in this issue) situation, let us look at what is going to General and the 9440 from Fairchild; Multifunction devices will provide read/ software and very few peripherrus, and you are waiting for a new entry point. assumes you know nothing about com happen in 1978. During 1978 semicon both of these products are now becoming write memory, parallel input/output, they will demand, should you decide to The new products I predict for 1978 may pilfers, math, or JCience (300 pages, ductor manufacturers will pour forth an available in commercial quantities. Fair primitive interrupt control logic, and adopt them, that you give up everything bring you to your entry pOint. 0 $7.50). Volume 0 prepares you to read incredible variety of new products and child will be offering a 3 -card 9440 timers on a single chip, making it possible you have done thus far and start again. Volume I, 'Basic Concepts', which enhanced products. Beginning with system that is compatible with the 8100 explains concepts common (0 all micro microprocessors themselves, 1978 is bus. The three cards will provide a Nova computers, but ~ecific to none (350 likely to be the year of the one-chip compatible instruction set CPU plus pages, $7.50). Volume 2. 'Some Real microprocessor and the 16-bit micropro 16K bytes of read/write memory. Products: was revised ;n 1977 by cessor. One-chip microcomputers are not Osborne, Susanna Jacobsen, and Jerry very interesting to the average 'hobbyist', TIle LSI-II. though not strictly a micro Kane. This Volume describes every therefore let us look at 16-bit micropro processor, is an equivalen t product now common microprocessor and their $Ilpport cessors. commercially available through Heathkit. devices (J200 pages, $15.00}. Uke the MicroNova and 9440, the LSI -II First of all, there is Texas Instruments, has an extensive existing software base People's Computers is pleased to present who for a long time have had the which can be run on the new micropro Adam Osbome's look at microcomputers TM8 9900 but have chosen to do nothing cessor products. ill 1978. with it; they feared that TMS 9900 sales could damage their upwards compatible But there are also a number of brand new TMS 990 minicomputer systems business. 16-bit microprocessors on the way. Most 1978 is a year that will bring massive up (The TM8 990 minicomputer has exactly noticeably there are the Intel 8086 and heaval to the semiconductor industry and the same instruction set as the TM8 9900 the Zilog Z8000, both of which will be the microprocessor market, but very linle microprocessor.) Texas Instruments have available in mid 1978. of this will filter through to the average partly changed their minds, and will microcomputer user. In this paradox we support the TM8 9900 more aggressively It is unlikely that there will be any brand see one of the most interesting phenomena in 1978. Were they to throw their full new 8-bit microprocessors in 1978 or of the semiconductor industry-the fact efforts behind the TMS 9900, it would thereafter, because it would simply be 1978 that chip fabrication technology is moving create havoc within the microprocessor too hard 10 convince users that a new far faster than any user can hope to keep industry; via the TMS 990, the TM8 9900 entry into this already saturated market up with. And it is very important that has potentially the most fonnidable soft- it worth considering. For that matter, it
, PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 9 TRs -ao •••••••• at 1) Program has been keyed into the machine, RECORD and PLAY keys on the recorder depressed, the com mand CSAVE entered on the compu A Consumer's Computer? ter. 2) The computer starts the recorder ...... _------.---_._-_ ... __. but afte r what seems a more than adequate time fails to return the READY on the display which indi BY TOM WI LLiAMS cates a successful 'save.' 3) Remove REMOTE plug from recorder n,ls review concerns itself with 'he 4K plus. The keyboard is indeed nicely low fe ssional ones we've seen and on our unit and depress STOP key. version of the Radio Shack TRS·80 Z-80 profile with well -s paced keys much like the 'M' an d 'w' were rather indistinct. 4) Rewind tape. based microcomputer system. The a select ri c typewriter. Our unit has a We also experienced a slight wiggle that 5) The computer is still trying to write TRS·80 with 4K Level I BASIC sells slight clunky fee ling to the keys although repeatedly walked up the screen and the tape, so open rear access door for $599. Although Radio Shack is other people we've taJked to report that didn't seem to want to go away. and depress RESET button and/or providing for expallSion of the system, they are quite satisfied with the smooth turn off computer and then turn it we limit ourse/J'es to fi,e 4K unit supplied feel of the keys ... especially the space A feature related to both the computer back on. to us fo r review-that is, the system you bar. The keyboard does have one annoy and the display is the way characters are 6) Is your program still in memory? If can buy for $599. ing feature, however: it lacks roUover. transferred to the screen. Most home not, retype it then replace REMOTE computers do not accept new input plug and start over again. The following options [or the TRS·80 Rollover is the ability of the keyboard while they are performing some compu are now available from Radio Shack: to detect a key being depressed while tation and the TRS-80 is no excep We have discovered that the cassette A 12K Extended BASIC written by the previous one is still being held down. tion. During that time, the computer communicates with the computer at 250 Microsoft Qnd incorporating the full A well-designed keyboard will then should also not display input it is baud (slower than mosl other cassette Z-80 instnlctioll set, 011 ROM fOT $99; print the second key's character as soon ignoring. The Radio Shack system does fonnats) and by using an oscilloscope 12K additio'lol RAM (for a lotal 0/ 16K as the first key ~ released. The result of display typed characters, whether or not have found that recording demands a to find for them is inserting them in as a result win the money. The Personal user memory) for $289.95. 11,e 12K not having this feature on Radio Shack's they are accepted as input by the bandwidth of about 250 to 10,000 PRINT statements. You cannot compare Finance Package which we purchased RAM expansion consiSlS of replacing keyboard is that you tend to lose track of computer. This can be quite annoying Hertz. This is very wide and is the source strings or manipulate them in any other was very poorly documented (no 8 4K chips in sockets 0 11 tile main board characters if you ge t up any typing speed. when you have a display like the of many of the recording problems. way. examples) having less than I ~ pages with 8 16K chips. You Ihen have to stop, type back arrows backgammon board which must then be of text and a very confusing flowchart ( of- ) back to the mistake and then redrawn on the next move. SOFTWARE The TRS-SO does have a limited graphics (no expl:lIlation) which is almost Since our review of this system has not continue. capability that is pretty versatile for a certainly unintelligible to the beginner. been favorable, we have held olfpub/ish Of the four separate units that make up Turning now to the software, we can 4Kmachine. The graphics field is48 X 128 At one point tlle program asks you to ing it until we could provide Radio Shack The keyboard and com puter Circuitry the system, three must be plugged in to log a couple of plusses. The foremost points of oblong shape that can be SET load the 'cancelled checks' data tape with a chance to respond. Here flOW are are enclosed in a plastic case which has AC outlets. There seems to be a is that when an error is encountered in a (made to show up light) or RESET witllOut ever telling you how to get the review and the resporiSe. three identical receptacles on the back difference of opinion among users as to program, Level I BASIC prints 'WHATI' Oight portions of the display turned dark data onto that tape. for video, power and tape. There is also the desirability of this feature. Some like then reprints the line with a question mark again) by designating the X,Y coordi With the entry of Radio Shack's TRS-80 a plastic access door (which falls off the fact that they are able to position the inserted where the error was encountered. nates. The system does not have graphics The Payroll Package we had a chance to and Commodore's PET into tlle market frequently) in the rear thai opens to display to their convenience; most, This is a valuable tool in debugging. The characters. try out was, however, much beller. We place, personal computing has finally reveal a 40 pin edge connector- for later however, feel inconvenienced by the second nice feature of Level I BASIC found tlle instructions to be clear and reached the stage of what can truly be expansion-and a reset button. klu ge of wires involved with setting up is thai when given an invalid input, it Since Level I BASIC does not provide for the program well thought out. These called consumer electronics. Radio and moving the TRS·SO. doesn't just 'go ape' but reprints a named files, the user must keep track of advantages were, nonetheless, negated by Shack's candidate consists of four The twelve-inch monitor, also encased prompt and allows the user to try again. his programs by means of the digital the crudene ss of the file system. In fact, separate components: the keyboard in light plastic, displays 16 lines of 64 An evaluation of the cassette recorder An additional convenience al lows the counter on the cassette recorder. This the main problem in using the software containing the computer circuitry with characters. We looked in side the video and its operation takes us into some user to abbreviate most of the commands. is not as great a problem as it might seem packages is that you can 't save and 4K of RAM and 4K BASIC on ROM , the unit and the verdict was that the display aspects of software , a more complete So far we've found no bugs in Radio as long as you save only one program per read tapes reliably. nus problem coupled video display, the powe r supply and the is of rather poor quality and is more like description of which will follow. All Shack's BASIC_ tape. This is a good practice anyway, with often poor documentation will cassette recorder. The entire system seils a stripped-down television than a true of us here who have used the TRS·80 and Radio Shack is marketing tapes render even the best software package for S599. Let us now look at each of monitor. Monitors designed for use with have found the cassette recording system The capabilities of Level I BASIC are short enough that you can do it without worthless. these components in turn and see what computers are built to display more to be very unreliable. We have had rather limited and may be a disappoint leaving 80% of your cassette unused. we find. information per line than an ordinary trouble loading programs from tape and ment to the naive user who expects DOCUMENTATION television is capable of. By making some have experienced particular exasperation to take the unit home and key in 'Lunar When you buy the machine, you get HARDWARE internal changes 10 a TV it is possible when trying to save programs we had Lander' or some other program requiring a tape with two games: Blackjack and Tandy Radio Shack is justifiably proud to 'push the limit' and that seems to be keyed into the machine. Here is a typical square roots, exponents and/or trig Backgammon. We found the Blackjack of their fine beginner's manual, written Ra dio Shack advertises its full-size what Radio Shack has done. The display sequence of events when the machine functions. Only two strings exist, AS game to be very ill-conceived. You can by Dr David A Lien of San Diego, which 'professional-type' keyboard as a big on the whole is a bit fuzzier than pro· fails to save a program: and BS, and tlle only use we've been able bet a negative number, lose the hand and is designed to be used in conjunction with
10 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR -APR 11 the TRS·80 and Level I BASIC. An keep track of one or two decks of cards from the ground up for use in my underlying light touch and sense of rather than simply being a random num business. It was quite a delight for me to humor make this well·wrilten easy· to TRS-BO PERIPHERA LS Radio Shack ber generator. simply plug in the TRS·80, push a read volume an especially pleasurable button and see BASIC in ROM up and reading experience. Radio Shack stores are now taking orders for March 1st delivery of various Responds Cursor conlrol in the TRS·SO is accom running right away. True, the Levell TR S-SO peripherals. plimed by using the PRINT AT command. BASIC is limited in the string depart The twenty -six chapters in Pa rt A are By Hy Siegel This function is unique to the TRS-80 ment and the graphics are as slow as the well thought out, and provide ample 'Professional' printer: $1299.95 National Publ icity and Promotion and we feel that it is a positive feature. dickens, but that may change. After all, exercises to allow you to evaluate Thermal printer: 599.95 Ma nager simple software is intended for simple your understanding of the material. Floppy drive: 499.95 Radio Shack Overall, we believe the TRS-80 to be use, though many programmers would (Answers to these exercises are in Part Expansion device: 299.95 a well thought out and carefully designed disagree. I invite you to look at what you B of the book.) It's assumed that the Thank you for providing us the oppor microcomputer system thai offers excel· can do with that simple software before reader is an inexperienced computer The expansion device contains sockets for up to 4 floppies and 2 cassette tunity to respond to your review of the lent dollar value, and, apparently, so do you pass judgement. Radio Shack use r, but a reasonably intelligent adult. drives. It is needed as a controller for all of the above peripherals and for Radio Shack TRS-80 t.iicrocomputer the thousands of people who are already assembled some very useful programs The material is paced for the beginner, expanding memory beyond 16K; it can handle more than one device at a System. using the 4K TRS-80 system in home and for home and business, some of which but the clear structure of the book time. business applications. might not be further improved with a (including handy summaries inside the We were surprised that you objected to fancier BASIC. back cove r) make it easy for the more the housing material which is a good Far from removing the Radio Shack experienced programmer to use the grade of ABS plastic specfically selected TRS-80 from the market, we plan to con But let's look at the machine itself. The book for reference. lien covers a great borrow $600 to give Pop a TRS·80 Yes, the era of personal computing because it is light in weight yet highly tinue to market it, expand it, provide designers used a good keyboard, the Z·80, amount of material, including the issue because 'Pop will make it all back using has finally reached the stage of consumer durable. peripherals and extensive software and a very good cassette interface method of accuracy--eg. when the TRS-80 TRS-80 as a business tool. believe me.' electronics. In my view, however, the support. born out of the old Computer Hobbyist Level I BASIC multiplies 2/3 by 3/2 From what we've seen, 'Pop' might be TRS-80 represents 'cheap electronics.' Regarding the cassette recorder, our Newslelter. The pulse modulation it gets 1.0000009 instead of J. As the better off with a $7.95 abacus. Ad The entire feel of the system with its engineers advise me that required band· method is more reliable than some tech author notes in his own inimitable style brochures talk of a 'high resolution display and keyboard encased in light width is only 1000 to 4000 Hz, ralher niques used in other systems today. (pag, 7 1), screen' which is no such thing; salesmen plastic is more like that of a toy than than the 250 to 10 kHz that you indicate. TRS-80 users who have LEVEL II talk of 'full graphics capability' to that of a seriously designed computer It has also been their experience thai There was a time less than two years Basic will nOI notice this routine customers who are intpressed by what and certainly not like thai of a business loading problems are almost invariably ago when all the computer magazines 'rounding error'. If we solved all the they see but who don '( know what else machine. The TRS-80 represents, in my the result of operator error, rather than could talk about was the ostensible world's problems with the bottom· is possible and have no standards by view, an auempt to capture a vast con a problem with the machine. 'War of the Processors'. Indeed one of· the-line machine, you might not which to judge computer quality. 'String sumer market that is ignorant of the A Reader could perceive it as such what with the want to upgrade to the higher power capability' gives no hint of the limited details with a quick and cheap machine It is true that you can bet a negalive num· Altair clock troubles and the lmsai models, and one doesn't stay in string capability in the 4K machine. and is a disservice to the personal ber in our blackjack program- it even says Writes 'memory clobbering phantom'. I business long that way, does one? 'Cursor control' in the 4K machine computing industry as a whole. Radio so in the instructions- bul, really Tom , endured all of that talk of comparison. means you can move the cursor forward Shack would be best advised to tone that's hardly according to Hoyle and you In response to Mr. Williams' call for But now People's Computen wants to Part C of Ihe manual consists of listings and backward and that is 1I0t what down their advertising hype, intprove wouldn't do it in Las Vegas, would you? comments on Radio Shack's TRS-80, I, compare the PET to the TRS-80. I see it of 'Prepared User's Programs' which cover cursor control means in the world of their product or mercifully remove it We feel that it's much more worthwhile for one, am delighted. I endured the as a comparison of a Ford to a Chevy. topics such as test grading, a program for computers. from the market. to note that our blackjack program does frustration of building a computer Why? a 12·hour clock, speed reading, computing the Dow·Jones Industrial ('. ('. I know 3 others that have stopped Forecaster (as described in a June 1977 ~ OJ working with their SOLs and lmsais Forbes article). A number of programs o'"- E long enough to buy a TRS-80 and see which exercise the graphics capability :;; o what it will do. We all seem to like it. of the TRS-80 are also included. £ And none of us work for Radio Shack! 10 ~ro The manual concludes with three • If you do choose to take a negative Appendices. Appendix A contains • stand, I suggest you temper your argu· annotated listings for math functions not • • ments with the certain knowledge that directly available in Level I BASIC, such • 'However Radio Shack goes, so goes the • world.' They've gOI the distribution! as square rool, exponentiation, loga· • • Please don't take all this as a challenge, rithms, and t ri gonometric functions. • • After all, they could have chosen to Appendix B covers cassette data files; • ·use the 4004 in a partial kit delivered Appendix C disc usses various trouble· • shooting tests to perfomt if you suspect • • in a bubble pack with a keypad in octal! computer problems. • • • • Stephen Gibson Gibson Engineering CONC LUSION • • • • Los Angeles, CA A word should be said about Radio • • Shack's advertising of the TRS-80. On • • page 13 of the Christmas Sale Catalog • • number 293 the reader is advised to • • 12 PEOP LE'S COMPUTERS MAR-APR " understanding the various operations. THE SCHREIR SOFlWARE INDEX At that point one is apt to look back and TO PUBLISHED MlCROCOMPUTER REVIEWS be surprised at the level of sophistication SOFTWARE one has achieved. Volume I, Number 1 The SSI, 4327 East Grove St reet, There is, of course, much more to be Phoenix, AZ 85040. learned and to the credit of Volum e 0 47 pp, $5.00 COMPUTERS AND things that can happen when a key it does not attempt to cover it all. Rather, THEIR SOCIETAL lMPACf is depressed, and this fonns the basis it presents general concepts in a way This booklet is a useful reference for by Martin O. Holoien for showing how parts of a system can that gives the reader confidence and a microcomputer en thusiasls who are interested in locating published software John Wiley & Sons, 1977 be physically connected together yet sense of achievement. At certain points 264 pp, $10.95 logically linked or separated in different the author points out that what is to in 130 categories from Address and Aircraft through Business, Golf, Graphics, ways. The discussion then moves on to follow may not be of interest to everyone The author apparently planned this lext ~~;g:?:: memory and mass storage and the ways and those who wish may skip to a Tickertape and Type Setting, While the to introduce students and the interested ~ files are fonnatted on floppy disks and different part of the book. AU in all majority of published software won't public to computers and their domain. He cassette tapes. Volume 0 is an excellent introduction directly solve most problems, it's nice tries to indicate the ever increasing role and one I highly recommend. to at least know where to look fo r that computers play in our lives and to I believe the chief advantage of Volume 0 implementation ideas. The majority of give readers a small taste of programming is the truly ingratiating way it relates Reviewed by Tom Williams. listed programs appear to be games in via BASIC. He mel his goals and did a to the novice's level of sophistication. BASIC- I'm making that assumption creditable job in this well-written and Bruce Mishkin's cartoon character, Joe based on the fact that non -BASIC easily undcrslood work. Bitburger, is a naive but enthusiastic programs are annotated (eg 8800, 8080, beginner and he is used to point out 8008,6800,6502). He covers, in order, a history of computa AN INTRODUCTION TO MICRO some of the disillusionments the beginner The firs t three chapters of Volume tional devices from man's fingers through COMPlTTERS can fall prey to. Joe is also used to 0 These books were referenced: Game can be considered an orientation course Charles Babbage and Lady Lovelace, Volume 0: The Beginner's Book explain some of the fundamentals of how Playing with BASIC (1977), BASIC which bestows the confidence to plunge twentieth century information processing by Adam Osborne computen can do what they do. The Software Library (Vol 1·5), What to devices, how one communicates with a Osborne and Associates, 1977 impracticality of using switches and further into this strange new world. Do A/ter You Hit Rerum (1977), 101 computer (Chapter 3 is a mini-course in 300 pp, $7.50 lights to do anything useful leads into There follows a guided excursion into the BASIC Computer Games, and Some BASIC), the prescnt-day use of a discussion of the teletype ttlrnlinal. perilous realm of binary arithmetic. TIlis Common BASIC Programs. computers in the fields of education, is, of course, run-of.the·gauntlet for all business, industry, politics, government, Once the basic functions of cerlain introductory computer books, but Magazines indexed in this issue are law enforcement and health, and, finally, Back when I was selling Altairs, people system components have been made Osborne is lavish with examples and does sces Interface (Vol 5, No )·10,12) the role of computers in our fUlUre. used to wander into the store and stand clear, Volume 0 devotes a whole chapter not hesitate to leave large amounts ROM (Vol I , No 1.3) There are two appendices, one on flow· uncertainly staring at the mysterious to a sort of buyers' guide, or 'what to of white space on the page in the interests People's Computers (Vol 5, No 6; Vol 6, charting, the other on the use of the machines until I came to the rescue look for when you go shopping' for of visual and conceptual clarity. PERIODICAl. GUIDE No I) Teletype ASR·33 tenninal. Each of the with a 'May I help you?' The reaction hardware components. There is a FOR COMPUTERISTS Dr Dobb's Joumal (Vol 1, No 1-10; nine chapters in the book is concluded was usually one of relief followed by particularly good discussion of video TIrings flow easily from arithmetic E Berg Publications, 1360 SW 199th Court Vol 2, No 3-6) with a set of exercises and a list of a request for infonnation such as, 'I display options: cursor control, text operations- how you can subtract binary Aloha, OR 97005 filter/ace Age (Vol I, No 9·12; Vol 2, selected references covering the chapter. don't know anything about these things insertion and deletion, vertical and numbers by adding them-to a 60 pp, $5.00 No 1· 10) but my brother· in-law says I can use one horizontal scrolling, etc. The section on description of octal and hexadecimal Kilobaud (Vol I, No 1-9) Other than the author's confusion of in my furniture store.' keyboard options has a detailed representation of binary numbers. The This is the third collection (1 think) Byte (Vol 1, No 1-16; Vol 2, No 1·9) privacy with anonymity (a difficult description of 'rollover' and why it is an next thing the reader knows, he is under in an on -going effort to provide pointers Creative Computing (Vol 2, No '.2,5 -6; concept to separate) and the lack of a I would then launch into an explanation important consideration in selecting a standing how binary math and status to articles from 25 hobby and profes Vol 3, No 1·5) discussion of mini·computers and their and unabashed sales pitch. Most people teonina]. Other options discussed include flags are used to perfornl logical opera· sional electronic and computer Persollal Computing (Vol 1, No 1·3). development and importance to today's would end by asking what they could paper tape, punches and readers, printers, tions. publications. It's a very handy booklet society, this is an excellent book. I read that would get them slarted under· cassette units and floppy disk drives. if you do reference work or if you just There appears to be no particular method recommend this work highly as both a standing computers. It was then that 1 At this pOint, the reader is ready to never can quite remember which as to which issues were selected for text and a simple exposition of the wished 1 could have referred them to a journey beyond the portals of the CPU periodical contained that article you just inclusion- unless it was what issues were computer 'explosion' of the past two book like Adam Osborne's Volume O. into the land of addresses and registers. must find. Articles, editOrials, book on hand. Hopefully the next Index that is decades. Thus I see it as a book of value First, several haunting questions about reviews and relevant readers' letters are published won't have such gaps in its to the laymen, student, teacher and com TIle book attacks the subject of micro· the different types of computer languages indexed by subject under 100 categories re fe rences. puter hobbyist. computers and what they are at the very are answe red. nle characteristics of ranging from Altair 680 and Amateur point where the novice first encounters machine language, assemblers, compilers Radio through Clubs, Education, Time· In addition to 47 pages of content there Reviewed by Willard J Holden. them: the assembled and running and interpreters are detailed and the sharing, and Video Displays. are 5 pages of ads. Somehow the fact machines themselves. An overview of discussion moves rapidly on to micro· that paid ads are carried makes the $5.00 diffe rent systcm components and how computer functional logic. Before long The price tag of $5.00 may seem a bit price tag seem rather high. they are related to each other within the reader is following da ta and instruc steep for 60 pages, but the time saved the system provides the reader with tions to and from memory and between by having such a reference handy makes Reviewed by Christine Anne Brunet. the first level of understanding what registen in the CPU. At one point he may it worth it. is going 00. A generous amount of space even do a double take when he realizes is devoted to explaining the various he's been reading a timing diagram and Reviewed by Christine Anne Brunet.
14 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS ~MAR.APR 15 Computer games are intrinsically boring. work for many different and unique FINAL WARNING: It is very hard to get pasgonately games. involved with guessing a number the com· puter has picked or flOding the one stable After playing Adventure, we had the solution to a highly oversimplified econ opportunity to look at the code which omic model which keeps asking for that implements the game. It is a small -:,,~z.~""'::-:":J the topics covered in same data over and over again. Occasion FORTRAN program (about 74 pages of this may well entice and lure you ally, a game of Chess is interesting, but listing, 3600 lines), with game structure into Adventuremallia.It.s not improb most games just don't hold one's interest. pretty much equally divided between able that readers will spend long hours It is hard to get involved with the output tables and procedure. The implementa· finding out how to access games like of a random number generator. But tion is brute force. Even a cursory inspec· Adventure alld Zort on local time Adventure is different. It is not a game, lion shows that FORTRAN is not sharing systems or even trying to imple it is an adventure! particularly suited to games implementa me1lt versions of ruch games 011 micros. tion-the reason for using it is equally WHAT ADVENTURE IS LIKE obvious, though: portability (of sorts). Dennis Allison, 1111 active long-time sup The usual problems associated with string poner of ours, is II computer consultant In Adventure the computer plays two and character· oriented processing with a in the San Francisco area. Lee HO(!llei is roles. First it is an intelligent companion numerical anaiysis language are manifest. II graduate student at Stanford University that provides an interface to the game who is just about to receive liis Ph.D. ill world for you. It is your eyes, hands, This program is, unfortunately, specific Computer Science. Neither author, liar and ears. You tell the computer what you to the game of Adventure. One cannot the editor, nor the publisher accepts want to do--explore, kill, take, or what factor out the world and charaeters of responsibility for addictions stemming ever-and it responds, informing you of Adventure and replace them with others from this article. the consequences of your actions. There to make a new game. While some of the is none of the mechanical interrogation program is table-driven, most actions are INTRODUCTION characteristic of so many computer treated as special cases. A 101 of testing games: is done-is this true, then do this, if that, Few themes are more common in litera then do that, and so forth-in the main ture than the epic advenlure. The DO YOU WANT TO PLAY ANOTHER line of the game. This makes the game questing adventurer-who overcomes GAME? (0 FOR NO, I FOR YES)? hard to modify and repair; changes are tremendous odds to achieve his purpose not easily localized. and saves the princess, discovers the holy grail, fmds the golden fleece, or Second, the computer is both a protagon What was most surprising was that destroys the rings of ancient evil-is ist and an active antagonist. It manipu. Adventure is so complex and satisfying an almost universal story line, common to lates several hostile entities-dwarfs and to play yet its internal structure is all cultures and peoples. Even the pulp pirates-that impede your search for reasonably simple. We cannot resist novel, be it an advemure saga, a murder knowledge and treasure. It also controls speculating on how more complex pro mystery, spy thriller, or science fiction certain forces of nature, some of which gram structures could be generated, and extravaganza, owes its structure and are entirely predictable, and some of how much more enjoyable the resulting character at least in part to the epic. which are probabilistic. These two roles games would be ... are kept distinct, however; the intelligent Games based loosely on Ulis idea have companion never lies (although he some WHY EPIC GAMES ARE FUN been around for a long time. In an earlier times doesn't tell all he knows right issue (Volume S, Number 2) we reported away-you have to beg for hints), nor The game designer needs to know some· on the game Dungeons and Dragons does he pass information to your enemies thing about why games are fun-the which is, in some sense, an Epic Game. as to what you know or what tools you mechanics and psychology of gaming. But it is not (yet) a computer game. have. Fundamentally, we believe that games of lasting interest must be so complex that it Recently, a computer game has appeared The universe of Adventure is a forest and is not possible to devise a detenninistic which is something like Dungeons and a cave. There is treasure in the cave; the winning strategy. This requires an under· Dragons. It is called Adventure, and is player must find the treasure and escape lying set of 'natural laws' as well as an available only for large machines with the many dangers. The world in which element of deus ex machina. While purely FORTRAN compilers, large amounts the game is played is created with wit and mathematical games have the most con of memory, and on-line disk storage. humor as well as cleverness. sistent structure, games based on mathe· The original form was written by Willie matical laws are generally of less lasting Crowther (now at the Xerox Palo Alto Our experience with Adventure was very interest than those that gmulate some Research Center) and greatly modified positive. It got us to thinking about just features of real life. by Don Woods at Stanford University's how such games could be constructed. Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. The The ideas behind the game were even Players must be actively involved. They vergon we have played was on the more general than, one suspects, the must be called upon to make decisions DEC System 20 at Stanford's LOTS authors supposed. With a little thought which affect the course of the game and (Low Overhead Time Sharing). one could construct a very general frame- participate with their imagination; one's
16 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 17 fantasies are important and should be actions with specific objects, etc.). Both physics' as our model of the world nurtured. There should be conflicts and strategies work because people tend to do becomes more accurate, so should the some means of conflict resolution (run things they like best when playing games. adventurer have to modify his theories of ning away should be OK, if one is fleet cause and effect as new infonnation is of foot!). It is both the exercise of power Variety in conflicts and conflict resolu accumuJated. and the battle itself that is important. tions is also imponant. There should be many weapons available to the adventurer The best laws for an Epic Game are those There must also be some measure of wit -as well as many avenues of escape-so with multiple levels of interpretation, and humor; humorless games are dull. that at least some judiciOUS selection is each of which is 'nearly' right and is thus The best games have a curious mixture involved. Otherwise, the game deteriorates usable as a 'rule of thumb'-but these are of discovery and invention, the familiar into the apocryphal automation that also the hardest to define. Alternatively, and the unfamiliar. A good game has both merely prints: an Epic Game could synthesize new laws variety and complexity. Experience in YOU WIN when all the existing game rules have playing should not make the game dull yOU LOSE been discovered (actually changing rules either by repetition or by advantage. yOU LOSE in midstream is not really fair, even in a YOU WIN fantasy game). This might be done by And games must relate, in some way, to keeping track of things the player has ritual. Perhaps secular ritual, but ritual tried in previous situations. Weizenbaum's nonetheless. Everyone understands a Including the joy of discovery in a game Eliza program uses such an embedded large number of traditional symbols, is a real test of the game designer. Most state scheme to simulate intelligent stories, relationships. Trite they may be, games start out by asking if the human behavior by changing the subject of be direct-by road or train-or indirect by Place Nodes: Teaching the Game to Speak English but they are the substance of all stories. player wants an explanation of some sort. conversation to something touched on airplane or even hyper-space warp. a description of the place There are few things quite so dumb And a good game exploits them. This is understandable, since in the previously. a name of the place as having some game repetitively ask a typical ganle you can't tell a klingon from TIle underlying model of the structure of the list of connections to other question like: The real attraction, for us, is not in the a k1axton without a program! You really Just as nature itself is constandy revealing the game universe is that of a graph. Each places new laws, so an Epic Game should con· winning, bul in the adventure of dis need to know that I means 'move', 2 node on the graph corresponds to a place, the history of the place WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO: stantIy be able to expose the adventurer covery. One can appreciate a good game means 'fire'. 3 means 'Iook', and SO forth. each connecting arc corresponds to a a list of objects at this place MOVE (0); SHOOT (I); HIDE (2); in much the same way as one appreciates In contrast, discovering what words 'work' to new cause·effect relations. connection from one place to another. a list of people (players) at this place QUIT (3)? a novel, a nlm, or a play. And buried in Adventure is almost as much fun as One might, for example, use the secret within Ihe game are some new and per discovering treasure! SOME OF HOW TO 00 IT passage from the casde, under the moat, Such mechanical response contributes to haps useful insights into the structure of to the humble peasant's cottage. But Connection Labels: the irritation and frustration associated our world and lives. Vocabulary is only part of it, though. The In thinking about how one might maybe one needs to know the magic the target place with most games. We want to be able to constraints on behavior are better left implement these games, one can identify word to get there. the accessing mechanisms (e.g. must teU the computer just what we want it The most interesling games, then, exploit: unstated until an illegal (or stupid) action a number of distinct problem areas: have a magic word or own an air to do and not have it ask inane questions. representing natural laws, and representing • Player involvement is attempted. Only after trying a number The game Wumpus, originally developed plane) Unfortunately, this is very very difficult players. The intent here is not to provide • Wish Fulfillment of ineffective combinations should a by Greg Yob and published in our pages to implement. Programs that 'understand' a cookbook of how to construct games, • Conflict Resolution player be able to deduce the underlying way back in 1973, uses a graph for its English are on the edges of contemporary but rather to catalog some of the possibil· • Discovery and Invention natural laws involved. If this approach is universe. Each room of the cave is a ver Most everything here has the fundamental research in Artificial Intelligence. taken, it is important to keep the game's ities. tex of a dodecahedron. But it lacks all the data structure of a list of lists. Labels Fortunately, most of what we need for Variety is the spice in each of these areas. laws similar to the familiar natural laws interesting features-there are no names, don't need to be values (that is, numbers); simple games is not really that sophisti Player involvement is achieved, and inter' of the real world-or consistent with the In conSidering the problems of implemen· no history, nothing but a list of vertices. they can be the names of procedUres. cated. est maintained, by giving the computer particular mythos that forms the basis of tation we have to touch on many dif· And there are only twelve places. A real If marked correctly, they can be invoked personality-witty rejoinders, a sense of a fantasy ganle. It is inappropriate, for ferent areas including the representation epic universe must have many more than to accomplish some purpose which At the very simplest, we can simply humor, and an occasional change of example, for a hero to be able to pass of a game universe on dle machine, that! furthers the game. require most game commands to be phraseology are essential elements of an through a wall (instead of going over it natural language understanding, scripting imperative statements of the fonn: Epic Game. Wish fulfillment can be or around it) without finding the secret the game itself, some issues of asychron· There is a substantial analogy between approached in at least two different ways. passage or knowing the magic word. ous processes, to mention but a few. In the game graph and the board used to It's not necessary to have a world with
18 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 19 ------~------~
vocabulary in this game is only about effective system will utilize a hierarchy really-for the dragon participant. For one can construct a variety of different rather trivial. The dragon wants to survive approach might be to use sUbgames. One 300 words, but it seems like a lot more! of scripts keyed off circumstances rather example, one could cause it to seek out characters. Each character corresponds to and hoard treasure. The knight is out to could use a computer number-guessing than a single one. beautiful virgins and/or knights (prerer a script. It is important that the script can kill dragons. Foxes eat chickens, bad game like Stars, a more traditional It is up to the semantics of the parser ably wounded knights) in order to eat/ be constructed by someone more interest wolves eat little pigs. The exobiologist game like Tic-Tac-Toe, or even a riddle to sort out and disallow such commands The level of understanding in the Eliza battle with them. One such mechaniza ed in the structure of the game than the wants to communicate with the aliens. contest. as EAT SHOES. To wit, olle would system is nil; it depends entirely on the tion is English conversation with a human way computers are programmed. Eliza And so forth. expect the parser to respond with some fact that English is a higll1y redundant game player (HOW ABOUT SOME scripts have this property. The black knight encounters the white clever rejoinder. For example, I'M NOT language with firmly entrenched sentence LUNC H, HO NEY? or YOU'VE BEEN knight in the forest. HUNGRY, THANKS ANYHOW or I patterns. Whereas Eliza attempts to HANGING AROUND TOO LONG-IT'S Confrontations and Contests Let us battle says the black knight. PREFER SOUL FOOD. mimic an intelligent convenation . a TIME I TAUGHT YOU A LESSON!). Individual objects and players are them One cannot expect the player to really do Can you answer this riddle: game-playing program wouJd attach There could (hardware willing) also be selves scripted. There is a lot to be drawn battle with a dragon in a game, yet the What did the pig say when caught A more complicated system might be specific actions to specific sentential more than one player in a 'universe' at from the ideas of Transactional Analysis contest should be determined by some· by the tail? patterned after the Eliza program. Eliza constructs, so as to simulate an inter the same time: they could interact not here (see Eric Berne's Games People Play). thing more deterministic than the throw with the authorized response: is an AI program due to Joe Weizenbaum actioll. Whe" a patten! marches the only with each other but with computer TIle motivations of many gameplayers are of a random number generator. One That's the end of me . at MIT and described in detail in CAOI humall player s dia/oglle, its action is implemented phantom players. (Communications o[ the Association for fired off in add ition to developing the Computing Machinery) 9: 1, January program's output-Le., the witty While some participants are certain 1966. A revised version is to be found ill rejoinder. In some ways this is more to be implemented via a mechanic:ll pro C4CM 10:8, August 1967, pages 474- appealing since it would give the grea test cess, there should always be some 480. Bert Raphael's 77tinking ComplUer, semblance of an intelligent computer. element of deus ex machina to see that and Weizenbaum's own Computer Power But as all such systems go, one must time runs smoothly and to introduce ran and Human Reason contain interesting sometimes accept (and produce) absolute dom events of the kind usually attributed discussions of the problem. gibberish without complaint. to acU of Gad. • Unlike programs which try to understand Representing the Playeds) Participants (human or not) should be ~ language based upon some model of how Each participant in the game has his able to communicate with each other. language functions, Eliza-like systems are own descriptor which describes himself Not only must there be dealings between based upon a simple keyword pattern and his station in life. Uke most other the human player and his aide(s), but match. The choice of pattern is based game elements, it is nothing but a list other messages should be possible in the upon a hierarchy of keywords. of lists. One might generalize and manner of stage directions: consider a participant to have: One implementation of a natural language (VOICE IN THE DIST ANCEl' processor of this sort miglll work in the a name Help! Help! I'm drowning! following way. As the input sentence is capabilities (magic, leaps tall build entered, each word is looked up in a ings, elc.) Scripting dictionary and replaced ty a pointer to objects (sword, food, money, etc.) Just how to represent knowledge is one the dictionary entry. Synonyms may map goals (which may interact with of the fundamental problems of Artificial to the same dictionary attributes. At the those of other participants) Intelligence research, and remains pretty same time, a priority queue of important a location (where he is now) much unsolved in the general case. The words (keywords) is maintained. Whether an activity (what he is doing at the issue of representing knowledge is also a word is important may depend upon moment) basic to Epic Games-we'l discuss the when it is said in the game, but mostly subject in te rms of how to prepare a it will be independent of that. Just how all these are in terpreted depends game's script. upon the nature of the particular Epic Associated with each word is a possibly Game. There are several different scripts which empty list of patterns, actions and rewrite contribute to the nature of an Epic Game. rules. Beginning wilh the most impor Fundamental to understanding how an These scripts may be incorporated into tant word and continuing until the priority Epic Game might funct ion is the observa· the fu ndamental structure of the program queue is empty (in which case a default tion that a participant need not be itself or may be data bases which are response is applied) dictionary entries a human player. One can perfectly well executed or interpreted. are consulted for the head of the pattern· implement a program having a dragon action-rewrite list. Each pattern is tried. participant who simply wanders about the One script must provide the set of natural If there is a match, the action is world at random looking fo r beautiful laws of the universe in which the game performed, the rewrite rule applied, and young virgins. Presumably, beauty and occurs. If the game has bouncing balls, the next game cycle started. If there is virginity are attributes that would be car then one might expect the laws of physics no match, then the next rule for this key · ried in the 'descriptor' for other players, to be in the game. And only wooden word is tried. If there are no more rules, and would deternline the course of action stakes kill Dracula. then the rule set for the next keyword a hungry and highly irritable dragon is tried. might take. Scripts are also the mechanism for devel oping characters. The idea of using an It is important to observe that scripts One would want to provide some Eliza-like language structure is, in part , I .' \1 are contextual objects and any truly mechanization of a strategy-motivation, :ntractive because of the ease with which
20 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR-APR 21 One could also include some measure of there is no known rational reason why The basic idea is to encode knowledge as exanlple in a Carnegie-Mellon Comput strength, much in the manner of this should be so, given the universe a set of productions or patterns which, er Science Department Report by Dungeons and Dragons. Characters have and natural laws of the game. when matched against the data base con McDennott, Newell, and Moore, The intrinsic strength based upon their taining the state of the system, invoke a Efficiency of Certain Production Sys makeup, and gain strength as time passes Will Crowther is creating a new version of set of rules. These rules perfonn exlernal lem Implementations. This production and deeds are successfully perfonned. Adventure which is driven off an 'English actions and modify the data base. The system counts down from five to zero Time mends wounds and adds to sltength. like' description of the game itself. He data base is repeatedly examined to fmd and then blasts-off whenever the word Doing appropriate deeds, (good or bad, doesn't feel he will be able to totally those data elements to which the produc 'ready' is input. Now, in a game imple depending upon the role) also adds to excise all game-dependent special-case tions may be applied. They are applied, mentation, ready would actually be a strength. TIlis index of strength might code, but he will be able to remove a and the cycle is then repeated. variable and blast-off would probably be used to detennine the difficulty of substantial portion of it. Unfortunately, be a procedure, but the idea is the same. • Player is a prime mover of national, international, or galactic importance. the chosen confrontation contest. this work is being done on a machine Production systems have been used to The production system for this is: which is not generally available. considerable advantage in programs which • Setting is ample in scale. MORE ON GAME -BUILDING must reach conclusions based upon pi : 0-+ say (blast-off); stop; Tools for Game·Making inexact reasoning. A medical consulting p2:
22 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 23 •
table are tenninated by having the high· using an 'escape' byte, the saving would consider the author, who creates an order bit of their last character on. Note be only one byte. The mechanism enonnously complex world. If there that there is nothing to prevent a phrase required to implement the scheme are witnesses, each one must be scripted " from being treated as a word. could possibly dominate the savings. to respond to fairly arbitrary questioning. In addition, an underlying plot and sub· " * The auxiliary table for the frequent words LIMITATIONS plots must be created in much the same implies an overhead of 256 bytes, since OF PRESENT TECHNOLOG Y wayan author of a novel does, but in a Sla*r E xplorer. A three·le.... el universe-star systems. planetary systems. planets. two bytes are necessary to represent a far more complete fonll. Planets mayor may not be in habited by creatures that mayor may not be string address. This overhead is acceptable It is not without reason that Adventure malevolent. Each planet provides a different problem for the player to solve. since we break even (except for the code and Dungeons have used simple static Pr3C1ical Considerations Points are awarded for survi .... ing. discovering, and solving problems. Sort of to mechanize the encoding) when there geometries and reasonably passive actions, There is one certainty-a game of any an acti .... e, less combat·oriented Startrek. are two or more references. though far more interactive and realistic complexity needs to have a lot of than other computer games. These games memory and a lot of mass storage. It is Cybership. You are the human brain that controls an intergalactic space ship. Such things as capitalization can be intro· are about at the limit of what can realis· not practical to even consider a Tiny You and your human partner (played by the computer in this role reversal duced by the routine which does the out· tically be built at the present time. Epic Game as anything more than an game) work as partners to survive space exploration missions. put by keeping track of the beginning and example. The purpose of an Epic Game is ending of sentences. Une spacing can be The Electric Novel to be complex enough that even its Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind. Learn how to communicate with an handled in the same manner with a line· Sometime in the future, however, it may creator cannot muddle through with alien-hopefully you can figure out how to do so in time to sa .... e yourselfl feed/carriage return being introduced be possible to have a computer game be ease. It is not merely that the range of planet/ship from misadventure. whenever the line would be too long for something like a novel, but a participa possible actions should be large; indeed, the tenninal. tory one. Imagine the following scenario: if there are too many complexities Historit:al Simulations. You are a prime mover in a historical situation. You (objects, players-'pieces' on the board), can interact with events and. perhaps. change the course of history. Consider the following example, a bit When the game begins you are being the game will cease to be a recreation. contrived. All the various words 3re interrogated by one of the nastier What we mean here is that the conse Watergate. You can be Nixon, Dean, or even Senator Ervin; the question to maintained in a single string area. It might members of the homicide squad of quellceJ of interesting actions should be be answered in this game is 'what are the rules?' look as shown in Figure 2. the XYZ city police. He's all but neither trivial nor unlearnable. accusing you of murder. He lets * Spy in the Night. You are an intelligence agent who must prevent the assassina· The top line in the Figure 2 indicates loose of a few cogent facts, and then The approach here has been to push what tion of the President. You are in New York (London. Tokyo, Madrid) with • addresses in the array; the bottom line you are saved from jail by his boss might be called 'Existentialism in Game * little to go on. You must search out the truth and get there before it is too late. indicates those characters with their high who comes in and tells him to release Design' to the limits. Objects are created order bit on, to indicate the last character you. which are instances of more general Detective. You are a private detective. A murder has happened. You have been of a word. For common words, we need a prototypes. The mechanization of the hired to solve the crime. secondary array to tell us where to begin. You are now free to leave. Your game depends upon actions common That array, call it CWDS, might look like job (to complete the game) is to to all similar objects. Only one set of Master Criminal. You are to rob the Bank of Paris and escape. The world is this: clear yourself of suspicion and find actions (the game's 'natural laws') need Paris and its famous sewers. You have a certain amount of capital, but no out who really committed the crime. then be prOvided. plans. CWDS (OJ = o 3 In doing this you can roam about the CWDS (lJ = I the city, talk with various people who Whenever possible the system should Oz. Dorothy calls the shots here. but you can try your hand at being a scare. " CWDS (2J = 4 is knew people concerned or were encode data and use interpretive crow. tin man, or even a cowardly lion. The wicked witches are already (type). and 50 forth ... witnesses, discover various pieces of functional execution. Text to be output cast. physical evidence, get into conflicts should be stored as pointers to a word TIle message, 'games are beautiful', would with various other characters, and in table rather than the direct character Voyages of Sinbad. Be the hero and do his mighty tasks-if you can. have the encoding: general play the role of the detective. representation. Actions for each partici· pant are encoded in a script which l ord of The Rings. You too can be Frodo Baggins. Sauron. or any number of 9 2 bytes games Within the game world, the detective can contains knowledge about how that other interesting characters. 134 (6 + 128) I byte move about, discover clues, interrogate participant behaves in particular 38 2 bytes '"beautiful witnesses, and reach conclusions. And, situations. It is in the creation of an Tales of Ki ng Arthur. The usual joust and maiden scene with opportunities of course, there could be the usual appropriate script that the skill of the to slay dragons. both literary and firebreathing. for a total message storage requirement complement of attacks, beautiful young games designer is most needed-and of fo ur bytes. Even if words appear blondes (male or female depending upon apparent! The Aeneid. Be the son of Anchises and Aphrodite. the defender of Troy. and only once, this storage technique has only the sex and preferences of the player), captain of the Argos. Virgil has set down a number of interesting feats for you a two·byte overhead. While one could and percepti ve ideas. Sounds wonderful MAKING IT EVEN BETTER to perform. but you can be sure the game designer has included a few new embed such words directly in the text from the player's point of view. But wrink les. One can think of the obvious ways to make the whole system look even better. Travel into Hell. A travelogue visit to Dante's Inferno with suitable updating. 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789 .. . If one could draw pictures of the present Perhaps not so much blind verse. atheisaregamesfrogspigsdogssummerapplebeautiful •.•. . place, if one could give commands by voice, or listen to the other participants The Sea rch for Dracula. See if you can track down the monster before day· ! . . !. ! .. ! ••.• ! ... . ! ... ! . . . ! . .... ! . . .. ! ...... ! .. . . respond verbally (or scream as appro· break; an expanded version could be multi· level as in the Startrek game, with priate), then the game would be less a global chase across Europe and several more detailed playing arenas in Example of (Contriyed) Word Storage Scheme intellectual, more exciting and more london. Transylvania. etc. Figure 2 addictive. 0
24 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 25 ..
'0., :;;..", >Z ,~ • .- • ," , , u. -• • •u o • •• .-" • •0 -. WOULD YOU LIKE UISTRUCllONS? YES .-. YOU HAilE TIIO tMPTY BUCKETS AN O A SOURCE Dr \lATER (A RIVUI ), A STANDARD PROBI.U1 IS TO MEASURE OUT SPECIfiED AMOUNTS. !'OR • [XAMPLt, GIVEN A II L I TER BUCKET ANO A 1 LITER BUCKET. IS [T POSSIBLE TO END UP IIITH .ruST 2 LITERS 0, IIATER IN ONE BUCKU AND 3 LITERS OF IIATDI IN THE OTHER? IF SO. HOII? THI S PROGRAM SOLIIE.S PROBL(;HS OF THIS GENERAL TYPE, YOU CHOOSE THE SIZE 0, EACH BUCKET, HOII MANY UN I TS OOES BUCKET 'A' HOLO? 3 HOII MANY UN ITS DOES BUCKET ' B' HOLD? 5
THERE ARE 16 POSS I BLE OUTC()I1ES FOR THESE BUCKETS , SHALL I PRINT THEM1 YES
liE CAN GET ALL 0, THE POSSIBLE. OUTCOMES BY S TA RTINO IIITH EITHER BUCKET , THERE ARE THREE OPERATIONS INIIOLIIEDI
FILL FILL THE STARTING BUCKET fROM THE R I IIER POUR POUR INTO TH E OTHER BUCKET DUMP EMPTY THE OTHER BUCKET INTO THE IUIIER ,
STARTI HO IIITH STARTING IIITH BUCKET A. BUCKET 8.
OPER RESULT OPER REStl.T ATION ·, , ATION · , -<• ,ILL , ,• FILL • •, POUR , POUR ,• , ~i!I FILL •, , ,~. , , •• .0 BY MAC OG L eSBY .M , , POUR , , o . DUMP , FILL , , ,. Can you measure 2 liters a/water if you only have a 4 liter , , POUR , • 0, """FILL , , ,~. • and a 7 Ufer bucket? Problems of this type are familiiJr to POUR , • •, , gi"~ most of us. Here s a program from Mac that produces all FILL , • """,~. 5" POUR , , POUR •, ", o. possible outcomes {or such two-bucket problems. ,~. , FILL •, • POUR , ,• , , ~"• -~ 'ILL , , , , • : : """",.. •o ~~ • , Notice that line 990 ill the program uses G$ to design the , POUR , " ,o. • "t -.. FILL •, , 1'1 LL •, • fonnat in which the possible O!J.lcomes aTe to be printed. ""'" , "' .... o a ~ • ,• Q~b ;. .. '< # # #' indicates a 4 -character string; '- # #' indicates "f5e1 • IIOtl.D YOU L IKE TO IIORK IIITH DIF,ERENT BUCKETS? YES • •o 0", - •o "~ - a number up to 3 digits long. To adapt this program to > • o .. ~ o • ;, o BASiCs without formatting capabilities, additional code HOII /'\ANY UNITS DOES BUCKET 'A' HOLD? 1280 o '0,.-. • PLEASE TYPE A \/HOLE. NUMBER FROM I TO 999, ~ • u~ is needed to replace lines 990-1000 and neatly pn'n! MOIl NANY UIIITS DOES BUCKET 'A' HOLD? 51 ~ • • "~ • HOII MANY UNI TS DOES BUCKET '8' HOLD? 991 o• o • • •" remits in a table. 0 • ~ • ~ • • • ~: z • THERE ARE IUBS POSSIBLE OU TCOMES FOR THESE 8UCKETS, • • • ~ SHALL I PRINT THEM 1 YES " .o. " ~~ • ! • z " " > •" ,• •• " 8" .. " ~ ~ .. •5 •, I' STARTlN · , -:;3 ~ FILL • • FILL ·B 991 , POUR " , POUR 51 948 FILL 57 57 ,~. B 94" ·II 1\4 " 51 893 """FILL 57 114 ", B S83 1?1 """.. o 57 926 """FILL S1 171 "'''',~. 8 826 """ A 228 26 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR,APR 27 - l
, , . there's really no industry yet just a band of terrified people,
Byte Shop ™ has become a synonym for 'compl.Iler store' of their own equipment, and so on, So that's really the struc· Peers is dedicated to the proposition that a computer oUght to computing, A second point: There are a whole lot more people in some areas, In [act, lhe numerous stores are licensees of ture. They're a distribution operation. be useful to people, He would like naive users to gel at the who don't know about computers than do. And if you address Byte Industries, Inc, olle of the early entrepreneurial endeaJ'on machines and make them do something helpful without yourself only to those people who know something about a professional intennediary. to [osler Ihe computer hobbyist movemem. 'Byte Shop' is They did very well although they never had any capital. computers, you're deliberately limiting your market, So trademarked by Byte Industries. TIley set up new stores, did some product development, you've got to be able to get at the novices. It is crazy not to. did some literature development, built a staff, did the promo· TIle new president of Byte Industries is Jerry Brandt, a con DUring the fim part of 1977, stories 0/ Byte's cash flow prob· tion and so on, all out of current sales, They got gorgeous sultant whose specialty is coming to companies that need help The issue we're dealing with here is not technology. People in lems were circulating. Until September, disaster seemed national pUblicity-presidents of major companies began in doing whatever it takes to get them moving. Jerry came in general absolutely don't give a fig for technology per se. But imminent- then rulnors ofcapito/ backing for Byte were heard. dropping in to chat. Felt like the big time, And on they and stirred things up and in October they shipped probably they are interested in persona/freedom. There was a time when went without capitai. But they just flat could not manage to twice what they had done the previous month. And in we had many choo·choo trains that carried people, and if you Here's the Slory of what's been happening, from one of the do that indefinitely without any inoney. So although they had November J think they shipped about twice that. We are now wanted to go where the railroad tracks went when some remote new [aces at Byte Industries. Nels Wink/esl, [amleT editor of pretty decent sales, it began to catch up with them. And sales in December and things are really rolling. bureaucrat said you could and if you wanted to obey the rules, Personal Computing. QlUck Bradley inteflliewed Nels for began to taper off and stores began to buy around them. you could get a ride on that train. Now, the instant automo People's Computers in December. Jerry describes himself as an energizer. He's not much on biles were available, people bought cars and disposed of that formal structure, but he is big on getting everyone excited and It was a cash flow problem. It is hard to think of anything in remote bureaucrat telling them where they could go when. interested and moving, and the change in that establishment is business that is not a cash flow problem. They couldn't pay incredible. Morale was really pretty bad. Now all of a sudden, QUESTION: Nels, can you tell me what your present rela the people who were selling them merchandise and they That's what perional computeri are about: personal freedom, I there are people coming in at night so they can get some tionship with the Byte organization is? couldn't deliver stuff. So by midsummer in '77, things were think people have been intimidated by computers for 30 yeari, work done on their own, and - they're really moving. getting pretty tough. And Paul was doing his quaint native Now I don't think people are using these computers to do any· To star! with, the organization I'm associated with is Byte dance searching for capital, and trying to keep a pretty bold thing useful in teons of utilitarian , immediate application. I Industries, Inc-fonnerly Byle Inc. Obviously, it needs to be front. Paul Terrell is still part of the operation; he's looking for the think 95% of the time people are still horsing around with distinguished from Byte magazine and its publishers, Byte place in which he can help best. I believe Byte Industries them, and finding out what they have to put up with from the Publications. My relationship is that of consultant to the Paul went to call on John Peers and said 'How'd you like to has sold the two stores that it owned; they want to be in the remote bureaucrat. When they find out, they're going to begin people who just bought Byte Industries. I've spent a year and buy control of something?' And John said, 'Sure, why didn't distribution business instead of the retailing business. to make their own judgments about what freedoms they want. a fraction rummaging around in the personal computer you come in scone!?' And away they went. By the end of I think this is a significant cultural revolution, and what we're business to see whal's going on and see who the people are , September it was actually done, Lomac (Logical Machines dealing with is the kind of issue people get excited about, chop QUESTION: How does Byte Industries supply its retail BYle and the new owners of Byte Industries lhought I might be usc· Corporation) acquired the company 100% outright, TIley have off heads over, you know- riot, rebellion and carrying on. Shops? Is it by some kind of formal contract, or what? ful in getting the company reorganized. I'm simply an outsider plugged in a modest amount of capital, a few hundred coming in to look for problems and do something helpful thousand dollars, but not the rumored millions. How does the Byte Shop help that kind of thing? It makes it where I can. But I report to John Peers of Logical Machine There is a fonnal agreement of some kind, whose detail s I have possible for the guy to corne in and do that sort of fooling Corporation, the Jlew owner of Byte Industries. not studied yet. It is on demand at the dealer's option, I don't around, The Byte Shops, like all computer stores, have varied know if dealers are compeUed to buy anthing from Byte- it's immensely, You know, the people who are running these QUI:."STION: John Peers, President of Lomac and Chainnan of just that it is easier. You know, one stop shopping, instead of shops are independent; and certainly they don't accept orders QUESTION: Could you briefly describe the Byte organ· the Board of Byte Industries, has said he plans to make com dealing with a hundred different suppliers, But Byte Industries from Byte Industries Inc. The guys out in the field now are ization? puters so easy to use they can be sold 'like motorcars.' Does is planning to put together a franchise package. TIley'U make it pioneers, they're on their own, they don't take any foolishness this mean he will provide Ills 'natural' programming software a IittJe bit different from other such packages- really do the from anybody as they cut a path through the wilderness. So m give you a touch of history. A couple of years ago, cOllcepts for personal computers the way it's done for Lomac's right kind of job. They are hoping to have a thousand stores the Shops are very different from each other; some of them Paul TerreU was an electronics rep; among other things, Adam computer? instead of the 60 or 70 wWch they have now-and do it in won't touch a hobbyist with a ten foot pole. I've been in he was selling Allairs, made by MITS. He and Boyd Wilson style. places where the guy says, 'I don't ever want to see a hobbyist watched Dick Heiser open a computer store and said, 'Gee, if The answer is yes. I don't know that it will be that particular in here again' and they take steps to drive them out. They Dick can do that, I bet we could run a store too.' They set up software. but it certainly will be the concept-that pervades QUESTION: In what way might Byte help the absolute can't stand to sit around and gab with them, And there are novice buying a computer system? a comput~r ' 5tore in Mountain View, California, and promptly everything. John really believes it, it im't just lip service, and other dealers that say; 'Oh, gosh, I love that ... oh boy, those reafized that since computer stores were springing up like that's partly why working with him is so much fun. He has a guys keep me alive. They come in here and they buy a board weeds, a real distribution operation was needed. They got a very broad, sweeping concept of information handling and the To talk about that, I have to say something about my views, I and they buy a chip and I don't know, ifil weren't for them I good legal grip on the name Byte Shop and began to set up interaction of individuals. He talks about, for example, have to assume that the reason I'm involved at Byte/Lomac is couldn't make it.' What Byte Shops need to do is to evolve Byte Shops around the country. Their real business is getting personal access to infomlation that has not already been that people there are in sympathy with my views, else they so as to make it possible for anyone with any interest at merchandise in one door from the manufacturers and pushing collected and put aside where it can be reached. He thinks wouldn't have me hang around. every level to come in at that level and do whatever he wants it out the other door to the retailer-but this is not a franchise in terms of instant access to a machine that says, 'Oh, that's to with information handling equipment. That's what the Byte operation. What they did was license the use of the name to a what you want, I'll go find it.' The machine turns infonnation A couple of points, First, personal computing is computing a Shops can do. store owner and offer to seUtheir merchandise, But of course up when you want it and gives it to you. That's very different person can do, as contrasted with an institution, I don't care if they did national advertising for the name and are still doing from most information systems. That's an active searching it's a temlinal hung on an IBM 370/165, Ifa private individual QUESTION: Do you expect Byte Industries to ultimately it. As they went along, they began, defensively, to build some system. can make that thing do what he wants- that's personal become a full-service organization? Bya full-service organiza.
28 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR.APR 29 =
Mass marketers are going Computers and their peripherals have to be reliable, to sell video games and as predictable and as well supported create the situation in which as Sears' appliances and as easy people want personal computing. to understand.
tion I mean a set up to provide all hardware, software and selling at 10% margin- that kind of thing can't last. Manufac· sort it out. Of course it's in the interest of the stores, because I haven't the fai ntest idea when I expect several big compan· documentation for a rather wide variety of users and applica turers' sales costs are eating them up, and they're out dealing you hate selling somebody something that doesn't work; it ies to do something, although obviously Generous (sic) tions. Full service would also include, I think, that when a with the customers in onesies and twosies- it's killing them. comes back to haunt you, and if you can't tell why it's not Electric company is not going to walk away from something customer has problems he has a place to go where he can get What Jerry did was take a look at the process in action and working, it makes it harder still. There are no standards. But that looks like a real consumer market and Zenith and RCA some help, whether the problem be hardware or software or say , 'Wait, wait, this whole thing has got to be refonned . We're there have to be standards. Or else we'll be sorry. are not going to ignore a real consumer market. Texas Instru· perhaps even that he needs some additional training. going to try to ease this.' And that's largely the function of men!s is not re ally a household word: GE is, Zenith is, Motor· Byte Industries. ala is. That's where the excitement is going to be, in the long Flatly, yes. Absolutely. Byte Industries must deal with those QUESTION: How might the impact of large retailers, such as run. And Lamac is going to be there. issues . Computers and their peripherals have to be as reliable, To some extent Byte's functions address that question, Sears and Roebuck, affect Byte's position in the market? as predictable and as well supported as Sears' appliances and as 'What about service, what about a guarantee?' Obviously Incidently, never underestimate IBM. I'm not sure they easy to understand. I may be in hock to Sears Roebuck for the it's a thing that must be dealt with, and it's going to be. But I think itll help. The large retailers cannot handle a broad line, want to get into this end of the business, but among their rest of my life and perhaps even in an afterworld! I think they remember, those Byte Shop guys out there are mean, tough they can', [earn enough about the field to serve all purposes. 280,000 employees worldwide they've got a bunch of smart hope I will pay up before I go on- they may have to sue the individualists. They cannot be compelled by headquarters to I'm for having the customers naive, but you can't have the ones, and they do some intelligent stuff, and they have the estate but one of the reasons I always deal with Sears is that do anything. However, headquarters can make it easy for them stores naive , because somebody's got to know what's going on. resources to do pretty much what they choose . • went recently Sears is always there, and whatever it is, they've got it. If Sears to do the right things and help them to make a little bit more I think it would be fine if Sears gets in with stuff like the PET to an IBM press seminar and I was greatly stirred by it. Some doesn't sell it, I don't own it, and so on. moncy and take a lot of this curse off them. And gradually or whatever the equivalents are, but I doubt that they are of their people were awfull y smart and interesting and intelli· lead the whole thing along. But there's really no industry yet going to be able to be all things to all people in this field - that's gent and a lot of fun and J was impressed. It strips away your just a band of terrified people. really the function of the Byte Shops. standard image of IBM. I don't tllink they're going to ignore QUESTION: In view of some of the industry's problems, such this thing. I don't think they're going to stop being a force. I as long delivery schedules and faulty equipment, can you tell I think tllat computers are going to be in the same class as think that's true of some other companies too, such as General me what kind of guarantee might be offered to customers to QUESTION: How do yOll expect the Association of Computer refrigerators and television sets. As a matter of fact, I think Motors. General Motors owns Frigidaire and they sell refriger' protect them against such deficiencies? Retailers to improve the retailing function? video games are going to be the key for getting into this ators and washing machines, why not personal computers? market. The games are going to turn into computers; the large No, I can't. Partly because, as you know, personal computing My suspicion is that the Association of Computer Retailers, retailers who sell video games are making a mass market, not is just fonning. Let me share with you Jerry Brandt's view of which is the one that Portia Isaacson is associated with, will the computer industry. QUESTION: How do you expect the manufacturers to change the field based on his first computer show, the Personal Com· survive because Portia is the best leader and shaper around. I their products in the next year? puting show in Chicago. There were probably 4,000 people in don't know what effect they're going to have, just because I Television had to be developed for entertainment so that a lot the place, and he came out and said, 'That place is an energy don't know enough about that kind of thing. I suppose they of people wanted it. Mass marketers like Sears and so forth, I don't know about the next year, but I expect there will be field, it's in there just pulsating... with aruiety. The manufac· can be useful if they relieve some of the terror. It's the same are going to sell video ganles and create the situation in which excitement at the national Computer Conference (NCC), the turers there are all terrified, and the dealers are all terrified, problem. They're all afraid of each other, they're afraid of the people want personal computing. We're doing a lot of pioneer major national professional computer show. It's being held in and the people who are running it are terrified, and the customers and so on. If they can get together and figure out ing, but even a few hundred computer stores is a drop in the Analleim, California about June 6. It's the big show. The same customers are all terrified. They're all afraid that they're going what they're doing, if it gives them the chance to consult with bucket. kind of rumors that we were hearing about what would to miss something, that they're going to do something wrong, each other, it's probably a helpful thing. happen last year have had another year to mature-maybe that it is all a mirage, that they're buying the wrong thing and something will happen. I kind of expect bubble memory to they'll be sorry tomorrow, that they're not buying the right I suppose that what the leaders of any group like that typically QUESTION: Do you expect any large microprocessor manu · become a reality. Everybody keeps looking over at Texas thing and they'll be sorry tomorrow, or something.. . ' aspire to is power- I am not applying this to Portia. I think facturers to get into the personal computing market, perhaps Instruments and saying 'What's going to happen there?' I am that there are people at the top of most of these associations the way they did with digital watches? not aware of any dramatic technical breakthroughs, I just see The field is totally immature. II is not an industry. It has never who are on a power hunt, and I don't know how much power more and better-chips are bigger, speed is picking up . • think yet paid any auention to the standard structure in our society they're going to have. They're going to find that it is as hard to Yes. A lot of them took a terrific bath in digital watches and prices on neat computers like the Apple are going to be that let such industries work in the long run. TIIere is no discipline their membership, as Byte fmds it to discipline the hated the whole thing. Consider Commodore and National tumbling-that's the major thing. standard distribution system. A kid who has been selling Byte Shops. There's no discipline. Semiconductor, as examples. Texas Instruments is doing well, memory boards over a card table and making $8,000 in a and I think tltat Tl is the one company I expected to get into InCidentally, at NCC and elsewhere, people who are paying single weekend gains an illusion that, 'Why, this is easy ', so he this field. I don't think that when tile big guys get in they're taxes and paying phone bills at last get a chance to look at sets up a company and finds pretty soon that the next step he QUESTION: Do you expect the Byte organization to make just going to mash the poor little guys. Everybody in the our computer stuff. It wasn't that the computer industry takes he can't do, because what he did in the first place was any inroads towards resolving the problem of standards for business is amateurish, and I mean when National Semicon· unbent and said, 'Come on in, we really love you'-they didn't. invest some time and money and his time and money are components? ductor gets into it, they are amateurs, because what they know People battered down the doors and fought their way in, and already gone. about the semiconductor business and about the established Portia opened up the personal computing thing at NCC in Well, obviously, you can't impose a standard, but I expect computer business doesn't apply to this at all. And I don't Dallas last June, and Jim Warren is doing the same with his Now what? Well, most of the manufacturers in the field have Byte to be very much concerned with that. 1 think they're think the microprocessor manufacturers learned enough from second and third Computer Faires in March and November. I been selling directly to the customer, because they can make going to have people working on it and giving papers and digital watches to tell them a lot about selling computers to don't know that the next year will bring anything dramatic, more money than by selling to a distributor. People have been participating on panels, and doing whatever they can to the populace at large. but I think the field will keep moving forward very rapidly. 0
30 PEOP LE'S COMPUTERS MAR-APR 31 -
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32 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 33 - --
display, using a vocabulary of words If Robin does pick a group of words, These items leave the screen at the left, stored in the computer's memory in place HIGH·LOT for example, then the names one at a time, if they are not chosen. If ~_MICROCOMPUTER of the sheet of cardboard. A little over a of subgroups in that group begin being one is chosen, the computer backspaces year later, that system now exists and is displayed, one at a time: HIG H·HONOR, once (to undo the automatic spacing) and being installed on Robin's wheelchair. HOPE·HUNT, HURRY· IMPORTANT, adds the chosen symbol to the message IN-INTERESTING, INTO· I'VE, JEN· on the screen. Then the system starts over COMMUNICATION HOW IT WORKS NIFER·JUMP, JUST· KISS, KITCHEN· by offering SPELUNG? again. LAKE, LAND· LEAST, LEAVE·LIE, The present system is an expansion of the LIFE-LiTILE, UVE·LOT and then The CONTROL? mode offers Robin a BY TIM SCULLY word wheel concept whlch uses a TV ESCAPE? If Robin picks a subgroup, few usefuJ commands, one at a time, if for the display with 16 lines of text. The top line such as LEAVE-UE, then the words in it is chosen: BACKSPACE?, ERASE is reserved for the display of a 'menu' that subgroup are displayed across the LAST WORD?, SPACE?, ERASE of items (words, letters of the alphabet, top line of the TV, with two spaces SCREEN?, and NEXT UNE? These punctuation symbols or control codes) between each wo rd: control codes operate immediately if HANDICAPPED from which Robin can choose. The LEAVE LED LEFT... LIBRARY LIE selected. Then the system starts over by 17,is article is more technical than many system came to be built for Robin. The second line is kept blank and the bottom offering SPELLING? again. published in People's Computers. bllt we general concepts applied in the develop ] 4 lines provide space for the display of a believe that the general discussion will ment of Robin's communication system message of about 200 words. If Robin hits the switch at this moment, The SPELLING? mode exists to allow be i/lteresting, in/anl/arive, and thought may prove helpful in the development of LEAVE will be transferred down to the Robin to spell words not found in the provoking (0 aI/, even those who choose microcomputer systems for other handi first available space in the message 1200 word vocabulary stored in the com to skip the program listings and discus- capped people. As items are displayed on the menu, area of the TV screen and the menu puter's memory. To speed up the process sian. Robin can choose one by hltting the will begin all over again by offering of spelling, letters of the alphabet are not When I first met Robin, her communica kneeswitch mounted on her wheelchair. SPELUNG? If the first word, LEAVE, offered Ul alphabetical order. Instead Tim Scully has been designing bio/eed tion was accomplished by use of a word In some modes of operation several items isn't chosen, then after the usual time they are offered in the order of their back equipment and doing biofeedback wheel. She could understand speech and will appear on the menu at once, in whlch delay TJ, the list of words on the menu probability of use in English. Except research for many years. Tim is a Re she could read, but she needed help in case the item at the left is the current will shift one to the left, so that LED is at the beginning of a word, the likelihood search Fellow of the Humanistic 'talking'. Her word wheel was made from item, the one which can be selected by on the extreme left and it becomes the of a letter appearing in a word depends Psychology Institute; he is now working an electric clock motor and a bicycle hitting the kneeswitch. current item. This process continues on the last letter chosen.t If we are in towards his doctorate ;n psychology. His spoke, with the bicycle spoke attached until a word is chosen or until the end the middle of a word, and the last letter dissertation project involves researching where the second hand of a clock would On start· up, the system blanks the TV of the subgroup, UE. If LIE isn't chosen, chosen was 'A', then the most likely and developing biofeedback systems and nonnally be mounted. A sheet of card· screen and then offers the SPELLING? ESCAPE? is offered, and if it isn't next letter is 'E', the second most likely techniques for use ill drug rehabilitation board was mounted behind the spoke, mode by putting that word on the menu. chosen, the complete list of II words in is '8', etc. with the leiters of the alphabet on it, This item remains on the menu for a the subgroup is displayed across the menu Tim is also teaching a computer class to arranged in a circular pattern. The spoke time 'T!' (an adjustable time delay). If and the cycle begins again. Robin's system has 27 different alphabets fellow inmates at a Federal penitelltiary. pointed to the letters, one at a time, as the kneeswitch is hit during that time, stored in it. The first alphabet has the Although prison resources are scarce alld it rotated. Robin could move her knee the SPELLING? mode is entered, other By thls system of groups of words, letters organized so that those most likely he is 1I0t allowed to solicit donations, he to one side and hit a kneeswitch mounted wise the next menu item is displayed: subgroups, and finally words, it is to appear at the beginning of a word will is hopeflll of somehow eventually acquir on her wheelchair, thus stopping the PUNCTUATION? If that item isn't possible for Robin to look through a list be displayed first. This is the alphabet ing a comp"ter system for the prison. motor so that the spoke would freeze , chosen either, after another delay equal of 1200 words in a short time, find the which appears when the SPELLING? pointing at the letter she had chosen. to TI, then the system will begin one she wants and add it to a message she mode is first entered. The letters are 171e potential of microcomputers as tools displaying the names of groups of words: is assembling on the TV screen. The spread out along the menu line as usual, for the handicapped is ellonnOIlS and The spoke rotated at one revolution per A·BONE, BOOK·CROWN, CRY· computer automatically adds a space with the first offering on the left. If no exciting: we encourage dissemination of minute, so spelling proceeded at about FINGER, FINISH-HIDE, HIGH-LOT, after each word chosen, so it isn't letter has been chosen by the time all of such illfonnatio". For this reason we are one letter per minute! The person Robin LOUD-OUGHT, OUR-ROSE, ROSE necessal)' for Robin to worry about them have moved off the screen to the making copies of this article available. was conversing with often had to wri te ANN·STAY, SQUARE· TWENTY and spacing between words-she can just left, the usual ESCAPE? offering is made To receive a reprillf, send a stamped, the letters down, to keep from fo rgetting TWO· YOURSELF, one group at a time. choose one word after another. All letters and the alphabet redisplays. self-addressed envelope (24¢ for business them, as a message slowly built up. Each group of words contains about and words are upper case, so she doesn't size, 35¢ for 814 by J J inch) /0 People's To speed up the communication process, 120 words in alphabetical order. The have to shift. If a letter is chosen, it is added to the Computers. a few words were written next to each name of each group is made up from the message area of the screen, and ESCAPE? letter of the alphabet, so that when the first and last words in the group. When a sentence is complete, and when is offered on the menu. If Robin decides spoke stopped it would point at a group she wants punctuation symbols, Robin to stay in the spelling mode, the How would you communicate if you of words as well as a letter. The person If Robin doesn't pick any group of can select the PUNCTUATION? mode. computer then displays one of the 26 couldn't talk, didn't have the use of your with whom she was conversing would words, the computer then offers an The fi rst item offered on entering this remaining alphabets-which one is deter· hands, and couJd only somewhat control have to guess which of these Robin ESCAPE? from the groups of words. If mode is CONTROL? and if that isn't mined by the letter she just chose. the movements of one knee? This is the intended. It took considerable patience to this isn't chosen, the names of the groups chosen, then after the usual time delay, When she picks a letter from this new problem which Robin, a young lady in hold a conversation with Robin, and not are offered again. If the ESCAPE? is the punctuation symbols will be spread her 20's has lived with all her life. She has vel)' many people took the time. chosen, the system returns to near the across the menu in much the same way t Mr A Ross Eckler suggested the bigram spell· cerebral palsy. beginning of the program and offers that the words in a subgroup were ing $Cheme used in Robin's system. He supplied me with letter use frequeney tables which he When I first saw Robin's communication SPELLING? again. This ESCAPE? to the displayed: credited to F Pratt, SflCrer and Urgent: Ths I met Robin in 1976, and tltis is the stOI)' system, I thought of replacing her word beginning is offered from evel)' mode of .'?;:!O 12 ... 9#$%&0*+ - Story of Codes and Ciphsrf, Blue Ribbon of how a microcomputer communication wheel with a microcomputer and video system operation. Books, t942 pp 258·259.
34 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR.APR 35 -
alphabet, it is added to the message, That's not enough memory for the use total weight of the wheelchair and system .. has been inserted so that vectored inter· immediately after the first letter (the of a high level language such as BAS IC, up so high that Robin's mother wouldn't rupt VI6 jumps to the start of the main program. This allows a single pushbutton system automatically backspaces to undo so the program had to be written in be able to lift it in and out of their family 74LS lK to start Robin's system. its automatic spacing). This process assembly langu~ge. Since my previous van for trips to school and other errands. 00 10K MWR- (PIN 3, ALL 21 L02's) 68 9 Z6 74LS continues until she has completed assembly language experience was with As it is now designed, Robin's system has 00 spelling a word. Then she picks ESCAPE?, the SOSOA, this was the CPU chosen for to be plugged into a wall outlet to ... MWRITE Z6 Robin's software was hand assembled which returns her to the beginning of the Robin's system. operate, but the battery back·up card because I didn't have an assembler program, which offers the SPELLI NG? keeps memory alive while the system is program to run on her system. The pro· mode, and a space is left after the word We wanted the system to be expandable. unplugged so that it is instantly ready gram listings were typed by hand and she has just completed. In the future, Robin may want to add to start upon being plugged in. Figure 2 may con tain a few errors. more memory, a printer. a speech synthe· This spelling scheme al lows comparatively sizer or other additional peripherals. HARDWAR E MODIFICA TIONS TEXT AND EDITOR PROGRAMS rapid spelling of words because Robin For maximum flexibility in expansion, only has to wait for a few lellers to the S·IOO bus structure was chosen A few additions and modifications were The TEXT and EDITOR programs written display before the one she wants is likely because of the wide range of cammer· for Robin's system are both very short. made to adapt the commercially available + tOil F to become the current item. The cially available plug.in circuit cards. hardware to Robin's application. The 43 D I7 TEXT was used to enter the messages, automatic spacing also speeds up The computer also had to be small and Poly 8S chassis has only two controls: an al phabets and vocabulary into her commun ication. light enough to mount under the seat on/off switch and a reset pushbutton. system's memory from the keyboard. of Robin's wheelchair. In order to modify This is because it is designed to use a key· EDITOR is used to modify her vocabu· Now that we've looked at what Robin's the menu and message areas of the video board for functions which a control panel lary and to add to it after the original system does, let's examine the hardware display independently. the computer might perform. The reset pushbutton SINP entry. Here is what they do in detail. and software which do the work. needed a memory·mapped video display. starts the ROM cassette tape loading A15 These constraints pointed us toward the progr3m. I added a second pushbutton TEXT is entered with a starting address SYSTEM DESIGN Polymorphic Systems' Poly 8S System 4 which 3ctiv3tes a vectored interrupt and in HL. The TV screen is erased and the kit. jumps to the beginning of Robin's pro· system waits for text to be entered from Figure 3 Robin's system was designed around the gram. This makes it possible to Slart up the keyboard. Any unshjfted letter is special limitations of her situation and The Poly 8S uses a 5 slot S·IOO chassis, Robin's system without the keyboard. printed on the TV screen as a lower case my own situation. I met Robin Ihrough which makes it small and fairly light in A schem3tic for this simple addition The RAM card used in Robin's system is stored in memory has the eighth bit true, letter but is stored in memory (beginning a United Stales Probation Officer, who weight. TIle Poly video card is memory is shown in Figure I. an Industrial Microsystems IuS #000231 and all following characters (if any) have at the starting address in HL) as upper was supervising me while 1 was tempo· mapped 3nd displays 16 lines of 64 SK card which uses 211..01-4 chips. This the eighth bit zero. This scheme allows case ASCII with the eighth bit zero. The rarily free on appeal bond. I was waiting the words in Robin's vocabulary to be keyboard for Robin's system is a characters e3ch- just right for Robin. The '5 card was modified slightly so that a for the Court of Appeals to decide if it features of the Poly CPU card were also toggle switch could be added to the packed tightly in memory. The only Teletype ·like keyboard. and does not would uphold my conviction for conspir' useful: it has 512 bytes of RAM together computer's front panel which protects/ extra bytes of memory used are fl ags have lower case letters, so the 'unshifted' acy to manufacture LSD (back in 1968 unprotects the main 8K RAM. When inserted at the end of each subgroup letters are actually upper case, but TEXT with a monitor program in ROM. A 22K~ and I 969). As it turned out, the Court cassette tape interface card works loading new programs from cassette (FDH), group (FEH) and at the end of translates them for display purposes. did uphold my conviction, and I'm now together with tape loading software in the < tape, RAM is unprotected. Otherwise it the vocabulary (FFH). serving a iO year Federal prison teml monitor ROM to handle progmm storage is protected. A schematic of this circuit is Any letter of the alphabet typed while at McNeil Island Penitentiary in and loading. 1C2 in Figure 2. The main program uses one subroutine the CTRL key is held down (except Z) is Washington. 74148 from the Poly 4.0 monitor ROM. That printed on the TV screen as a capital 10 ,/ 3 on CPU TIle vocab ulary for Robin's system is card The final hardware modification for routine, WH I, outputs a character to the letter and is entered into memory as My personal problems limited the system stored in RAM because we expect her -r-" Robin's system was the addition of an video display. It uses a location in the upper case ASC II with the eighth bit design to the use of a commercially vocabulary needs to change once she can input port for her kneeswitch. Figure 3 CPU board RAM, POS, to store the next turned on. This allows the first letter of available computer kit because of the communicate more freely. The problem shows the schematic for this circuit, position it will print into and it recog· any word or phrase to be identified. The difficulty of sending materials into prison. with storing vocabulary in RAM is that which was built on a small scrap of nizes several control codes: Poly monitor program uses CTRL Z as Robin's family had only a limited budget, RAM is volatile-the memory and thus Figure 1 Vectorboard and mounted on the Poly ODH :: carriage return and line feed a command to enter its front panel mode, and Robin's capabilities formed the the vocabul3ry are erased every time the S8 chassis. OC H::erase screen and se nd cursor home so this is the one exception to the rule remaining design limits. computer is unplugged. So a b3ttery As a computer powers down, it can (upper left corner of screen) stated above. Shift 0 jumps to the back·up card was added to the systcm. scramble data stored in me mory by OBH ::: send cursor home without erasing EDITOR program, at the current address. In 1976, the budget we had (aboul This card keeps the program and vocabu· sending out false write commands. To SOFTWARE DESIGN screen Rubout erases the last character entered. S I ,300) was just aboUl enough to buy a lary stored in RAM even though the eliminate this problem, the memory in ISH zerase current line computer kit with keyboard, cassette computer may be unplugged for hours at Robin's system was partitioned so that an The program for Robin's system is listed, TEXT is also capable of inserting the tape system, video monitor and SK of a time while Robin's wheelchair is moved SK block of RAM, containing the main with comments, on the following pages. The starting address for the memory area Control codes which identify the end of me mory, so this is the size system we from place to pl3ce. Robin's computer program and stored vocabulary, could It was kept as brief and simple as possible mapped by the video display is FSOO H. alphabets, subgroups and groups. planned on . The average word in English uses the Seals Electronics BnUC card be write protected. This left only the to leave as much space in memory as pos· Thus, if the control code ISH is in the A CTRL shift L:: insert FBH is about 5.5 characters long and wc with NiCad batteries. 512 bytes of RAM on the CPU card sible for the storage of vocabulary. The register when WH I is called, it will stuff CTRL shift N =insert FDH initially planned on a vocabulary of about unprotected (and the memory mapped vocabulary is stored as ASC II , with one FSOOH into POS. WHI saves al l registers CTRL shift 0:: insert FEH 1,000 words. which uses up 5,500 bytes We had. at one pOint, considered b3ttery video display, of course). The small character per byte of memory. ASC II on entry and restores them on exit. of memory. Thls left about 2.500 bytes powering the entire system, but ended up CPU RAM area is used for all scratch pad doesn't use the eighth bit of an eight EDITOR is a somewhat longer and more for the program to control the system rejecting the idea. A large and heavy functions and is one of the features of bit word, so I used the eighth bit as a The monitor ROM on Robin's CPU board complex program which allows the user together with storage for spelling and battery would have been required for the Poly CPU , card which encouraged 'beginning of word' flag. The first charac· is a slightly modified version of the 4 .0 to examine the text stored in the system's punctuation symbols. reasonable life, and this would bring the its selection. ter of any character, word or phrase monitor: at address 0008H a IMP 2000H memory. It also allows modifi cations of
36 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 37 • -- "
alphabets and punctuations symbols, it is 'print' command which would cause the Several companies now offer S-loo turn on and off lights, appliances, etc. A 1250 bytes long. Even with 1,200 words message area of the TV screen to be compatible circuit boards for mus.ic system which can communicate can be a of vocabulary in memory, there is still copied on paper. This would allow her synthes.is. It would be possible to write flexible control system too. room for TEXT and EDITOR to remain to write an essay or a letter. a program which would allow Robin to in memory so that Robin's family can compose music and instruct the computer If you decide to try to build a micro revise her vocabulary as needed. An S·IOO compatible card is available to perform it for her. Computer graphics computer communications system for a from D. C. Hayes Associates (the are also possible. With a higher resolution handicapped person, I'd like to hear from A FEW WORDS ABOUT WORDS 80-103A Data Communications Adaptor) video display, it would be possible for her you. I may be able to help with advice, which would allow her to select and dial to draw pictures with rme detail, and and Robin might benefit from your It may be helpful to briefly mention how a telephone number and send messages with a suitable printer, make 'hard copies' ideas. My mailing address is: the initial vocabulary for Robin's system over the telephone to anyone having a of these on paper. Tim Scully was chosen. The first 1,100 words were computer terminal. A number of com 35267·136CH supplied by Robin's tutor, from lists of puter networks are now being used as There are several CMOS microprocessor PO Box 1000 the first words taught in English. The communication networks, and it is CPU chips available now. Although Steilacoom, WA 98388 remaining words were chosen by Robin reasonable to expect a network for handi CMOS memory and peripheral chips are and her family. These include the names capped people to develop in the near still somewhat more expensive than TIL NOTE: Thanks are due to the staff of of people, places, articles of clothing, future. and NMOS chips used in Robin's system, McNeil Island Federal Penitentiary, foods and other objects which Robin it is already practical to build a micro whose cooperation made this project comes in contact with. Computers can be used to generate and computer system similar to Robin's possible. The staff of Aquarius Elec control sounds. Several companies now which would consume much less power. tronics in Albion, California were also offer S-IOO compatible speech synthesis Such a system would be more expensive, very helpful in tracking down parts for As practical experience with the system is cards. It would be possible for Robin to but would be capable of battery oper Robin's system. Robin's family provided accumulated, revisions may be made in learn to speak out loud, using one of ation, increasing portability. the essential rmancial support, and the initial vocabulary and possibly in the these cards. Although the necessity of Robin, her family and tutors all helped main program. For example, it may tum learning a new 'language' of phonemes S-loo compatible circuit cards are readily by contributing ideas and suggestions. that texi by insertions and deletions. Shift 0 :: jump to TEXT with HL equal out that Robin will feel more comfort would initially make this a slow commu available which allow a computer to If a deletion is made, all of the rest of the to the starting address of current line. able speHing words than looking them up nication process, the' potential exists control electrically operated devices in its text (at addresses greater than the deleted CTRLshift L= insert capital L in the stored vocabulary. If this is the for this to be a very rapid communication surroundings. It would be easy to expand address) is moved down one memory CTRL shift M "" insert capital M case, we may try adding a set of look-up mode. a system like Robin's to allow her to McNeil Island December 1977 0 location to close the gap. If an insertion is CTRL shift 0 :: insert FEH tables for prefixes, roots and suffixes to made. al1 of the rest of the text is moved CTRL shift N = insef! FDH speed up communication. up one location to make room for the rubout :: delete first character of current addition. line FUTURE DIRECTIONS any unshifted letter = insert that letter EDITOR is entered with a starting with eighth bit low The basic system built for Robin can address in HL. Upon entry it will display CTRL any letter except L, M, or Z :: be expanded and modified to fit a wide a 'linc' of text, beginning at that address. insert that letter with eighth bit high. range of possible situations. For example, At the left end of the line, the current the kneeswitch could easily be replaced starting address will appear, in hex, The EDITOR and TEXT programs use by an electromyograph (EMG), an instru followed by a space. Then the contents of several more subroutines from the Poly ment which measures the electrical signals memory are printed, up to and including 4.0 monitor ROM. Either program is associated with muscle tension. An EMG the first 'control code' found. Any letters entered with a starting memory address can easily detect levels of muscle tension stored in memory with the eighth bit in HL. The monitor program allows which are too weak to control a switch high will print all the TV as capitals, register pairs to be pre-loaded from the mechanically. This is a practical alterna while those with the eighth bit low will keyboard while it is operating in the tive to the kneeswitch for people who are print as lower case. The control codes 'front panel'mode. For a detailed expla only capable of very limited movement, en will print as special symbols: nation of this procedure, see the Poly such as an eyelid twitch. There are many FBH={ FDH=i FEH=- FFH=. system manual Volume 2 pages 58·65. hospitalized patients who experience The other subroutines used are: extreme frustration because they are E The EDITOR recognizes several com WHO = fetches a character from the key conscious but CUI off from communica mands, as listed below: board and returns it in A. No other tion. Microcomputer communication carriage return = display next line registers are affected. systems of some kind may eventually line feed = display previous line DEOUT = print the two byte number become standard hospital eqUipment, ~ space = redisplay the current line, shifted in DE as a four character hex number. and could help to make such patients' one character to the left MOVE "" move - BC bytes from the lives much more rich and meaningful. Ol NOTE: insertions made by EDITOR area starting at (HL) to the area will go just in front of the first starting at (DE) - only works for There is a wide range of possible options character on the display. The space is moving to lower addresses. for expanding Robin's system. It would used to move along the current line so be easy to add a printer, for example. e that insertions (or deletions) can be Robin's main program turned out to be She could asserpgle a message on the • made in the middle of aline. shorter than expected. Including the TV screen as usual, and then select a a..
38 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR-APR 39 '1 ~ 2073 3E l S MV I A,ISH 20BO .. POPH 2075 CD24QC CAlLWHl erase it too ZOBE OB80 IN IN BOH look al switch 2078 3EO£ MVI A,OSH 20CO E680 ANI80H it's only one bit l07A C0240C CALL WHI send cursor back home 2OC2 CADA20 JZ CLOSeD ~ m 2070 C9 RET 2OC5 22900C SHLD OC90H waste lime ~ 20CS 2A900C LHLD OC90H to make timing loop longer r 20CB m MAJOR SU8ROUTINES: SMENU AND MENU 22900C SHLD OC90H .; 20CE 2A9OOC LHLD OC90H SMENU and MENU, which follow, al'1l the major subroutines for displaying items on the 2001 00 OCRe 8 2002 C2BE20 JNZ IN check switch every time ~ menu (the top line of the video display). MENU is entered with flags in DE and a starting ~ oodnm in Hl. The flags tell MENU to display groups, subgroups, wOrds or individual 2005 05 DCA 8 charao::ters. The starting address tells MENU where to find the first item to display. An e>;it 2006 C2BE20 JNZ IN keep liming ~ from MENU is accomplished when ,In item is selected by use of the kneeswitch. Upon exit 2009 C9 RET time up, no contact 00 from MENU, the slurting address of the chosen item will be in CI. 200A E5 CLOSED PUSH H " 20DB 2AB320 LHLDT2 207E 11 F801 SMENU LXI 0,01 F8H sel flags for spelling felch time constant 20DE E5 2081 CD5220 MENU CA LL ENTER save oodress& flags PUSH H C, ,>()p B 2084 CD6420 ITEM CA LL NEW arase menu 20DF put it in Be 20EO 2087 22840C SH LD CI save current item oodress .. POPH 208A 7E DlSPY MOV A,M fetch character from memory 20E1 22900C WA IT SHLD OC90H waste time 2088 CD240C CA LL WHl and display it 2OE4 2A900C LHLD OC9OH 208E 23 IN X H ne>;t 20E7 DO DCA C 208F 7E MOV A,M 2OE8 C2E120 JNZWAIT keep timing 2090 E680 AN I80H check for msb-l 2OE8 05 OCR B 2092 CA8A20 JZ DISPY if not. keep printing 20EC C2E120 JNZWAIT time up? 2095 AF XRAA are we finished with group or 20EF DB80 IN SOH check switch 2096 BA CMP 0 are we printing with words or letters? 20Ft E680 ANI80H it's only o ne bit, the msb 2097 C26421 JNZ WORD if so, go on with words or end 20FJ C28520 JNZSWITCH start over if not still closed 209A 14 INR 0 otherwise, set flag 2OF6 14 INR 0 set flag for contact 209B 3E2D MVI A, '-' 2OF7 DB80 UP IN SOH check switch again 2090 CD240C CALL WH1 print '-' 2OF. E680 ANI80H 2OAO 2B DCX H ZOFB CO RNZ wait until it is released 20Al 23 SEARCH INX H and look for end of group or 20FC C3F720 JMP UP meanwhile looping 2OA2 7E MOV A,M subgroup 20A3 BB CMP E by checking for a flag like E SUBROUTINE: MESSAGE 20M OAA 120 JC SEARCH keep looking until found 2OA7 2B BACKUP OCX H than backup The subroutine MESSAGE is used to display a number of short messages on the menu. 20AS 7E MOV A.M and print it Message is entered With an addran in HL equal to one less than tha starting address of 2OA9 E680 ANI80H the message to be displayed. It will display the me$S8Qe found, up to and including a termi. 20AB CAA720 JZ BACKUP nating ?'. Upon e>;'t from message, the zero flag in the PSW wi ll be one if the offered item 20AE C38A20 JMP DISPY was chosen and zero if it was not chosen. The ne>;t fOUf locations stora the timing constants for two time delays: T1 and T2. T1 is 20FF 000000 MESSAGE NOP NOP NOP I daleted something here the time each item on the menu is displayed and T2 is the minimum time the kneeswitch 2102 CD6420 CA LL NEW erase menu has to be closed before it is considered intentional (so that accidental twitches will be 2105 23 INX H ignored). 2106 7E MOV A,M 2OB1 5050 OW 5050H T1 time constant 2107 CD240C CALL WH1 print 2OB3 5050 OW 5050H T2 time constant 210A FE3F CPI '?' check for end of messagoe 210C C20521 JNZ MESSAGE-t6 210F 2A820C LHLD CM SUBROUTINE: SW ITCH 2112 220EOC SHLD POS restore POS 2115 CDB520 CALL SW ITCH The subroutine SW ITCH looks for a switch closure for time T1 and than returns with zero 211B 3EOl MVI A, 1 in 0 if the switch WIIS never closed. If the switch closes, but not for at least T2, the routine 211A BA CMPD just starts over, extending T1. If the switch closes for at least T2, then after Ihe switch is reo 211B C9 RET leased, it retums with one in D. 2085 1600 SWITCH MV10,O set up 'never closed flag' SUBROUTINE: COMP 2087 E5 PUSH H 20BB 2AB120 LHLD T1 fetch time constant Tha subroutine COMP is used by MENU tocheck the switch. 20BB E5 PUSH H 211C CDB520 COMP CALL SWITCH 20BC C1 POP. put it in BC ~ 211F 3EOI MVIA,1
2121 BA CMPD 217C CD240C CALLWH1 2122 C22C21 JNZ NEXT if no contact, offer na>;' choice 217F C38A20 JMP DISPY and add more to menu 2125 2A820C LHLD CM 2128 220EOC SHLD POS restore main text POS SUBROUTINE: ESCAPE 212B C9 The subroutine ESCAPE offers a ratum to the SPELLING mode and is used often. MORE ROUTINES USED BY MENU 21 B2 C5 ESCAPE PUSH 8 2183 214F22 LXI H, ESC·1 set up for message The following chain of routines are used by MENU to find and display the next itam, 2186 CDFF20 CALL MESSAGE check for the last item in a list, offer ESCAPE? and recycle to the beginning of the list if 2189 Cl POP B nothing is chosen. The details of these OPerations vary depending on what items are being 218A CO RNZ retum if no escape offered : groups, subgroups, words or charao::ters. 2188 E1 POP H clean up stock 212C EB NEXT XCHG save current addre$$ 218C C3OC20 JMP REENTRY and reenter SPELLING? 2120 2A860C LHLD FLAGS white restoring flags 2130 EB XCHG SUBROUTINES USED BY SPELLING MODE 2131 7B MOV A,E 2132 FEFD CP I FDH are WI! displaying groups or subs? The SPELLING mode uses this chain of subroutines. The first alphabet offered is different 2134 024121 JNCCHECK if so, check for end from me other 26. and the routine doesn't back$paca before printing the first letter, so 2137 2A84OC LH LD CI there is one routine for the first lettar and another for all the others. ESCAPE? is offered 213A 23 FIN INX H skip current word or letter after each letter is printed and before a new alphabet is offered. A look·up table is used to 213B 7E MOV A,M pick the right alphabet to offer after the first letter has been printed. 213C E680 AN I80H and keep skipping until the 218F 21 1523 SPELL LXIH,ASTART address of initial alphabet 213E CA3A21 J Z FIN start of the ne>;t, then check 2192 CDB721 CALL FIRST print first letter 2141 1C CHECK INR E the last item will be followed 2195 CD5720 CALL SENTER to restore POS 2142 7E MOV A,M byaflag - toE-tl CDB221 TALE CALL ESCAPE offer escape 2143 BB CMP E "219B .. 2 1C722 LX I H,STA8 start of look·up table 2144 025721 JNC LAST 219E 78 MOV A, B fatch last letter printed 2147 10 OCR E restore flag in E 219F 8E LOOK CMPM and look for it in table 2148 FEFB CPI FBH if no control code found, 21AO CAA921 JZ FOUND 214A DA8420 JC IT EM keep displ8y'ing 21A3 23 INX H each table entry 2140 7B MOV A, 0 21A4 23 INX H is three bytes 214E FEFD CP I FD 21A5 23 INX H 2150 DA5721 JC LAST 21A6 C39F21 JMPLOOK keep looking, you'll find it 2153 23 INX H skip control code 21A9 23 FOUND INX H when '1'00 find it, 2154 C38420 JMP ITEM "AA 5E MOV E, M get address from table 2157 CD8221 LAST CALL ESCAPE if last item was displayed, offer 21AB 23 INX H 215A 2AB60C LHLD FLAGS escape and then loop back 21AC 56 MOV 0, M 2150 EB XCHG 21AD E. XCHG and put it in HL 215E 2A800C LHLD CS 21AE CDC821 CALL SECOND offer new alphabet 2161 C3B420 JMP ITEM and start displaying over again 2181 CDBA21 CALL OOP print the chosen letter 21B4 C39821 JMPTALE and loop back to do it again SUBROUTIN E: WORD 21B7 CD7E20 FIRST CALL SMENU offer alphabet 21BA 2AB40C OOP LHLD CI fetch chosen item's address WORD, the next subroutine, is used by MENU. If groups or subgroups are being offered, it 21BD 7E MOVA, M is entered only after the complete offering has been printed and it jumps to COMP to check 21 BE C0240C CALL WHl and print it the switch. But if individual words or characters ara being offered, WORD keeps printing 21C1 47 MOV 8, A save it for look· up later words or cheracters across the menu space, with two spaces between each, until the end of 21C2 3E2O MVIA," tha subgroup or until the end of the line. "04 CD240C CALL WH I and print a space 2164 78 WORD MOV A, E check flag 21C7 C9 RET 2165 FEFD CPI FDH "CO CD7E20 SECOND CALL SMENU offer alphabet get ready to backspace ~ 2167 D21C21 JNCCOMP and split if groups or subs 21CB 2AOEOC SECONDS LHLD POS > 21CE 2. DCX H ~ 216A 3AOEOC LOA POS check position in menu '0' 2160 FE3C CPI3CH if we are near the end of 21CF 220EOC SHLD POS do it > RET ~ the line, stop printing & 2102 C9 ~ 216F D21C21 JNCCOMP 2172 7E MOV A, M split or if we are at the end 2173 BB CMP E of the subgroup.liPlit SUBROUTINE: PUNCT 2174 D21C21 JNC COMP The subroutine PUNCT handles offering the control codes (by calling anothar subroutine) 2177 3E20 MVI A, ' , otherwise, and it offers the punctuation symbols. It U!iE!S one of the spelling subroutines to handla • 2179 CD240C CALL WHI print two spaces ~ punctuation. ~ 2103 216822 PUNCT LX I H. CONTROLM·' 227. BACKSPACE? 21 06 CD FF20 CALL MESSAGE offer CONTROL? 227E ERASE lAST WOAD? 2109 CAE821 JZ CO NTROL 228E SPACE? 21 DC 21AC22 LX I H, PSTART .tartin" Iddfft$ of punctuation 2295 NEXT LINE? ~ l 10f COC821 CA LL SECO ND offer them 229F ERASE SCREEN? 21E2 COBA21 CA lL ODP print the chl»efl one 22AC . '7;: I 0 123456789*$ .. ". (, •• - r~ 21E5 C34C20 JMP ELOP 90 back to offer SPELLING? 22CO FB DB FB H .rid flag m 21E8 00000o NOP NOP NOP I took out tomething here ALPHABET LooK.UP TABLE '" SUBROUTINE: CONTROL ~ Here l, the look-up table for the various alphebea:, in non-uand.rd form. CONTROL offers .... d llIecutel the conlrol commaods, 22C7 C13023 A 2330H ~ 21ES 217322 CONTROL LXI H, BACKSPACE?-1 ~ 22CA C24B23 8 234BH o 21 EE CDFF20 CALL MESSAGE offer balckspace 22CO C36323 C 2363H 21Fl C2FA21 JNZTWO 2200 C4 7723 0 2377H 21F4 C0C821 CALL SECONDS bEk~ 2203 C59123 E 2391H 21F7 030620 JMP ENTERL back to offer SPELLING? 2206 CSAC23 F 23ACH 21FA 217022 TWO LXI H, ERASE LASTWORO?-1 2209 C7C223 G 23C2H 21FO CDFF20 CA LL MESSAGE 220C caDA23 H 23DAH 2200 C2 1222 JN Z THREE 220F C9F123 123F1H 2203 2AOEOC LHLD PaS 22E2 CAOC24 J 240CH 2206 20 OCR L back up 22£5 CB1324 K 2413H 2207 20 MORE OCR L back up 22E8 CC2B24 L 242BH 2208 3EAO MVIA," 22EB CD4624 M 2446H 220A BE CMPM have we reached a $pace? 22EE CE6024 N 2460H 2206 C24022 JNZ RUB 22F1 CF7B24 o 247BH 220E 23 INX H leave the space 22F4 009624 P 2496H 220F Cl0820 JMP ENTERL II'Id go offer SPE LLlNG? 22F7 01 A024 Q 24AOH 2212 21B022 THREE LXI H, SPACE-I 22FA 028124 R 2481H 2215 COFF20 CALL MESSAGE 22FO 03CC24 S 24CCH 2218 C22322 JNZ FOUR 2300 D4E624 T 24E6H 221B 3E2O MVI A," 2303 050025 U 2500H 22'0 CD240C END CALL WH I 2306 061A25 V 251AH 2220 C34C20 JMP ELOP back to offer SPELLING? 2309 072825 W 2528H 2223 219422 FOUR LXI H, NEXT LlNE?-1 230C 083F25 X 253FH 2226 COFF20 CALL MESSAGE 230F 095725 Y 2557H 2229 C23122 JNZ FIVE 2312 OA7025 Z2570H 222C 3EOD MVI A, OOH 222E Cll022 JMPEND THE ALPHABETS 2231 219E22 FIVE LXI H, ERASE SCREEN?-1 2234 COFF20 CALL MESSAGE Aod here are the alphabeu, once again without tha hilL 2237 0.0020 JZ START start all over 2315 ASTART TAOSWIHCBFPMRELNDUGYJVQKZX 223A CD8221 CALL ESCAPE 232F FB DB FBH end of alphebel flag 2230 ClEB21 JMP CONTROL 2330 NTSRLDCIGVMYPBKUFWOJXHZEOA 2240 36.0 RUB MVI M, AOH put blank on screen 234A FB DBFBH 2242 C30722 JMP MORE 234B EAOUYR ISLJTVMBDWCG HN PF K 2245 00 NOP 2362 FB DB FBH 2246 00 NDP 2363 OEHATKILURCYSONDZMW 2247 00 NOP 2376 FB DB FBH 2248 00 NOP 2377 EI UARSO LM OG YNVJOWHEFTPK B Z 224. 21B1F8 PATCH LXI H, F881H ioitialtze tellt address 2390 FB DB FBH 224C 220EOC SHLO POS 2391 RSNDALMCETVFPXIGYOWUHOKBJZ 224F C9 RET 23AB FB DB FBH 10 the lilliog below I haveo't typed the hell equivalenu for the ASCII (thil listil'lg was 23AC ORIFEAULTSYWBMGCHNJPD haod-assembled). 23C' FB DB FBH 2250 ESCAPE? 2302 EHROAIGSLUTNYMFDBWZJKPC 2257 SPELLING? 2309 FB DB FBH 2260 PUNCTUATION? .::II 230A EIAOTURYLNWDSMBHOFPCGK 226C CONT ROL? ..... 23FO FB DBFBH
go do it over 23" NSTOCMLAREDVGPFBKXUZOIJLWY 3F2A C3003F JMPTEXT 2408 FB DB F8H 3F2D 2ABOOC RETEXT LHlD OCSOH fetch nan jog addreu 24DC AEOUIJ 3F30 3EDC MVI A,OCH erase TV 2412 FB 08 FBH 3F32 CD240C CALLWHI 2413 EISAN L YOGFWTURDPMK8JCHV 3F35 C3003F JMPTEXT 242A FB DB FBH 3F38 22BOOC EDITOR SHlD OCSOH save nan 01 curreot line 242B EIAL YODTSUFRMVWKPCBGNHJZXO 3F3B 3EOO MVI A, ODH 2445 FB DB FBH 3F3D CD240C CALL WHI nan I new liml 2446 EAOIPMUYSBlFNTHCDAWGJKVCZ 3F40 2A800C LHLD oesOH letch start of curreot lioe 245F FB DB FBH 3F43 EB XCHG 2460 DTEGSCIAOYNlFVUKMJROPHWXBZ 3F44 COD103 CAllDEOUT print address io hell 247A FB DB FBH 3F47 EB XCHG restore address 247B NFRUMPLTOWSDCVIBEY AKHJGXZQ 3F48 3E2O MVIA," 2495 FB DB FBH 3F4A CD240C CAll WHI priot $pace 2496 ROAE L TSPIHMUYWFGKBNOCJ 3F40 7E LOOP MOVA, M fetch chal'8Cter from memory 24AC FB DB F8H 3F4E CDE63F CALL LPRINT put it 00 TV 24AD U'O • 3F51 7E MOVA,M 2480 FB DB FBH 3F52 23 INXH 24Bl E I OATSY OMN URCLVKGPwBF HXQJZ 3F53 FEFB CPl F8H was it the end of aline? 24CB FB DB FBH 3F55 OA4D3F JC LOOP if not, keep printing 24CC TEtOSHUCAPYKMWNlGOFBDRVJZ 3F58 CD200C KEY CALL WHO wait until a key is pressed 24E5 FB DB FBH 3F5B FE20 CPI " is It a Ipace? 24E6 HE IOARSTUYLWCFMNBPDZGKVJO 3F50 C2673F JNZ Ml il oot, keep checking 24FF FB DB FBH 3F60 2A800C lHlD oesOH fetch starting address 2500 TSNR LCGP A EMDI F BOYZXUVKOJH 3F63 23 INXH $pace skips one cheracter 2519 FB DB FBH 3F64 Cl383F JMP EDITOR IIld reprints line 251A EIAOYUSRVZKGM 3F67 FE7F M, CPI7FH i. it rubout? 2527 FB DB FBH 3F69 C2873F JNZM2 2528 EAHIONRSLTOYKUPFBCMZWG 3FOC 2ABOOC lHLO OCSOH fetch starting address 253E FB DB FBH 3F6F E' PUSH H copy Hl 253F EPTICAHUYOOlNWFSVGBKMRD 3F70 0' POP 0 into DE 2556 FB 08 FBH 3F71 3EFF MVIA,FFH end of vocabulary flag 2557 EOSAITPM8LNWCRGDZHUFVXIK 3F73 010000 lXI B,O $tan counting at ~ero 256F FB DB F8H 3F76 2B DCX H 2570 EAZOYIUKTVWHJB 3F77 23 M3 INX H 257E FB DB FBH end of alphabets 3F78 OB DCX B count one byte 257F C1C1424C45C1424F AAbleAbout beginning of vocabulary storage 3F79 BE CMPM check for end flag 5654 3F7A C2773F JNZM3 keep counting if not the end 3F7D 2ABOOC LHlDOCSOH fetch staning address TEXT AND EDITOR 3Feo 23 INX H we are moving one SPIIICe 3F81 CDOOO' CALL MOVE 3FOO CD200C TEXT CAll WHO key board input 3F84 C33B3F JMP EDITOR di$play edited line 3FOO FE7F CPI7FH is it rubout? 3F87 FEOO M2 CPIODH is it carriage rerum? 3FOS CA263F JZRU8 3F89 CA3B3F JZ EDITOR then di$Play oellt line 3FOB FE5F CPI5FH il it sh ih 01 3F8C FEOA CPIOAH il it line feed? 3FOA CA383F JZ EDITOR 3F8E C2A03F JNZM4 3FOO FEIC CTL CPI lCH il it a cootrol character? 3F91 2ABOOC lHlDOCSOH fetch starting address 3FOF OA213F JC CONTROL 3F94 2B OCX H back up 3F12 FE20 CPI20H is it a control code? 3F95 2B M' OCX H keep backing up 3F14 D2193F JNC PRINT if not, print it 3F96 7E MOVA, M < 3F17 CODF ADI DFH 3F97 FEF8 CPI FBH look for control flag ~ 3F19 77 PRINT MOVM,A nore it io memory DA953F JCM5 and keep backing up until foood ~ 3F99 3F1A CDE53F CALL LPRINT put it on TV 3FBe 23 INX H skip the flag ~ ~ 3Fl0 23 INX H nellt memory location 3F9D C3383F JMP EDITOR and di$play previous lioe ~ 3F1E O3003F JMPTEXT do it ,II over again 3FAO FE5F M4 CPI5FH is It shih O? 3F21 F6CO CONTROlORICOH make eighth bit high 3FA> CA203F JZ RETEXT if 10, go to TEXT 3F23 C3193F JMP PRINT for 'capillll' letten 3FAS FElC CPt lCH il it' control character? 3F26 CDE53F RUB CALL LPRINT rubout on TV 3FA7 DABE3F JCMS if ao, it il upp&r ease back up in memory w• 3F29 2B DCXH II 3FAA FE20 CPI20H could it be a control code? ***.*************************************************** PliOljer Wheel nm ;g::~:::;R~~~~AH~;:;ROGRAM" Progli". 30 REM·" WRITTEN BY EDRIO· ••• 40 REM· - IN NORTH STAR BASIC· •• 100 OPEN #0, "MANTRAF" BY EORIO 110 READ #0, N: CLOSE #0 120 CHR${12) ®®Wl~GJ~~lli ®®~~~rl1~®~ When I finished building my computer, 130 PRINT: PRINT: PRINT: PRINT 140 PRINT "MUMBLE ... MUMBLE, I wanted to do something far out with 150 DIM M$(18) Dr Nigbtmare ill tbe Submarille Sbop it to start off right. Having been a medi 160 FOR M"l to 1007: READ M$ tator for some time, I thought of a 170 RESTORE: NEXT M computer implementation of a Tibetan 180 DATA "OM MANI PADME HUM!" 190 PRINT M$ BY HOWl E 01 BLASI Prayer Wheel. I chose an ancient high 200N-N+l008 mantra for the first thing my computer 210PAINT" ",N Then it happened. Someone said , 'May I would do in its present incarnation. 220 OPEN #0, "MANTRAF" For 14 years, Howie DiBlasi has been 230WRITE #0, N: CLOSE #0 teaching electronics. He is currently bo~h help you?' If only he knew. 'Help me', he We had the good fortune to meet $onam 240 GOTO 160 Director of Vocational alld lndustnal said. Where did th is nightmare start? I thought back. Gyatso, a genuine Tibet~n ~a~a. ~hen Education and Media Director at L~ke 100-110 gets the number of past recitations of Havasu High School ;11 Lake Havasu City, told of my computer's recitations" h,e the mantra from the disk. beamed brightly and said, characterISti 120-140 clears the screen and prints a message Arizona. He has developed software for I had been following the articles in 73 cally, 'Oh my! Great Meritl' to give a hint of what is going on. illventory control as well as video tap~ magazine about micropr~essors . The 150-170 prepares a space in memory for the retrieval infonnation for the sc."ool s articles had provided me With s?me good mantra, then puts it in there over and over As of January 27, 1978 the number of media services. He is now worki,~g ~m lecture material for my electroniCs classes for 1007 times, one less than the number at our high school where I teach. What J recitations by my computer was of petals in the Crown chakra. programs for ~tori!lg ~d retnevmg 22,199.184. We encourage the spread of 180 is the mantra. student infonllafloll, l1Ic/udmg grades. could not understand was how these this program, and would like to know of 190 prints the l008th. . . people could get so excited abo~t an elec 200 acids 1008 to the number of recitations. other implementations. I walked into the store and looked tronic device. I have been teachlllg for 14 210 prints the total number of recitations of around. I saw a man sitting in front of a years and I really enjoy my work but the mantra. these computer nuts were in another 220·230 puts tha new total onto the disk, with typewriter watching a piece of pa~r Edrid the thought that some 01 the power of the come out of (he roller. It had somethmg world All this talk about being hooked c/O Dynabyte 1008 recitations is within the number. printed on it. I walked closer so that 1 on a c~mputer. Bah! Humbug! 4020 Fabian Way 240 goes back to the beginning to do mil could get a better look at what ",:,as on Palo Alto, CA 94303 whole thing over again, endlessly. the paper. The man moaned. Then silence. I had to go to Phoenix, Arizona for a **************************~**************************** He typed something on. the ~eyboard. teachers' conference and had heard that •o The typewriter came to life agam .. 1t was Clockwise: Benny Santopietro, Joe Auil, there was a Byte Shop there. Four weeks typing by itself. What was thIS? He . Burns and Cari Long try out tho new before I had thOUght a Byte Shop was.a looked at the typed page. He groaned. He ~~;::omputer system built bV the $tudents new submarine shop. I decided to drop m mumbled. Something about phasers, star at Lake Havasu High School . and see why all this excitement about ships and dumb Klingons. TIlen he ~ot microprocessors. up and walked away muttering ,sometllJn~ about blowing up the Enterpnse. WOW. My mind came back to the presen.t. The Was I in a strange place! salesman asked me if I was OK. I said yes, and maybe he could answ~r a. fev: I walked over to the magazine rack and questions for me. 'I'm How:e D~Blasl picked up an issue of People's Computers. from Lake Havasu Hi gh School, I s31d, as As I thumbed t1uough it I overheard two we shook hands. 'Alan Hald, what can I people talking about bits, bytes, assem,b help you with?' 'Well, tell me about these lers, machine language, hex, IMSAi s, microprocessors, and if you cou ld please, Poly's and SOL's. given me a demonstration.'
I walked over to some equipmenl that Alan explained that he and Jeff McKeever was set up on a table and pretended to were the owners of the Byte Shops of know what I was looking at. I wonde~d Arizona. Two and a half hours later I had why the number pad on that machlOe learned about computers for pe~on~ went from 0-9 and A-F. What a strange use a few BASIC fundamentals, heXldecI way to count. Nonnal people count from mal fonnat, looked at several types of 1 to 10. But I quickly remembered that I systems played Star Trek and spent $35 was no t on, nonnal store . I wondered on a fe;' books and magazines so I coul~ what they' used all the computer SlUff for. find out more about this computer buSI And it probably cost hundreds and Doug Browning (left) and Ed Dixon fright) ness. I thanked Alan for his help ~d thousands of dollars. Much more than our put the finishing touches on the Saals 8K walked out of the store. I felt somethmg school dis trict could ever afford. memory board. by te me. Little did I know how infected that byte would get. 44 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR-APR 45 ... ------
THE INFECTION SPREADS two weeks discussing IC's, memory the end. The other end was connected to devices, kit construction, logic, truth the wrist of the student who was putting During the next three weeks I read tables and binary math. Two of the items the MOS devices into the sockets. everything I could get my hands on. I were delayed a week, but at the end of devoured books and magazines like three weeks we had everything. Some more tips: l!'s important to check candy. At night my wife kept asking me to see if you have on any synthetic if I was OK. I would just grunt and keep EPIDEMIC clothes. It is best to wear only cotton on reading. All my friends were getting when installing the devices. One other tired of me talking about computers I divided the class into small groups and thing you can do if you are afraid that every time I saw them. My electronics had them assemble the kits together. you have not taken enough precautions is students were more sympathetic. We were Each student checked on others in the to get a bucket of water and place your studying about transistors and IC's and group to try and catch any mistakes. The ba re feet into it! Clockwis,; Benny Santopietro, the information about microprocessors fit Denise Bums and Cari Long students were so excited about the com try their hands at progran· right in. The more I told the students the puter I could not believe il. Every free MOMENT OF TRUTH ming the new microcomputer more they wanted to know. Now the moment they had was spen t in the lab system built bV the students at students were reading all of my books working on the computer-this was over We were all getting anxious. The moment Lake Havasu High School. and magazines. They were telling their and above the time they spent in my class of truth was getting very close. The parents about the computers. The infec working on the kits. Students went from lMSAI was complete. We put the three tion was spreading. one kit to another checking to see what memory boards into the S-loo bus slots. other groups were working on. We tried The National Multiplexor 2SI0 Board Two weeks later I had to travel to Los to keep each group working at the same was in the slot. Cables were run to inter Angeles for a conference on Audio Visual pace so that things would fall into place face the ACT -1 to the SIO interface and Education. I decided that I would stop in when the kits were completed. to the cassette recorder. Video monitor at a few computer stores when I had cables were connected. some free time. The more stores I went to Kids kept working on the kits, reading, the worse I got. I found out about diSCUSSing-all of us were leanling togeth We all crossed our fingers. Power on. schools using computers and many other er. I could not give the infomlation to the Nothing. Everything plugged in? Nope. Photos bv Howie DiBlasi. applications for our electronics and students fast enough. I had to run them Plugged in the IMSAI. Tumed it on. Audio Visual programs. I spent some time out of the electronics lab almost every Lights on the data bus and in put came on! talking to people who had built their own day. Our school has classes that start at Checked to see if the ACT -I tenninal No luck. AliI could get was parity errors. UP AND AT 'EM NOWWHATI systems from kits. After hearing the pros 7:00 AM for students who like to take an worked. Nothing on the screen. Connec A phone call to Phoenix infonned me and cons I decided that our electronics early class. About 25% of the students tions OK? Yes, everything checked OK. that the heads on my tape recorder were I sent the tape recorder to Phoenix and If I really put my mind to it we can start students could build a system. elect to do this, the rest start at 8:00 AM. not aligned the same as the heads on the had it back in a week. I fed Star Trek in to use this computer for some really func School is out at 2:40 PM but there were Two hours later I still could not get the machine the tape was made on. Alan and had it running in a matter of minutes. tional and educational things around the THE PLUNGE days when we did not leave school until tenninal to display letters on the screen. went through the procedures of loading TIle kids were jumping up and down. schooL How about using it for: 5: 30. How about that! Kids staying after I decided that it would be a good idea to the tapes but nothing would work. He TIley could not contain themselves. Try • Keeping student schedules I returned to Lake Havasu convinced that school because they want to learn more. inspect the wires and cables that connec told me to send him the ullit and he to imagine the first time you saw Star • Storing student grades we should include a computer in our elec What is this world coming to?! The infec ted everything together. It took ten would align it properly and make new Trek running on a micro. It is really some • Inventory of school eqUipment tronics classes. I called the Byte Shop tion was spreading to so many areas it minutes to find a loose wire on the tapes. thing to see. Everything was going banan • Budget and purchase order control back in Phoenix and Alan and I discussed was becoming an epidemic-I wondered National Multiplex 2A10 board. When it as. Kids were pushing each other to get a • Mailing list of students the items that would best suit our pro· if it could be kept under control. was soldered it was not connected proper Meanwhile, Alan suggested we could still better look. One student got so exci ted • Mailing tist of teachers gram. We wanted a product that was ly and had come loose; a quick solder job try out 'Kildot', an assembly language he had to excuse himself to go to the • Word processing durable and would stand up under student DANGER,OANGER,MOS,MOS solved that problem. program in the IMSAI manual. He spent bathroom. I got the kids calmed down • Student checks on subject matter use every day. Our classes could go 40 minutes on the phone going over the and then went through the game of • Student standard mean and deviation through the 'how it works' process and When you pick up the memory chips for We were all ready to try it again. Power correct way to feed in a program in Star Trek and explained how to play it. • Math plots and equations also pul the computer to work in as many the RAM boards you cannot help but on. On the IMSAI I hit the switches: Stop, assembly language. He explained hex It took about an hour to explain the • Educational simulations applications as possible. An order was notice the big bright letters that say rese t, examine, run. Well, I'll be! A ques code and how to use it. We made a game and answer their questions. • Audio visual materials available to placed for the following equipment: 'Danger, MOS Device'. That is enough tion mark came up on the screen, just like number of mistakes while doing the pro teachers 1 IMSAI Microcomputer to scare anybody. I decided that a little it was supposed to. So far so good. gram but he was very patient with us and We set up a schedule so that each student • Video tapes available to teachers 1 ACT -I Tenninal research would payoff. An excellent ar· was really a big help. I sure am glad it was could have a turn. As they were playing • Films and movies available to teachers 1 National Multiplex 2SIO Interface ticle by Joe Magee can be found in the WHAT'S A KI LOOT? his dime for the phone call. We fed the the ganle my mind started drifting. 2 Processor Tech nology 4K RAM Boards February 1977 issue of Kilobaud. Anoth program in to memory, recalled it, exam The computer enthusiasm had spread Hey! What am I doing sitting here? I have 1 Seals 8K RAM Board er reference can be found in the August We went over the National Multiplex ined the program and then saved it on everywhere. Teachers were talking about a lot of work to do. Let's see, I think I I Educasselte Recorder 1977 issue of Popular Electronics. information that explained the Dump, tape. We had dots flashin g on the LED's it , kids were talking about it with their will start with the program for the <, Save, Load and other procedures to get on the IMSAI and the kids had a lot of parents, everything I was reading had student schedules. Then maybe the I had a video monitor in our TV slUdio to We took the first necessary precaution by data into the memory and out of the fun with their firsl program. The idea sometlting to do with computers. My principal will try to find me some more get us started; later we would order a talking about the MOS device and how memory. It was time to see if everything of the game is to catch a LED when it is wife was sick and tired of me talking money to purchase another com puter, monitor for the computer. sensitive it is to static electricity. We set would work when we put a program in. on; then the program decreases the flash about micros and my friends were sure With all the programs we are going to up part of the lab area with a large piece We had purchased a tape with BASIC and rate of each LED. If you do not hit the I had gone off the deep end. have we may need several. I wonder if All of the items had to be ordered from of sheet metal and connected it to ground. a few games on it from the Byte Shop in LED the speed increases. It provided me computer bugs ever byte prinCipals? the factory ; we were told they would We then connected a wire to a good Phoenix. I spent the next hour trying to with an opportunity to discuss binary arrive in a few weeks. We spent the next earth ground with a 1 megohm resistor at feed BASIC and Star Trek into memory. math and how to count.
4. PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR-APR 47 .. 1
• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• *l~ ••••••••••••••••** •••••••••••••••••••••••••• Measuring tImE on the PET MEASURING UNITS OF 1/60 SECOND The PET user's booklet explains the use of TI to measure jiffies (1/60 second units). The value of II is an integer equiva BY LARRY TESLER lent to the number of jiffies that have elapsed since TIS was and Other Microcomputers set to "000000". It is not possible to assign to TI directly. To measure the time DT between statements 100 and 200, one could use this program: • TIS counts in hours, minutes, and seconds like a digital watch; 100 TIS'" ''000000'' • TI counts in units of 1/60 second ("'jiffies"); • PEEK(59465) counts in units of 1/3900 second (256 microseconds); • PEEK(59464) counts in units of one millionth of a second 200 DT: TI (I microsecond); • PEEK(512) and PEEK(5l3) count in units of about 18 A result of DT:: 375 would mean that 375 jiffies, or 6.25 minutes and about 4 seconds, respectively. seconds, elapsed between statements 100 and 200. The maxi mum value of DT is 5184000, after which it rolls over to O. If you have a computer but not a PET, consult its manual This method, too, is suitable for measuring intervals shorter under the heading "Interval Timer" or "Real Time Clock" than 24 hours. to find out how to measure time. [If the processor is a 6502 type, there is probably a 6522 PIA device like the one the One disadvantage of the two programs shown so far is that in PET uses for methods (3) and (4), but the exact memory both programs TIS is reset. If you were using TIS to keep addresses to use are probably not 59464 and 59465. Look for track of the time of day, this can mess things up. The follow locations 8 and 9 in the description of the PIA.1 ing program avoids that problem:
To demonstrate the use of each method, we will assume that 100T=TI there is a BASIC program in which one wants to measure the time between the performance of statements 100 and 200...... The operation of a microcomputer requires one or more memory location or an output register. The following program "clocks". Some of the "clocks" in a computer are quite like MEASURING HOURS, MINUTES and SECONDS 2000T:TI-T PEEKs and POKEs the interval timer to measure the time the clocks we use to teU time. They count from zero to some between statements 100 and 200: maximum number at a regular rate and then start over at zero In January, Commodore began distributing a booklel called Here, we record the time before and after the interval, and again. Other so-caJled "clocks" simply swing like a pendulum All Introduction to Your New PET Personal Electronic Trans subtract them to detennine the elapsed time. But now there is between two voltages. They are like a walch that only tells actor. This 38·page booklet includes a discussion of how the another problem. If the clock strikes midnight between state 1 DT=O: TH:59465: TA"246 whether it is day or night, except that their rate of counting variable TIS can be used to measure time in hours, minutes, ments 100 and 200, TI will roll over to zero and DT will be Initialize these variables early to ensure that later is a million or more times a second. In this article we will dis and seconds. The value of TIS is a string of the fonn negative. If you don't want your program to turn into a accesses will take place in a rapid and predictable cuss the first kind of clock. and how a program can use such a " HHMMSS",e.g., 10 set the time 10 2:35 p.m., use: pumpkin, add the following statement: amounl of time. The time inlervals being measured are clock to measure time intervals. actually shorter than the time it takes BASIC to do TIS: "143500" 210 IF DT 48 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 49 .. i *******************************************then constructed a conventional joystick ~nterface •. In which The Patter of Little Feet the variable resistance is incorporated mto a SImple RC oscillator circuit controUed by a 560·type timer Ie. S~ch a circuit has the property that the rise time of the capa~l.tor BY ROBERT ROSSUM is proportional to the resistance, and thus to the pOSition A Cheap Approach of the joystick. to the Mechanics The PET user port, or any computer's parallel 1/0 ~ort, can talk to such an interface in various ways. I arrange~ 1,1 so that the charging of the capacitor was started by a transition from of Robotics I to 0 on the output pin PAl afthe user port, and so that ,the external circuit signalled input pin PAO when the capac ~t or became charged beyond a preset threshold. The elapsed tune be tween the two events varied between about 9~ an~ I~O milliseconds depending on the pOSition of the Joystick m that axis. (The other axis used pins PA2 and PA3.) User port pins PAD and PAl on the PET can be add,:ssed f BASIC by PEEK and POKE to the 1- and 2·bltS of ~~:Ory address 59471. The corre~po~d~g bits in me~0I?' location 59459 detennine which pm IS mput and which IS output. The bit·pin correspondence is as follows: *********************A result of DT=35 would mean that 8.96 milliseconds (35 un its of 256 microseconds) elapsed between stateme?ts PAO ~n PA7 PA6 PA5 PA4 PA3 PA2 PAl 100 and 200. The maximum value of DT is 246, after which I Bit 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 it will roll over to -9, -8, etc. I was surprised to discover that a BAS.IC p~ogram could be TItis method is most suitable for measuring interva~s ~lor~er written to detennine the position of the Joystick: The pro~am than 63 milliseconds, but I have also used it to .dlstmgUlsh resets the interval timer to zero just before starting t~e oscilla· more lengthy intervals as long as their difference IS less than tor cycle. It then uses the WAIT command to walt for the The name Rossum may be familiar to We thank MITs for pemlission to reprint Recap: III the first of the tWO parts of 63 ms. input Signal to change to a l. After 96 to ~20 ms,.when the science fiction fans-it comes from the the figures in the article from the October this series, I described the double input signal changes. the timer is in th~ midst of,.ts s.e cond Orpek play, RU.R. The play is com· issue of Computer Notes. windlass mechanism as a simple, cheap MEASURING UNITS OF 1 MICROSECOND 63 ms countdown. Here is the program With annotations. monly cited as the source of the tenn approach to the design and construction 'robot' as it is commonly used ('R.U.R.' Copyright 011 this article is held by of mobile systems by poverty·stricken The interval timer has a register at address 59464 th~t counts 1 DT=O' TH=59465: TA==80: PP==5947I stands for 'Rossum J Universal Robots. ') USRS, a lion-profit corporation devoted non ·engineen. down every microsecond. Whenever it reaches zero, II causes Initialize DT and the constants. The calibration factor Members of the United States Robotics to gathering, collating, and disseminating the slower 256 microsecond timer to count down by one, and T A has been selected for our particular joystick to make Society (USRS) are using the family infont/ation about robotics to those The basic idea is that a very small amount it starts itself counting down again from 255. the center position come out DT = 0 and the range be IUIme 'Rosmm' as a kind of collective intereJted in the subject. For more infor of energy applied to either Lever A or -65 to +65. pseudonym for their publications. mation, write USRS, PO Box 26484, Lever 8 (See Figure 1) pulls the cord ft is about as sensible to use the one microsecond time~ in 2 POKE 59459.2 Members who prefer to be anonymous Albuquerque, NM 87102. snug around the pulley and thereby a BASIC program as it would be to use a stopwatch to tll~e Make PAD be an input Signal and PAl be an output may publish through USRS under draws energy from the main motor the growth of a carrot. Consider it only if you plan to wnte signal. whatever 'Rossum-name' they reserve. to move the opposite lever until tension machine language programs (see Don Inman's Data Handler Thus on the cord is relieved. In this way, far, Iullf a dozen names have Lever A series in previous issues of People's Computers.) been spoken for, e.g. 'So A. Rossum, ' very small amounts of energy can be 'D. 1. Rossum,' and some folks whose t::. used for control of a large number of MEASURING MISCELLANEOUS UNITS 300 POKE PP,I: POKE TH,O: POKE PP ,O: WAlT PP,2,2: real family name is Rossum have been paired mechanisms along a shaft driven DT=TA-PEEK(TH) listed. Pulley by a single main motor. The power of The first release of the PET operating system uses the POKE to output a 1 on PAO. the motor is shared by various mecha· following memory locations to calculate TI and TIS: POKE to reset the interval timer. . 'Robert Rossum' writes books, articles, nisms as it's needed. So any particular POKE to output a 0 on PAO and thus to start the capaci' and lIoll-theatrical motion pictures. He Motor mechanism can obtain as much energy PEEK (514) increments every jiffy. Counts from 1 10255 in F= = tor charging. Iws spent most of the past 20 years TL ~ as It needs up to the full capacity of the about 4 seconds. WAIT until bit 2 of location PP becomes nonzero. working ill research and developmental motor, while the average load on the PEEK (5 13) increments every 256 jiffies. Counts from 0 to Calculate and adjust the time DT that elapsed while laboratories. main motor is comparatively low. The 255 in about 18 minutes. waiting. / \7 \ elements of the system are not much PEEK (512) increments every 65536 jiffies. Counts from 0 Additional background material on ~.ft more complex than Tinkertoys, allowing to 80 in 24 hours. A result of DT:::-65 would mean that the joystick is all the designing a robot may be foulld in our the frustrated amateur to build his/her way to the left, DT=65 all the way to ~~e right, 0 in the back issues-see Rossum 's articles 'Robots Lever B own experimental systems at a modest TIMING EVENTS ON EXTERNAL DEVICES center, and other values in proportional pOSltions. as Household Pets' (Vol j No 4) and cost. 'Pet Robots: New Capabilities' (Vol 6 Figure 1 1 purchased an inexpe~lsive ;?~stic~ c~nslructe.d in .such a Well, I hope these tips will help you have a good time Wi~ No 1) and 'Careful Bull ill the OIina way that variation of Its POSition JO either. axiS vane.d the your PET! Shop '(Vol 6 No 4). o o o resistance of a potentiometer in a proportional fashion. I MAR.APR 51 50 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS - , . When NalUre designed animals to move mented one engineer, 'is to find a dog difficult projects, producing things that around, she gave them legs instead of skeleton and make an investment casting wild·eyed inventors regard as trivially wheels. For such animals as snails, cater of his legs. That's a great design.' easy. After Norris's heated rejoinder, pillrrs, and snakes, 'tracks' wert provided. Basically, the dog's leg looks like the the enthusiast said, 'Let me rephrase that. However, complex as they are, legs are diagram in Figure 2. With enough effort, it could be made the big winners in locomotion. Wheels Flapping wings, TIl is is a Simplified sketch, but it shows to tap dance.' just don't seem to work well unless the waving fins, terrain is fairly level and smooth. It seems that only three moves are required to The fact is that dogs, from whbm this a shame 10 design robots with systems walking legs, make the leg functional. Each section of leg design is borrowed, are seldom good Nature has rejected, but we can usually and perhaps the leg can be treated as 'Lever B' in dancers. Certainly, that's not only due control our robots' environments more the double windlass mechanism described M a few tracks to lack of interest, but also to the design easily than we can build flexible robols. here. Each section can be powered and seem inevitable controlled individually, drawing power of the leg, which has fewer degrees of freedom in its motion than does the Perhaps the most discouraging fact to in the future from the single main motor. human leg or arm. Even so, the dog those who hope to develop anti-gravity of robots. can do a number of practical things that devices is that no living creatures employ Power can be transmitted from the rOlating main shaft to the levers by way the average robot can't do. For example. them. If antigravity were possible, surely of a system similar to an old· fashioned a dog can walk around a hill without some animals would have evolved dentist's drill; three double·windlass toppling over or walk up a fl ight of practical anti.gravity capabilities .. ~e mechanisms operate together to control steps. competitive advantage of such capabilIties the movement of one leg, as indicated in would be enormous. In this case, even Figures 3-6. He can step over obstacles, squeeze 10 the born optimist, the fact that some· between objects, squirm under fences. A thing hasn'l already been done strongl~ In this case, it may be desirable to use robot might do worse than to emulate suggests thai it can't be done. There s pulleys of different sizes on the sh.aft the dog. But by using this scheme, many no evidence either, that animals can do (see Figure 7), since the longest sectIOn configurations of the robot are possible. well on home ·grown wheels. Lovable as of the limb may need more power but Star Wars' R2D2 may be, it's hard to less speed applied to it, while the shortest The first important consideration is how believe that his little wheels carried him section may work best with lots of speed many legs your robot needs. It's generally smoothly through those sand dunes. and limited power. true that the larger and heavier an animal So flapping wings, waving fins, walking is, the less likely he is to have all four feet legs, and perhaps a few tracks seem • Clearly, the coordination of ~ovements off the ground at once. An elephant inevitable in the future of robots. for effective use of such a leg IS complex, moves fast, but he always has two feet on requiring accurate timing and logical the same side on the ground at the same Since legs are the most practical, let's operations dependent on feedback ~f time. Smaller animals can more safely information from the real world. This talk about them. We can construct the use a variety of gaits. While walking best design by copying Nature. 'Maybe article deals only with the principles of animals move their legs in synchrony the only sensible thing to do,' com· Figure 2 the mechanical system. not with the much of the time, they tend not to move them in phase to avoid oscillation that Figure 6 could flip them right over. Bugs with eight legs tend to turn like caterpilJer tractors, stopping movement logic required. The computerist can Examining this proposed system, one on one side while continuing movement M look forward to many years of devel· enthusiast commented: 'It would be the on the other to cause pivoting. Of course, oping logic that lets the clumsy baby essence of simplicity to make the robot mechanism grow up into a coordinated an animal with legs all around might be tap dance!' The remark was followed by able to rotate smoothly around the center artificial animal. However, the logic a strong remonstrance from Clenn Norris, point of its body as wheeled robots (con. necessary is not mysterious; it's largely president of USRS, who has made a sider Paper,'s Turtle, Hollis's Newt) often a mailer of timing and sequencing, career out of conquering hideously do. influenced by feedback. Commentators at the 1976 Olympics talked a great deal about the improbabil· ity that a tensed·up sprinter could get away from the starting blocks in as short a time as 10 milliseconds. That's enough time for 10,000 cycles of operation of a one·megahertz computer. Real·time M ~ F= operation seems like no great problem, - especially since the robots may not need Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 the coordination of Olympic athletes for some time. Figure 7 52 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 63 .. 1 Legs-all·around may not be too difficult great acceleration demanding extra surges nervous system. You receive a sharp stim to construct. We've already discussed the of energy is required. Moving upstairs and ulus to a sensitive point in your knee, and use of a flexible shaft on our main molor. downstairs should be all the same to a your system responds by yanking on your It may be possible to run that shaft all the machine designed to be in no particular lower leg. (If something is biting you, or way around so that it connects with the hUrry. I you are being burned, this reflex tends to motor again at the other end (Figure 8). pull you out of danger.) Pulleys could be arrayed along the cir If you're eager for robots that slither or cular shaft so that power could be pulled creep instead of walk , this same approach When the reaction is complete, where is off at any point. But how many legs and should work. Aquatic creatures with flip your leg? Well, it's hanging there, loose how m:my mechanisms can be fitted pers and arboreal types with arms again, ready for something else of interest along the loop? designed for tree-climbing are very to happen. Note that your leg doesn't fly similar. A flying robot with flapping up and kick the doctor into the next Operating limbs can reach out in any wings seems improbable, considering the room. It also doesn't snap back sharply to direction from the main body of the aeronautical failu re with omithopters, its original position, or lock into position SPOT The Soc iety of PET Owners and Trainers creature. If you lean strongly to emula but the field is wide open to experiment. at the peak of its reaction movement. It tion of the dog, you may decide to give does something your brain can detect as a the beast a waggable tail. That would protective move and then stops the reaction. Then it's ready for the next require on ly a single double-windlass • •I • mechanism. To give the tail more expres action, relaxed and not committed to anything in particular. siveness, add another double-windlass so L--- it can move up and down as well as back L- L- L------and forth. A dog with its tail between ils The 'nervous system' in the robot may ':' IJ C C legs is ordinarily indicating su bmissiOIl. be designed with similar reflexes. The .-. ,~ You may wanl your robollo appear sub mechanical system must be able to work in accordance with the nervous system. •••• ~ missive when it's being scolded. The abil M v.y,.x' :~. .••...•... .. '-" ,.,:~' ·.... i .. X- This leads to questions about 'nonnal' ..···.· ..X· v.wx- ~ ...... ity of a robot to express gloom as well as pleasure can prove extremely useful to ils positions for limbs. A horse ordinarily handler, who needs signs that let hinl sleeps on his feet, because he has a leg at anticipate what the robot will do next. each corner to keep him balanced, and his Clues to 'emotional state' are extremely legs lock nonnally into a standing Commodore's PET is a factory assembled Announcements. We're still waiting for Contact Carl Martin, 2001 Bryan Tower, Commodore to begin selling software. useful. position. Similarly, he sleeps with his personal computer based on a 6502 Suite 3800, Dallas, TX 75201; (214) head erect. He must expend energy to put microprocessor. 71le IInit includes a key 742·5750. his head down to the grass to graze. When board, cassette tape IIl1it. CRT, some DOCUMENTATI ON In past articles copyrighted by the USRS, Figure 8 robots have been evaluated as household he relaxes, his head is pulled naturally up graphiCS, IIpper and lower case, and an Robert Elliott Purser (Box 466, EI pets; the point being that if robots are to to a level at which he can see most things extended 8K BASIC The system with 4K By now PET owners should have received Dorado, CA 95623) is starting a reference be welcome in society, they must display that attack horses. 0/ user memory costs $595; tile 8K their introductory manuals. Commodore list (to be published) of software available features and characteristics that society A major feature of the double-windiass model costs $795. Commodore has will send, upon request, a collection of on cassettes for the PET, TRS-80, SOL has already accepted. Since household is its push-pull capacity. It not only pulls What's the nonnal position for the robot? amlOlmeed a 4 week de/i)'ery time for its bulletins answering conunon questions and Apple 11 computers. pets are clearly acceptable, roboticists a lever up in one direction, but can also A design can be chosen to suil any $99.95 second cassette drille. Orders may PET owners have. A detailed PET User's TA PE TI PS may well Sludy them in detail and make push it back the other way. This recip rationale. Springs can be used to hold be placed through Commodore, 901 Manual is now being written by Commo use of their physical and behavioral char· rocating movement is very important to limbs in a 'nonnal' position. However, it's Colifomia Aile. Palo Alto, C4 94304, dore; it will be sold for about $12-15. At first we bemoaned the lack of a tape acteristics. For example, animals whose animals; Nature makes sure that they can not necessary to use a single spring to (415) 326-4000. Data sheets on the chips used in the PET counter on the PET, as we suffered hooves scratch hardwood floors and back out of trouble as we ll as push into hold a leg in position. Doing so expends a are available from KIM dealers. damage carpets aren't often invited into it, thus adapting to new situations. To lot of the motor's energy in overcoming PET faIlS will a/so be i1lterested in the through hours spent searching for mes the parlor. Animals that weigh more than survive, the robot must be able to put its that spring whenever the limb moves. article on timing "11 this isslle. PET NEWS LE TTE RS/G ROUPS on tape. But we've decided a tape counter 50 pounds ordinarily live outside. Those foot down as well as pick it back up Instead, you can use paired springs that wouldn't help that much, especially since that move faster than about two miles an without cycling through a full rotation hold the limb at the point of equilibrium Photos in this article were takell 0/ PEr In November, a professional-looking we expect young children to use our hour in the house are sent outside to movement. Control of this action must between them. When the motor pulls the sereellS using a Polariod camera with a 7 -page booklet bearing the title 'PET PETs. Even with a tape counter you have limb, it fights one of the springs as it special hood to reduce glare. User Notes' was published by a PET to re member where on a tape a file is. j release their energies. be in the 'brain' of the robot, in its logic circuitry. Again, this involves philosophy releases ene rgy stored under tension. This enthusiast in Pennsylvania. Very general Taking these things into consideration, and logic beyond the scope of this article, wastes some energy, but the overall cost We encourage readers ro submit com (but useful) infonnation was provided. The solution we like best so far is to use the practical pet robot will probably but the mechanical design must not pre may be far outweighed by the savings in ments on and programs for tile PEr (or Future issues are scheduled to contain short tapes-about JO minutes long (5 weigh 30-90 pounds, will use one to clude solutions to logical problems. maintaining a nonnal 'power-off posi the TRS-80, or. .. ). Please submit only information on PET programs and minutes per side). That's enough tape three cubic feet of space, and will be tion, which is better than having your tested alld debugged programs~we don't systems offered for sale, and to devote to hold 2 copies of an 8K program on more spherical than otherwise. This config Briefly consider one of Nature's tricks robot coll apse in a heap on the floor. have time to debug programs here. much space to software exchange. The each side-but it's little enough tape that uration suits the double-windlass mech the human knee-jerk reflex. When you second of these bi-monthly publications both sides of the tape can be used for anism very well. get a physical exam, the doctor taps just With small motors, pulleys, springs, and should be out soon. To get on the mailing program storage. (JIe gave up using more under your kneecap with his silly little levers, your construction of a satisfactory SOFTWA RE AVA ILABI LITY list , send $5.00 to PET User Notes, than one side of tapes longer than 15 An engineer listening to this discussion rubber hammer and is gratified when mobile system at modest cost is possible. POBox 371, Montgomeryville, PA minutes-it simply took too long to migh t suggest off the top of his head that your knee jerks. In fact, your brain The patter of little feet around the house Various ads for PET software have been 18936. rewind.) We're pleased to announce we've a 1/6 to 1/4 horsepower motor is probab doesn't become involved with that knee may soon be produced not by kids and appearing-we'd appreciate hearing from come up with a source of inexpensive ly adequate to move such a robot around jerk, except as an observer. The whole cats, but walking machines trying their anyone who's tried any. Peninsula School A PET Users' group is fonning in Dallas short tapes-see 'Cassette Data Tapes' at not more than two mph, assuming no thing is handled in a subcircuit of your new legs. 0 software is offered under 'Software' in to exchange ideas and information. under Other in Announcements. MAR·APR 55 54 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS - DRAW REVISITED Annotations for Dot Mode. 1 REM " DRAW SK" FOR SK PET 2 REM COPYRIG HT 1977, 1978 2~ G010 1700 31140 GOTO 3605 3000 Fl..Fl._1 4000 Pl!ollR_1'Il PRINT CHRS{PR); The PET drawing program has been 0: quadran I number. For drawing small PEN IN SULA SCHOOL, MENLO PARK, CA 3010 IF FL.WH nt(N GO$IA .000 squallll, loch printing characler il divided 3020 .. F!..Ot.. nEN Fl.O; GOSOII .000 :g~g ~PGS,"(L£FT]": 3 REM PERMISSION TO USE, BUT NOT TO SELL 3030 GOTO 100 expanded and modified by Larry Tesler • PN$.-(Of'F.$P.CF..Off,} OFF.:.Of'F '.OFI',(, .500 PGSo" ", PR.f! 3100 PRINT "[C~l", into four rmbellld ushown: IIVS. ".RVS.1.RVS CON.M .... OFF ,COMMA, 4510 _f "(Of'F] [L£FT]":CHRS(II), and Dave OfTen. We reproduce it here in qual~ni: 3110 YoINT(lt.1V.LY)/Z)· X,""'l(M~.UC)l a ) 4520 GOTO 100 OFF.1.Of'F, "IIVS (,R¥S. '.RVS.;.RVS.>,IIVS.sP.a:] " 3'20 PRINT "[tIOME]".LtFT5("('2 OQWN)",Y),SPC(X); full because portions of last issue's listing 5 lS... •· 1.0 POK[ 5946a,12 5000 XO.MJ!· ~IoLll' ya.MY YIoLV, I(.sc 3 130 RV.1. C.53, 001, OX.O: OY . O 50'0 'OR YOU TO lilY G SC.32160, SI'.32 S5"60, CV.HII 3140 GOTO 3800 were pretty much unreadable. 7 DV.255· 91"20' us.u,· 0T$.C~$(3.) 5020 'FOR XoO TO 3D OX: component of the quadrant in the X 3'50 GEl CS IF C5."" GOTO 3300 5030 C.PE(X(K),I( .I(., a LX., Po!X'3U lv.a, MV.14' a"'-l ES(MV) 3'60 C.ASC(C$) AND us direction (0 or t). II 11$'''(lrFT)'' 'CIIRSl al . " [RIGIIT]" 50~0 'IF C.SP GOTO 5'00 3110 IF FL>.WIl nlfN OOSUB 3400 5000 'IF XOO rH[N XO.ll How Draw Works. For new readers, OY: component of the quadrant in the Y la ~S'''lUl') ... ClIRSla)."[OOwNJ'' 3180 IF C.CR THEN n._1U. GOTO 3150 1510115."1"' NIlS."9"· CR.13, RhIO, DE.20 5070 IF ~>XI THCN J;hJ; 3'90 Fl..WII_WT 5000 .. Y PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 57 .. oping has disappeared. Is it possible to from the early days of Computest on restart without zeroing memory? Such the 1620 to his current efforts, I was CHECKBOOK PROGRAM a capability would sure be nice. most interested to read of your develop· 5. The monitor doesn't have equal gain ment of a PET version of PI LOT. Is there 70 ReM M)O UP YOUR CUCCKOOOK OH HOW TO 00 ArM ~OAMU FOH IlOlLUl$ "NO CENTS horizontally and vertically. As a con· more infonnation available on that DO ArM ov OWCN H... WION$ 100 PAINT"[CUI]"N" sequence, when I draw a circle (in a implementation? Is there any way this 120 IM'\IT "AMOUNT IS -,,, UO .....N1'( ... ·,OO. 51: T.T." mam program) it comes out an ellipse. version can be purchased? 140 PA1NT "[UI']",TA.O(UI; A square (equal numbers of horizontal no f'M.IT " -, x$.sms(... , 110 IF ... 0$(4){IO THOI and vertical elements) comes out a rec Nonnan T. Bell X:;.l[FTS(XS. I ). "0- .RIGIfTS(lIS. I) 170 PAIIIT T,,0(33-U;N(X$)):"S··: tangle. I have found a height adjust Director, Faculty Development Program 100 PR1N1' LeFTS(.S LEfooI(.S)-al,· ";RI0I1T$(XS.2) ment in the monitor but no width con College of Osteopathic Medicine 1110 IF ".0 l1«:N IF N 1'IIEN ....1', N.O: I'!!INT PRINT "TOT"L" , OOTO '40 ==RACE trol. Is there one? If so, I could fix it. Michigan State University ZOO ON N GOTO 120 illll [NO Here is what the circle looks like (I told you it's a square). (Incidentally, such controls probably East Lansing, MI should come out the back.) BY B ERIC KSON + + + + + 6. It really would be nice to be able in We'd enjoy seeing results of your art 100 clellll'" ller"n und sets GOTQ 1189 N to 1. : 1 2 3 ! one vertical and one horizontal com contest-some of our PET graphics 120 round. A to 2 decimal places and removes Frog Race is a game based on races in which you PUI frogs in + 4 5 + decimal point;computes cumulatjve total, T. + 6 7 8 + mand to send the cursor to any place accompany this article. As for your ques the center of a circle; the first frog to jump out of the circle + + on the screen (e.g., POKE 245, V). rions on PILOT, see the 'PET Software' 150 erases A on the screen and converts it to a is the winner. BUI the frogs don't know or care they are in + + + + + string. a race, and Illay jump in any direction. In this program the With this, graphing would reaUy be ad under Announcements. Remember that all input to the computer must be tenninated 16011 A is loss than 10 inHlrts a '0'. frogs will jump in any direction, one jump at a time. easy. This amounts to a two-dimen 170·180 printli the fOfl11uuod number. by a carriage return. sional TAB conunand. 190 jf finished (A was zero), then $Waps T into POST· DOC WARRANTY? First you are asked 'How many players?'-there can be up to A, .IS fla9 to zero, and prinls the total. This program is formatted for Southwest Technical Product Despite these criticisms J am very happy 200 gets more numbers unlllSs N-O. S. Then odds will be printed out; they come pretty close to Corporation's SK BASIC, Version 2.0, using their cursor with the PET. I am very excited about being right. Next each player is asked 10 pick a frog (numbered commands. It will also work on a teletype. This is a test this machine for educational applications As a new PET owner, I found your No· For those of you who have not yet I to S) and to bet (there is no limit on how much you bet). program, so you can see if my programs run on your system. vember article timely and infonnative. convinced your wife (and I suppose a because of its powerful BAS IC, because The pr~gra~ uses the commands I use in the rest of my pro. of its price, and because of its portability. I can't speak for the other owners but for husband or two) that buying the PET was After all bets have been made the computer prints the frogs grams-If thiS runs, they all run, if you have enough memory. The latter property is especially exciting one who has an elementary knowledge of a dire necessity. you might let her use in a circle (it's really a square). The circle and frogs are I sell computer games in Standard BASIC as well as SWfPC because it gives us teachers, for the first BASIC and is interested in learning more the above program to add up the check reprinted each time a frog jumps until a frog jumps out of the BASIC. time, the opportunity to let our students BASIC plus assembly language, the PET book. It's considerably more fun than a circle. Finally the computer prints the winning frog's number, take a computer home overnight or over a to date has been a let·down. Foremost is pocket calculator and you can visually the odds it paid, and what each player won or lost. B Erickson, POBox 11099, Chicago IL 60611 weekend to develop an idea through use their lack of a comprehensive instruction inspect your entries. o of a simulation or to solve a problem nor book which treats the three PET features: 5 ROi THIS PROGRAli IS FOR:1ATTED FOR SOUTHIl.,ST mally beyond their capability. BASIC, assembly language and graphics. Unfortunately you are limited to 2 10 IF ACI)_9 T1I0I PRINT" .. ";,(IOTO 220 10 R£!i Tl::CHllICAL PRODUCTS CORP. SK aASIC VERSION 2.0 215 PRIllT .. ";ACI); I argue that the lack of such a book does numbers less than 10 million. If that 15 F.l."1 USIIlG THEIR TV TY?t:"RITER II ilTH THEIR CURSOR 220 In.XT I, PRlIlT'X_X+9. IF' X".61 TrlEN RETUR:l 20 RE.':I CO'IMA~DS OR A TaETYP!:. Ludwig Braun not allow me to fully test out the PET presents a problem for you, I suggest 225 GO TO 200 25 Gosua 190:l"RU1T ""ifAT ARE YOU USlr-IG" that you simply do away with the cents 230 IF' Y_ I THl21 325 Professor and Asst. Director and therefore my warranty shouJd start 30 PRINT "I-TV TYPl'lfRITJ::R",PRltlT 2J5 F'OR 1"1 TO 8 by modifications to lines 140, 160 & a5 ItlPUT II,IF M-I TH .U! 50 for Educational Technology only after I receive my book. What do the 240 GOSUB 270 other PET owners think? ISO. Now you can almost handle a 40 IF J1-2 TIiEN 50 State University of New York 45 GOTO 2S 245 IF' A{H(J).X)_9 TIlEt/ 31S Stony Brook, NY billion. When you're ready for the total, SO DATA 2.2.3,J,1I,S,S.10 2S0 IF A(H{I).X)~"O Tft!:» 2110 The PET is a great machine, but there is enter '0' as the amount. 5S DIJ1 AeSI).tHS),CeS).DeS),HeS) 2S5 LI:.T A{iHI).X)-I:AOHI»_OlnCI).HCI)+X 60 LItJJ!o> O,DIGITS.O 260 N~)(T I:GOTO 180 PET PI CTURES always room for improvement. The case 265 LET K.2'2:RETUIU/ 65 GOSU8 190,PRINT ""AIT" 270 LET X.. INT{S.R,...HHO)).I in point is the lack of a counter on the If you don't have a checkbook but like 10 FOR 1-) TO SI:A(!)-O'"D:T I J was interested to read in the November· tape unit. looking for programs on a the fonTlaued output, just use lines 140 75 FOR 1 _ ' TO 9.ACI).9.A(J.'2).9:!l<:XT I 275 IF X-I THUI ;.:~-9:RI:.TURN SO FOR 1-10 TO 64 STEP 9.ACIl.9IA(J.S).9:'IEXT I 260 I, "'-2 THf.R X."8:RLTUR:J to ISO in your own progranl. If you 2;)5 II' )(~3 THF'.N X__ I :RJrrUR:! December issue of your experiences with cassette is a real chore. A counter would 65 LET ,1>.0, FOR 1"1 TO d.READ O<1l1NEXT 1 the PET. Shortly after receiving the issue make PET even better. still don't like anything then at least take 90 LET AtJI).I:ACJ2}.2.AeJJ).3IAOI0).4 290 IF' )("4 THEN x." flE-TUIUI your DRAW program was running and we a closer look at line 190. The IF ... 9S LET A(42).S:A{49)_6:ACSO).T.ACSI)"o 295 IF' X.S Tlfi:." X.S:Rr.TUf\.'j 100 LET H{I).JII;/(2)-J2.H(J).3J.HC4).40 JOO IF' X"6 TIi<:N X.9IRETUR'1 are now planning a contest for art students I think the PET section in People's Com THEN ... THEN IF ... etc can go fairly IDS L~T HCS).42:H(6).49:H(T).SO'He8).51 JOS IF X.1 THOI X.IO.RI:.TUR:I 310 LJ:T X""IO:RETUR.~ in one of the schools in which I am can· pIlfers is filling a real need, and I urge you deep. And if you're big on commas (I'm 1 10 GOsua I!:IO:PRI"T "HOIf l'I~lY PLAYCRS " ; not) the key is FROM 10 to 4 STEP -3. liS INPUT P,P-INTCP):IF' P"-O THEN 405 31S LET J-I:IhI,Atrl(J)+X)."ACHClll_O suiting. Using high contrast film and a [0 keep with it. We, the interested and 120 IF Pe_6 TUOI IJO 320 LJ::T iHll-H(J)+X:GOTO lao J2S GOSUD 265,PRItlT:GOSU3 190 micro lens, we are able to capture the uninfomled PET owners of the world, 125 PRUlT "110 Il0RE TliAN 8 PLAYERS" : (lOSU8 26S,GOTO 110 IJO GOSUa 190 JJO PRlllT "FROG '10.";J;"WO!/- _ PAIO "JO(J);"TO I" work for reproduction. It is a most inter support you. Owen Hawkins 335 PRI!IT : PRI:IT "PLAYt.ii .. : PRI!JT 135 PRIIIT " FROG ~O. ODDS" esting exerise in applying the computer in Menlo Park, CA FOR I-I TO 6 J40 F'OH. ,·1 TO P:?RINT "SO.";l;:I; DO).oJ TliC'1 J50 some of the less expected areas of the Phillip Gash '" "RI;IT TABtll);!;".---"" ";O(I);"TO I" J4S PiUllT "YOU LOSl' "JCC1>;"OOLLARS"IG01'O JSS '" NEXT I,PRINT,roR 1.1 TO P 3S0 PRINT "YOU 'ION ";CCIHD(oJ);"DOLLARS" school curriculum. Redding, CA 96001 3SS 1IItx T I '" GOSU!:! J60: PRINT "PLAYER NO. "; IJ "YOUR TURN" '" PRINT ""HICH FROIl DO YOU '1A:IT TO BET O/I"J 360 PRINT :P~INT "ANOTHER RACE YES OR 110 .. ;: 1!IPOT OS In addition to my own PET, we are get· A warranty that begins when you receive '"'OS IIJPUT BCI):IF B(I»8 THEIl 18S J!o5 IF' O$ .... YES .. THEN Rr:STOR~:GOTO 6S PRINT "HO" MUCH IS YOUR BET "; 310 IF' ~S.."NO" THEN 400 ting a number of machines for the 375 G01'O 360 documentation is all idea that raises inter '" IlJPUT C(I)'fIEXT I.GOSUB 190 SimuJation Center in the College of esring questions, SUell as who gets to GOSU9 19S,00TO 230 380 IF 1i ~ 2 THEIl RETlJRU '" 38S PRINT CHRSC 16); '" PRl1lT "THt-Re: ARE ONLY 6 FRC''3S'',GOTOL55 Osteopathic Medicine here at Michigan decide whether documemariotl is suitably 390 F'OR )\·1 TO 10,PRWT C:lRS(IOll:IlOCT K '" PRI~IT C~R$( 16); tHRU22H .RI:TURN State University. Having followed John 'comprehensive? What if documentation '" PRJ ti T CHRS,( 16);: pJ;.lin: x_ I: PRINT 39S PRINT CHRS(22lJ RETURN 'OS 400 PRHH Starkweather's work at San Francisco, is buggy-tloes this affect the warranty? F'OR 1")( TO x+a '" IF' MI)_O THEN PRINT" ";:OOTO 220 40S GOSUI:! 190:pa1NT "SYJ: F'OR NoJ"" '" 1110 LINE_ 116:DIGITS_0:WO 58 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR·APR 59 .. , .------: ., IBM 370 MODEL 69 FEATURES AND DEVICES , ANNOUNCEMENTS (Downward compatible with IBM 360/69)- ThiS document appeared out of thin Alfred E. von Neumann Architecture: , air-we kindly thank ANonymous for Re verse Drum Immediate Shiftless Registers the wide range of peripheral and memory The Writehander does not require a com· contributing it for our edification. Snare Drum eN Il Memory , cards available for the S-I00 bus_ The puter to operate a tennina1;it will directly Sharpen Light Pencil Chocolate Chips PET'S 100 emulates the true S-Ioo bus operate terminals such as the Diablo Random Access Card I/ O Trivalent Bits HARDWARE including DMA, both read and write ' HyType, Teletype ASCII-modified wait states, I/O address mirroring, multi Selectric, or a video monitor that accepts INPUT-OUTPUT ARITHMETIC LOGIC AND CONTROL , plexed status lines and much more_ parallel 7 ·bit ASCll signals_ , Early Care Lace TIlis means you can use Dazzlers, Byte ' Feed Card and Jam Accumulate T rivia Illogical OR , savers, slow memory (like 1702s), analog The Writehander is manufactured by the Read Card and Scramble Data Tripl e- Pack Decimal Illogical AND NEW TEl SYSTEM interfaces and a host of other tricky cards. NewO Company of Palo Alto, CA, and Backspace Card Reader Add Improper Why Immediate sells for $98. Contact Mr Sid Owen Rewind Card Reader Add and Reset to Zero Branch on Index Missi ng TEl, Inc., has announced the MCS· The PET'S 100 will be available in kit at NewO, 246 Walter Hays Dr, Palo Alto, BaC kspace Disk Subtract and Reset to Zero Branch and Loop Continuous , PT112/32, a self· contained computer or assembled form for $ 199.95 or eA 94303; (415) 32 1-7979. Read Print and Blush Multiply and Lose Precision Branch on Programmer Debugging system with display, disk storage. key. $279.95 respectively. Deliveries are ' Eat Card Divide and Ove rflow Lose Message and Branch board and a 12-510t motherboard. It may scheduled to begin in April. Contaci HUH UPdate in Place on Card Di vide and Conquer Develop Ineffective Address , be used either as a stand alone processor Electronic Music Productions, P a Box Read Invalid Data Abnormalized Floating Point Transfer and Lose Return or as a processor temlinal in a larger 259, Fairfax, CA 94930 (415) 457·7598_ ss-so MINIFLOPPY ' Write Invalid Data Sinking Point Arithmetic Branch on Power Off system_ Erase Card Punch Sliding Point Arithmetic Swipe "Emergency Pull" Knob , PerCom Data Company has introduced Punch Disk Vanishing Point Arithmetic Branch on Burned-Out Indicator Features include a 15" monitor, an upper the LFD-400, a minifloppy disk system ' Punch Operator Branch on Blinking Indicator and lower case ASCll keyboard with for the SS-SO bus. A I·drive LFD·400 Fruit Punch DATA MAN IP ULATION Branch on Bug , eight user designated special function system includes a controUer PC board, Read Chaos Bug on Branch keys and a 16-key numeric pad. One PROMware disk operating system, disk ' Read Unhappy Macnam Move and Lose Record Branch on CE Ground Shugart SA-400 mini·floppy disk drive drive and drive power supply, inter· Stacker Upset Move and Wrap Core Halt and Catch Fire (privileged Op) , is standard. connecting cable, two minidiskettes, an Print and Smear Move Continuous Reinitialize Meter operator's manual, and an enclosure to ' Forms Skip and Run Away Move Devious Branch on Chip Box Full The mainframe contains an 8080 CPU house the drive and drive power supply. board and a circuit that implements a 2· and 3 - drive systems are also available. ~~~:n:r~r:ak Chain ~~:~ :~~ ~!~:~ :;::: :~:~~~ ~~ 6~~~e~fo~~~t~: , start up ~ump to' routine to any user , selected byte address. 32K static RAM ' Print and Cut Ribbon Move Bovvels Load Operator The controUer board includes low-voltage. Stacker Select Disk Move and Drop Bits Byte Operator , memory is provided with additional drop regulators. a proprietary 'bit shifting' Rewind and Break Tape Circulate Memory Execute Operator RAM optional. The disk controller compensation circuit, an inactivity time· Stretch Tape Convert to Garbage Ignore Supervisor Call will handle three mini-drives. The video out circuit to increase drive motor life, Make Tape In valid Load and Clear Core Call Supervisor Names , controller board uses a 24 x 80 fonnat, and provision for 3K bytes of PROM. Write Wrong-Length Record Memory Bank Holdup Trap Secretary and Halt and the I/O board provides three parallel The LFD-400 PROM ware DOS, Change Tape Density in Mid-Record Byte and Run and three serial ports with selectable miniDOS tm. allows SS· 50 bus owners ' Switch to Zero Density SPECIAL AND CUSTOM FEATUR ES Destroy Storage Protect Key , baud rates. Outputs are RS-232C and 10 use their existing software with simple Write Past End of Tape Scramble Program Status Word TIL. Software provided with the system patches. TIle program includes load and Read and Write while Ripping Tape 1401 Incompatibility Pack Program Status Word includes CP/M operating system and save routines. and permits 'crash · proof ' t Write Noise Record 407 Emulation Electrocute DP Manager and Branch SuperBASIC, a 20K interpreter. THE WRITEHANDER tm data storage and retrieval since the disk Write New Hit Record 370 Emulation Inquire and Ignore , may be protected. It is contained in a Read Inter-Record Gap 370 Immolation Reverse Parity and Branch The MCS-PTI12/32 fully assembled and A new typing keyboard has been designed 2708 EPROM, and is ready o n power-up. Update and Erase Record Read-In Only Storage Branch on Operator Sleepy tested is priced at $4795.00. Contact that pennits typing all 128 characters Contact PeICom Data Company, Inc., SliP Disk Erase Read-O nl y Storage Branch on Operator Desperate , CMC MARKETING CORP, 5601 Bintliff, of the ASC II code with one hand. To 3Ig Barnes, Garl and, TX 75042; (214) Seek Record and Scar Disk Chinese Character Set Branch and Disconnect Memory Suite 5 15, Houston. TX 77036 (713) use the Writehandertm , the typist places 276 ·1 968. ' Hide and Seek Execute Invalid Op-Code Invert Record and Branch 783-8880. his four fingers on four press·switches Eject Disk Concoct Data Evacuate Meru6ry , and his thumb on one of eight press· Write to Protected File Pessimising Software Generate Machine Check switches. The four finger·switches ' Read Count Key and Garbage Ra ndom Bug Generator Generate Machine Check and Cash operate as the lower four bits of the seven t Write Count Key and Garbage (Plant Installation Only) Generate Machine Check and Bounce , S-IOO PET ADAPTER bit ASCII code, selecting the group of Garbage Count Key and Read Uncouple CPUs and Branch Byte Baudy Bit and Brar)th characters (out of 16 groups) that Bu rst Selector Channel Virtueless Memory HUH Electronic Music Productions has cOnlains the desired character_ The group Scatter Multiplexor Channel Memory Prosthesis , announced the PET'S 100 - a PET to contains a choice of eight letters, numerals, Skip to Random Channel Memory Left Shift and Branch ·Upward compatible with other 370 models. S·IOO Bus interface board. This S-IOO symbols, etc. The thumb then presses ' Scramble Channel Reduce Throughput CrOS$word compatible wi th other 360'5. sized card plugs into the mainframe of the particular switch that selects the Awkward compatible with earlier system ... Change Channels Convert to Roman Numerals II ta Iy 0 n Iy I your choice and a cable connects it to desired character from the choice of your PET which then enables you to use eight. ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~. :' . 60 PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR ·APR 61 -, EPROM PROGRAMMER The NE590 and 591 provide a simple use. The price of S8.OO includes a 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 _0 _0 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0-0- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 APPLE I LIBRARY replacement for the complicated commented source listing, object code Smoke Signal Broadcasting announces circuitry. discrete transistors and Oarling listing and a user's manual giving samples JULY 22·23 COMPUTER CLUBS The Apple I Software and Hardware a 2708 EPROM programmer. The pop. I tons presently reqUired to tum on relays, of use of the package. Contact TSC, P 0 ARLINGTON, VA Ubrary is being started in Indiana to sup lists for $149 and is designed to inter lamps, LEOs and similar devices with Box 2574, W Lafayette, IN 47906. CHIP'S (Computer Hobbyists in port the Apple I computer. Interested face to the company's P-38-1 and commands from a microprocessor. In Several thousand people are expected to Processing-Syracuse). Computer Club readers can write 10 Joe Torzerski, 51625 P-38-FF EPROM boards, which are quantities of 100, the NE590N is priced attend Amateur Computing 78, a July 22- with monthly meetings. For information Chestnut Road, Granger, IN 46530. SS-50 bus compatible products. Soft· at $1.95 and the NES91N at $2.45. 23 microcomputer festival to be held at contact: CHIP'S, c/o J A Green, General ware .is provided on audio cassette. An Contact Signetics, 8 11 East Arques OSI WORD PROCESSOR the Sheraton National Motor Hotel in Electric Co, Court St Plant #3, Room 16, adaptive programming technique is used Ave, POBox 9052, Sunnyvale. CA Arlington, VA. Those interested in pre POBox 4840, Syracuse, NY 13221. that allows mosl 2708's to be pro· 94086; (408) 729· 7700. Ohio Scientific has announced a new senting a paper, participating in a panel grammed in IS seconds instead of the Word Processor. The OS-WPI is a text diSCUSsion, displaying an amateur Utah Computer Association. lltis club PLANET CONFERENCING SERVICE usual one and a half minutes. A self editor which operates at both the charac computer system or sponsoring a tutorial publishes BITS, a monthly newsletter. contained power supply is used for the ter and line levels. It has internal GET should submit a letter of intent along Meets 2nd Tuesday of each month at In the past several months, hundreds of programming voltage, insuring sufficient and PUT file commands which transfer with a one·page abstract or outline by Murray High School, Rm 154, Salt Lake people have been using a computer sys· current capability to program EPROM's individual files from memory to disk. A April IS to John Wall Miller, Program City, UT. Contact Larry or HoUy Barney, tern to access each other's ideas and from any manufacturer. Contact Smoke SOFTWARE full set of pein ter control conunands can Chairman, 6921 Pacific Lane , Annandale, 1928 S 2600 E, Salt Lake City, ur jointly manage projects. They are located Signal Broadcasting, POBox 2017. be used with virtually any impact or VA 22003, telephone (703) 256-5702. 84108. throughout the Continental United Hollywood, CA 90028; (213) 462-5652. matrix computer printer or word proces· This event is being sponsored by AMRAD, States, Alaska, Canada and Western sing printer. The formatted output mode a technically oriented club of radio ama Europe. Wh at they do could not be allows the user to perform left and right teurs and computerists in the Washington, accomplished by mail, or by TELEX, by justification of text without Hne numbers DC area. For further infonnation, write PET SOFTWARE phone, or by facsimile. In many cases, it at a designated width of from 20 to 70 AMRAD, Box 682, McLean, VA 22101. could not even be accomplished face-to· characters. A PILOT interpreter, an Adventure·like face. For lack of a better word, their actio game, our latest DRAW, and several other vities are called 'computer conferencing.' The OS-WPI can be used directly with programs are now available for 8K PETs. the Lear Siegler ADM-3A or with the For a licensing agreement and price list AUG 22·25 These people have demonstrated that it is Hazeltine 1500 and is adaptable to send a stanlped self·addressed envelope BELLAJRE,MI possible to link human groups through virtually any other conventional CRT OTHER to Computer Project, Peninsula School, computers. The link is practical and easy. terminal via documentation provided. Peninsula Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025. The International Conference on Parallel It is cailed PLANET. Infomedia is the TIle Word Processor package, two Processing, sponsored by IEEE Computer first commericial organization to offer diskettes and a manual is now available Society and Wayne State University, will such a service. The PLANET system is a for $79 for use on any disk -based OWo be held August 22-25 in Bellaire, Michi CASSETTE DATA TAPES carefully.engineered environment in Scientific computer system. Contact OSI, gan. Contact Professor GJ. Upouski, which the exchange of ideas and informa Hiram, OH 44234; (216) 569-7905. Deptartment of Electrical Engineering, Microselte Company is selling boxed tion is the key. TIlis includes a compre· 6800 OBJEcr CODE RELOCATOR University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712. SO, 100, 200, and 300 foot data tapes, hensive service for documentation and which are just slightly longer than the training. It also includes an organization Technical Systems Consultants, Inc, is 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 _0 _0 standard CIO, C20, C40, and C60 tapes. for maintenance of the system and releasing a machine code relocator for the Tapes come in packs of 4; 2 extra sets of support of the growing user community. 6800. This program gives one the OCT 10·12 labels are included. Prices per cassette for capability of moving assembly language GATHERINGS SAN FRANCISCO, CA the 4 lengths are $.60, $.70, $.85 and For infonnation contact Rich Miller or The chip layout of $ignetics' new programs from one area in memory to $1.00. In lots of 100, there is a 10% Jacques Vallee at Infomedia Corp, 430 IICIdrenable peripheral driver in te· another. A feature is included which The third USA· Japan Computer Confer discount; a 15% discount is offered in Shernlan Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306; greted cIrcuit. allows loading a Motorola Mikbug fonnat ence will be held October 10-12, 1978 in lots of 500 or more. An additional 10% (415)321·2682. tape directly into any part of RAM. San Francisco. lltis marks the first time discount is available if cash is paid for TIlis means programs located on tape this gathering is to be held on American lots of 100 or more. Contact Microsette, where no RAM is available may still JUNE 6·8 soil. Contact Professor Edward J. 777 Palomar Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086; DEVICE CONTROLLER be loaded. Use of the relocator requires ANAHEIM,CA McCluskey, Digital System Laboratory, (415)735·8821. 6800 HOME STUDY COURSE a knowledge of where the program to Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305. Two addressable peripheral driver be moved starts and ends and all places The 1978 National Computer Conference Electronic Product ASSOCiates, Inc, integrated circuits which provide a means in the program which contain data as will feature a Personal Computing Festi announces that with the purchase of a of triggering relays, lamps, LED displays opposed to executable code. All references val, to take place June 6·8 at the Disney· basic Micro-68a you receive the complete and step motors incorporated into to locations outside a range specified land Hotel complex in Anaheim, CA. A SUMMER WORKSHOP home study course including User's microprocessor-based systems have been by the user will be left unchanged so that special program of papers and presenta· NOV 3·5 Manual, IS-chapter Lab Manual, Under developed by Signetics. calls to monitor routines or other tions relevant to personal computing will WS ANGELES, CA Personal Computers for High School standillg Microprocessors, M6800 Design external routines will be properly be presented. Both one-day and three Science and Math Teachers, June 1978, Manual, the Motorola Programming Designat..:d the NE590 and NE591, the relocated. day registrations will be available for the Details on the Third Computer Faire may 3 credits, Utah State University. Peter Manual and the Instruction Summary components are high-current latched Festival. Information on NCC 78 may be be obtained from Computer Faire, Grimes (San Jose Unified School District) Card. Total cost is $544.50. Contact drivers with 8 Darlington power outputs, The 6800 Relocator requires just over 1K obtained from AFlPS Headquarters, Box 1579, Palo Alto, CA 94302; (415) is guest speaker. For infonnation contact Electronic Product Associates Inc, 1157 each capable of 250 rnA load current. of RAM starting at 0200 hex, but since 210 Summit Ave, Montvale, NJ 07645 or 85 1·7664. Conference and Institute Division, Utah Vega Street, San Diego, CA 921 10; (7 14) They are similar in function to Signetics' the program can relocate itself, it can be by calling (201) 391-9810. State University, Logan, UT 84322. 276-8911. 9334 address decoder, with which the moved to any location. The relocator NE590 is pin compatible. is self prompting and thus simple to " PEOPLE'S COMPUTERS MAR-APR 63