For the Serious Compute

U.S. Edition: International Edition: for the Serious Compute Useful Math Functions 3-D Mazes Step/Trace Programs HiRes Graphic Printouts p-System Comparisons The Fast BASIC Compiler A stunning show delighted the language into a much faster code, crowd at the Whisman Theater in thus improving the performance of Mountain View last night. Called the BASIC routines. BLITZ! reads BLITZ!, loaded and performed by the entire BASIC program, decides Robert Skytes in a one-man virtuoso which operations only have to run programming display, the show fea once, and compiles the operations. tures the spectacular compiler for It then re-writes the program into -----------------------the COMMODORE 64. its special P-code. “...BASIC1C ppro- ro - The BLITZ! com- Skyles also showed how BLITZ! piler is faster than adds security to your programs, grams running'U n n in g PET SPEED, and because once a program has been i _ fasterthan any compiled, it is not readable. That up to 20’ times other Commodore means protection is an automatic fa s te r” compiler that has part of the re-writing. _____________appeared to date. The highlight of the show was, for Shortly after Skyles took his seat this reviewer, when BLITZ! compiled and inserted BLITZ!, he had normal a string of BASIC programs such BASIC programs running up to 20 that one loaded the next. An im times faster after heBLITZe d them. pressed audience looked on as The performer explained that Skyles effortlessly passed informa BLITZ! translates the slow BASIC tion from one program to another. BLITZ! on disk for the Commodore 64 costs only $99.00. (You can also get one for the older PET CBMs on a special-order basis. It puts on quite a show!) fikvles Electric Works Available from your local O K yieb o e c ir iL w o m b Commodore 64 dealer or 23IE South Whisman Road caH 1 -800-227-9998. Mountain View, CA 94041 //I1C :\Q C R B L IT Z !is a trademark of Skyles Electric Works (4lD )yO D “l i JJ Commodore is a trademark of Commodore. «v& i 1 5 5 S 5 - cQnb e d if io n ia t Sharing Information However, MICRO can not allow its major programs to be copied and distributed by others — be they individuals, I recently received a letter from a reader enquiring companies, computer clubs, etc. This would lessen the whether he could use one of our programs in a software marketability of MICRO Magazine, the MicroDisks, package he was developing. As in any healthy field, a fair books and software packages. The smaller programs and amount of cross-fertilization takes place within. This is utility routines are a different matter. If you have a project particularly true in the world of software development that can benefit by incorporating some MICRO material, where one great idea will spawn another. please contact us. Normally we will grant you permission Now in the midst of all of this comes that ancient cry to incorporate the material in your product, subject to of plagarism. It is said that "mimicry is the sincerest signing a license that protects all parties and agreeing to form of flattery" but not all authors enjoy such attention. a proper acknowledgement. In this way we feel we serve W here do you draw the line between what is plagarism and you better and make a greater pool of ideas available to what is a logical or original developm ent of an idea? It more people. Perhaps a program that we publish will find seems more and more that this is a fine line — one that its way into the hands of someone who will turn it into is made by the creator rather than the lawyer. Times are something we can use. And then, in turn, we may be changing. There was a time when everyone 'borrowed' inspired to create something else which will start the ideas from everyone else. Centuries ago in the music circle again. The end result is a continued growth world this was common practice. But attitudes changed personally and professionally for all involved - you and over the years to the point that people horded their M ICRO . ideas as their own and sued anyone who dared approach any similarity to their mental offspring. Now once again the tides are shifting in the other direction. This shift is putting many wonderful and original ideas in our hands. It is furthering new creations and saving a lot of wasted tim e Mark S. Morano in the process. Technical Editor How is this happening? To start with, for the first time software producers are providing software that is not copy protected. This allows for backup and w orking copies to be easily made. Now you can have multiple copies of handy programs on many disks, freeing you up from playing musical disks. Beyond this there has been an even bolder On The step taken by some publishers. They state you can utilize their product in your own software without any penalty Cover and at nominal cost. The usual agreement is that you simply register yourself and the product with the publisher and give acknowledgement of the use of the program. Penguin Software has done this with a number of their graphics packages. In particular I cite their Graphics Magician Picture Painter which is not copy protected and allows for its use in other products. Indeed, many people have taken advantage of the offer. In permitting use of the Graphics Magician, Penguin has saved people hours of laboriously drawing graphics, since it allows you to create and save hundreds of pictures on a single disk where norm ally only 11-15 pictures w ould fit. Here is a perfect example of how this willingness to share ideas frees up A ll Ye r,l.at EHCFJH HI3HE-! ! an author to do what he otherwise might not be able to do because of time expenditure or lack of expertise. He suddenly can add professional graphics to a software package that he is working on without any difficulty. He is not forced to learn what may be a completely foreign area of programming, but can instead benefit from someone elses expertise and experience. MICRO feels that its place is one of a disseminator of knowledge, a place where people come to learn new things The tortuous passageways of Carnaervon Castle and share what they have learned. In this spirit we in Wales are the scene of our 3-D M aze. The usual encourage people to incorporate what they discover in warning is, of course, given to all foolish enough MICRO in their own work. The word incorporate is very to enter, printed with the Atari/Epson custom significant in this context. If you are just using the material for your own personal benefit, then that is your characters offered by M ike Bassman's program. right. That’s why you buy MICRO in the first place. Photo by Cindy Kocher 2 MICRO No. 74 ■ August 1984 Featured This Month This month we offer eight complete major programs on a variety of topics, plus an excellent look at the 68000 machines and their operating systems. Truly 3-D Mazes — generate truly 3-D mazes with a Atari Character Printer — creating an unending array of minimum of effort and memory. You get a rat's-eye view different character fonts on your Atari screen can be fun, of the maze corridors as you "w alk" through! And it all but now you can also print them out on paper with starts with a cube and 3 1/2K of RAM! complete accuracy! Alter Track and Sector — allows the user to dump, Useful Math Functions — save time and mathematical in hex, any sector on a disk with VIC/Commodore format, aggrevation with a collection of defined functions. then modify any byte in that sector. Rewrite lost headers C-64 Graphic Dump — this "perfect" dump works without loss of data! either in HiRes or multi-color, allows large size printouts Extended Precision Arithmetic — if greater and is very fast. This month, learn to interface 5 major mathematical precision is needed than is usual in BASIC, commercial packages - whatever you generate you can for statistical calculations perhaps, then this is the now dump. program for you. An interesting application is included in HILISTER — highlighting lines of text and programs can what may be the only program for calculating the lunar- be useful for emphasis or clarity when discussing material based Jewish Calendar. on the screen in business meetings, classrooms, seminars. Relocatable Step/Trace — this step and trace routine can This program also allows easy movement within a be easily moved to any part of a program. program or text. The UCSD p-System — a careful, lucid explanation of JMCftO how the fast, flexible p-system works and why it is becoming THE 68000 Operating System. Also, a review of six 68000-based microcomputers which puts the new systems in perspective. Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Robert M. Tripp Associate Publisher Cindy Kocher Production Manager Jennifer Collins Technical Editor Mark S. Morano /AlCftO forthe Serious Computerist Technical Editor Mike Rowe Advertising Manager William G. York AUGUST I984 Dealer Sales Manager Linda Hensdill Relocatable Step and Trace program Circulation Manager Linda Hensdill 15 Step/Trace can be moved easily to any part of the program. Office Manager Chester H. Page Pauline Giard Shipping Director Marie Ann Wessinger Comptroller Get a rat’s-eye view of the Donna M. Tripp Constructing Truly 3-D maze corridors as you Accounting Mazes 19 “walk” through them.

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