RJUSH0BDIDB Special Report: COMMODORE 64 CHESS SHOWDOWN - Mi 4 - TPUG
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Special Report: COMMODORE 64 CHESS SHOWDOWN
$2.95
RJUSH0BDIDB
i
with graphics
GLP Printer interface
for Commodore 64
• 50 CPS @ 10 CPI draft The Centronics GLP Series provides personal computer users with a low
printing cost, high quality, compact printer with features usually found only in more
12 CPS correspondence costly devices.
printing The compact GLP measures only 13 inches wide, 7.5 inches deep and 2.8
Cut sheet, fanfold and inches high. Lightweight at only 6.6 pounds, it makes a perfect companion
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ing, pin-addressable and IBM block graphics, the GLP provides the ver
optional)
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Original plus 2 copies PC software.
Bidirectional logic
Standard features include enlarged, condensed, emphasized and double
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Subscripts, superscripts The GLP is available with a Centronics parallel interface, and with both
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IBM PC block and pin- with all popular PCs as simple as connecting a cable.
addressable graphics Ease of operation, portability, and low cost of ownership make this Great
Little Printer a truly outstanding value.
$499.00 optional tractor feed available $32.95. Printer without interface $399.00
ELcCROTliO 2001 LTD.
Name _
ELECnOfliO 2001 LTD.
Address 5529 Yonge Street, Willowdale, Ontario M2N 5S3
Tel: (416) 223-8400
T Check or money order enclosed □ Visa HlMasterCharge □ American Express Note: All prices in Canadian Funds. Phone and mail orders wefcome.
Accl H Exp. Date Signature Ontario residents add 7% sales tax.
+ $10 shipping charges. U.S. orders are subject to
brokerage and customs charges if applicable.
m- =. m
HUSH 80 PRINTER
Missing Key™
A raMt System
n—tow your BASIC Program.
After programming for hours you
press RUN tor a final check of your work—
the computer locks up. You press RUN, STOP...
nothing — you prew RESTORE... nothing — vou
look for the missing key but it Isn't there. You
have to turn off your computer and lose hours of workll
How Add the lOssing Key"1:
• Press the "Missing Key™" and tne computer
resets itself from any lockup, and youi BASIC
program is restored.
• load and run the program included.
• Takes nothing away from your computer, neither
memory nor a plug-in port
• Attaches to your C64 keyboard or any other with Commodore 64 interface
convenient location.
• WiH not void your CBM warranty. C O "7 QC
$199.95
Butterfield's Anatomy of Easyscript PaperClip Consultant Home
Machine the 1541 C64
(the word processor) (the database)
Organizer
Language Series
C64
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with SpellPack
$17.95 $27.95 $44.95 S99.95 $124.95
Creating
VIC Boss Kraft COMPUTEIs
First Book of Arcade Games
Revealed Joystick Joystick on the
Commodore 64 • Recipes
Commodore 64
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Develops and explains
Packed full of games: Catalogue
principles oi game design.
'Snake Escape'. Oil programs lor using the • Stamps
Tycoon'. Laser Gunner', screen, custom characters, • Mail List
'Zuider Zee', and many animation, sprites, sound anc
• Electronic
music, and other features of
more. Machine language Address Book
Itie C64. Ideal lor program
as well as strategy
mers who want to [earn how > Home Inventory
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1526 $14.95 management)
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C10 Tapes
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Spirit 80 $14.95 NeiYJorth
801 $12.95
C20 Tapes 802 $14.95
SSDD $1.25ea. 8023 $14.95
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Cassette 4022 S1295
SSDD in hard box
boxes .25 ea. MX80 $12.95
$27.95/10 $33.90 RX80 $12.95 $59.95 $99.95
ELECROniO 2001 LTD. ELECROniO 2001 LTD.
Name _
5529 Yonge Street, Willowdale, Ontario M2N 5S3
Address
Tel: (416) 223-8400
Note: All prices in Canadian Funds. Phone and mail orders welcome.
1.1 Check or money order enclosed L I Visa DMaslerCharge I American Ontario residents add 7 sales tax.
Add 5",o for shipping (minimum charge S2.00)
Express
Acct.# Exp. Date , . Signature HE
COMPLETELY MENU DRIVEN . VERY USER FRIENDLY
BETTER INTEGRATION THAN LOTUS 1-2-3 * OR SYMPHONY4
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COPYRIGHT 1985 BY BRIAN MORROW ¥
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All You'll Ever Need !
Available April/85 at selected Classics Book Stores
Suite 210, 5950 Cote des Neiges
Montreal, Quebec H3S 1Z6
Tel.: (514) 737-9335
$64.95
DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED
•1-2-3 ana Sympnonv aie Iiaaernarks ol Lotus Devatopmenl Corporation
TPL3 Tlagasha DIRECTORY
Publisher Chris Bennett
85 TPUG Magazine MAR
Editor: Nick Suilivan
Assistant Editor: Marya Milier Feature: Commodore Chess Computing
Director of Advertising Sales: Louise Redgers
Production Assistant: Astrid Kumas 10 TPUG C-64 Chess Tournament by Chris Johnson
Copy Assistant: Terry Hachey 12 The Electric Goddess of Chess by Bill Bullock
Computer Jockey: Maicolm O'Brien
Cover Photo: Roberto Portolese Studio 13 The Anatomy of a Chess Program by Bill Bullock
Typesetting: Noesis, Toronto, Ontario
Printing. Delta Web Graphics, Articles
Scarborough, Ontario
14 Computer Comfort by Jim Butterfield
TPUG Magazine is published lOtimesayear by Toronto
Pet Users' Group (TPUG) Inc.. She worlds targes! Com 15 SuperPET's BASIC Distinctions by Brad Bjorndahl
modore users' group. TPUG is a non-profit corporation
16 CE5 Software and Peripherals by Louise Redgers
dedicated to the service and support o( owners and
users of Commodore computers. All rights to material 16 126 PC Looks Like a Winner by Chris Bennett
published in TPUG Magazine are reserved by TPUG
19 Printer Quickie: Tabs and Spaces by Sean Rooney
inc., and no material may be reprinted without written
permission except where specificafly stated. 20 Telephreak Means Teletrouble by Ken Cox
Correspondence: Send change of address and 21 Users' Group Publicity by Mike Martin
subscription enquiries to: TPUG Inc.. Address Changes,
1912A Avenue Road, Suite 1. Toronto ON, Canada M5M 21 1526/VIC 20 Timing Tip by Howard M. Mesick
4A1. TPUG Magazine welcomes freelance contributions 22 Searching Online Data Bases by Don Fox
on all aspects of Commodore computing. Contributions
should be sent on disk, ihough accompanying hard- 23 What is a Database? by Malcolm O'Brien
copy is welcome. Be sure lo include return postage if
26 Probing 'The Mind Prober' by Mikhail Epelbaum
you wish materials returned. Please indicate on the disk
label which Commodore disk format and word process 26 An Interview With Dave Neale by Ken Cox
ing program you have used. Remuneration for articles
29 Versatile Mortgage Calculator by Jim Butterfield
published is $30.00 per magazine page if the author
retains the copyright, and $40.00 per magazine page 30 CBM Printers and the C-64 by David Bradley
if the copyright !S assigned to TPUG Magazine. All con
tributions are subject to editing for length and readability.
31 LIST and AntiLIST by Dave Neale
Address editorial contributions to: The Editor TPUG
Magazine, 1912A Avenue Road, Suile 5, Toronto ON, Reviews
Canada M5M 4A1. Letters to the editor may be sent to
36 The Policeman's Beard Is Half Constructed by Dale Loucareas
the same address. Like other material, letters may be
edited for length and readability. 38 Superscript II with Superspell by William Wilbur
Circulation: 38 The Skyies Blitz! Compiler by Nathan Okun
Subscription 16,000 Newsstand 10,000
38 The Grabit Factory by Rich Westerman
ISBN #0825-0367
TPUG Magazine is distributed by: Compulit Distributors,
39 The Standing Stones by Rich Westerman
PO Box 352. Port Coquitlam BC. Canada V3C 4K6. 39 Graph Term 64 by Dave Neale
{604)-464-1221, and Micron Distributing. 409 Queen
Street W., Toronto ON, Canada M5V 2A5,
40 Super Pipeline by Michael Quigley
{416)-593-9862, Toll Free Order Desk 1-800-268-1238. 40 Seahorse Hide 'N Seek by Rich Westerman
VIC 20, Commodore 64 and SupefPET are trademarks 40 Purple Turtles by Marya Miller
of Commodore Electronics Ltd. PET is a registered
trademark of Commodore Business Machines, Inc. 42 Turtle Toyland Jr. by Rich Westerman
CBM is a registered trademark of Commodore Elec
42 Dragonworld by Mike Martin
tronics Ltd.
Subscriptions to TPUG Magazine may be obtained by
42 Sargon II and 111 by Mike Martin
joining the Toronto Pet Users' Group (TPUG). inc.
Another benefit of TPUG membership is the right to Deportments
order inexpensive disks and tapes from the club's ex
4 Line Noise with Lana Coviello
tensive software library. Yearly membership fees are:
Regular member (attends meetings) $35.00 Cdn.
6 This and That by Doris Bradley
Student (full-lime, attends ■ meetings) $25.00 Cdn 7 Valentine Contest Rules
Associate (Canada) $25.00 Cdn
Associate (U.S.) $25-00 U.S 8 The Answer Desk with David Bradley
£30.00 Cdn. 31 Valentine Contest Details
Associate (Overseas — sea mail) $35.00 U.S
Associate (Overseas — air mail) $4500 U.S 32 Additions to the TPUG Software Library
For further membership nformation please contact: 33 TPUG Software Library Order Form
TPUG Inc., Membership information 44 Products Received
1912A Avenue Road 1552 Hertei Ave.
Suite 1 Suite 144 46 TPUG Associate Club Chapters
Toronto ON Buffalo. NY 48 Calendar of TPUG Events
Canada M5M 4A1 USA 14216-2882
48 Classified Ads
TPUG Telephone Numbers:
Business Office (416)-782-8900, (416)782-9252 50 TPUG Contacts
Magazine Office (416J-782-1861
Advertising (416}-782-1861
50 Index of Advertisers
solution is not so obvious, but a jumper
COMAL Confusion
Welcome to Line Noise, which will — #22 solid telephone wire works fine —
shoved between pins 8 and 35 of the rib I have been waiting for this January issue
be a regular feature from now on.
bon cable connector at the interface since I worked my way through all of the
We invite you. to express your mews
board, solves the powering problem. COMAL instruction lessons over the
by uniting to:
The third seems to be with the code in Christmas holidays — I'm a school
the interface. When in sheetfeed mode, teacher — and I've been anxious to con
Line Noise tinue learning. Now all of a sudden in the
the left margin setting for the first line
TPUG Magazine January issue the TPUG COMAL Course
following a new page is ignored, at least
1912A Avenue Rood, Suite 1 says this is the last instalment! Heavens
with ROM VI.5.1 am awaiting a response
Toronto, Ontario M5M JtAl forbid! But wait, maybe there is hope: this
from Micro World about this.
Canada article is listed as 'Part Seven' and we left
off in December with 'Part IV, which to
Letters may be editedfor length and my understanding of Roman numerals
readability. means 'Part 6'! So, the question is, did
two lessons inadvertently get left out? Do
we really have two more coming next
month? Please don't leave us hanging!
Info Package Helpful Keep COMAL alive and well in TPUG
In the November issue you asked for Magazine.
feedback on the TPUG insert (Informa
William Rose
tion Package and Library Listings) in the
Merced, California
August/September issue. My response is
— yes, keep it up!
Sorry about the mix-up. 'Part Seven' was
I found the insert quite helpful and now
wrongly labelled — it should really have
have it in my files. If this could be done
been 'Part Five'. However, January's ar
at least once a year, it would be well
ticle was the end of the COMAL course.
worth the money — even if you had to
Look for more articles on other aspects of
raise dues a little in order to cover the
Raising a few caveats... COMAL in future issues.
cost.
I look forward to each issue. You're Generally, I am quite pleased with the
doing a great job. interface, and have no qualms recommen
ding it with the buffer and powering
C. Lewis
jumper installed. I would also like to add
Fitzgerald. Georgia
that I have seen at least one package that
specifically recommends the use of the
MW 350 Interface Facts MW interface because another popular
This letter is being printed using my MW interface produces improper results (the
350 interface. It's also about the review program in question is printing special
of it published in the December issue. symbols using dot graphics).
While I am generally satisfied with the
product, I would like to raise a few Russell Herman
caveats with regard to it. Mississauga, Ontario
The first, and most significant, issue is
that of the buffer. Without the buffer, the MPS 802 Request
reviewer would have been far less
satisfied with its performance. With I want to say that TPUG Magazine is
Music Construction Set, for instance, great, and keep publishing more. I would
the display of the musical staves takes an like to see some hints on programming
excruciatingly long time. with an MPS 802 printer.
Another problem is powering the inter Thanks, and Happy New Year!
face from the C-64 when using an Epson-
Clair Pilgrim
type printer with the + 5v on pin 35.The
Snow Lake, Manitoba
accessory power cable plugs onto the
cassette port, and leaves the fingers of You're in luck: we have already commis
the piggyback extension dangerously (to sioned an article on programming the Line Noise presented
the computer, not you) exposed. Here the 802. by Lana Coviello
4 TPUG Magazine
FOURTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
for members of TPUG
Saturday and Sunday, May 25 and 26,1985
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
252 Bloor St. W. (Bloor & St. George)
ACTIVITIES: Two-day program of speakers covering topics of interest to beginners and experts
Full day session:
Sunday, May 26th
Introduction to Machine Language by Jim Butterfield
Half day sessions:
Saturday, May 25th
Introduction to C-64 Graphics by John Moore
Very Elementary Programming in BASIC by Lorenzo Pinazza
Introduction to C-64 Sprites by Carl Garant & John Moore
Sunday, May 26th
Commodore Data Bases Versus dBase III by Rob Lockwood
TPUG program library available on pre-copied disks at reasonable cost
Dealer displays of hardware, peripherals & software
"Traders' Corner" — one person's junk is another's treasure
"Answer Room" — 10 minute consultation with a Club expert
"Birds of a Feather" sessions for BBS SYSOPs, newsletter editors, member clubs
AMENITIES: Close to subway
Snack area for conference participants
Optional Club Banquet Saturday evening — $25 per person
Optional two-day Spouses program
Several major hotels in the immediate area
REGISTRATION: You must be a Club member to register
Regular member (attends meetings) $35 Can.
Student member (full-time, attends meetings) $25 Can.
Associate (Canada) S25 Can.
Associate (U.S.A.) $25 U.S.
Associate (Overseas—sea mail) $35 U.S.
Associate (Overseas—air mail) ' ■. . ■ $45 U.S.
Early-bird registration $20.00, starts February 1,1985
Pre-registration spouses & children $10.00 per person
Late registration after April 15, or at the door, $30.00
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CALL THE TPUG OFFICE DURING BUSINESS HOURS
416-782-9252, 416-782-89OO
MA Y25 &26 — RESERVE THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDAR NOW!
March 1985 5
This and That by Doris Bradley
TPUG Conference 1985 tains a BBS (219-423-1743) that can be Most Easterly Member
accessed from 1200-1800 weekdays. Con Some time ago I mentioned that A.F.
The February issue of TPUG Magazine tact David Groves 219-422-9698. MacNeil of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, claimed
included the registration form for this
Ft. Collins Commodore Computer Club, to be the most easterly TPUG member.
year's conference, which is to be held on
Colorado, can be contacted c/o Judy We now have a new claimant: George N.
the Memorial Day weekend, May 25 and
DiFrancesco, 1625 Centennial Rd., Ft. King, who lives 180 miles further east, in
26, in downtown Toronto. Recent long
Collins, CO 80525. Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia. Can
distance phone calls have indicated that
Hinton Computer Club, Alberta, is ac anyone beat this?
there will probably be groups coming
from Australia and Dallas, Texas. For the tive and growing. Contact K. Bartlett
$20 registration fee (it goes up to $30 403-865-3889. Special Interest Groups
April 15th), you can mingle with TPUG Midland Commodore Users Group, On Recentiy, different TPUG members have
members from near and far, as well as tario, meets at Leitz Company cafeteria, asked about the formation of three addi
register for up to ten sessions — that's 328 Ellen St., on the first Wednesday of tional SIGs. One for CP/M, a second for
$2 a sessionl the month at 7 pm. Contact Frank Mur Printers and Wordprocessing, and a third
Good news on accommodation! The phy 705-534-3378. for LOGO. If you would be interested,
registration form includes boxes for you contact the office and let me know. In
to check if you are interested in accom Input itially, any of these groups could meet at
modation in either a hotel or university Do you live in western Canada? If so, you the TPUG office.
residence. The university residence will will not find a better buy than the
be at Victoria University, a couple of newspaper Input. Publisher/editor
Our International Members
blocks away from the conference. A room I recently had reason to check through
Richard McGuire began this unusual mon
with twin beds is $28 per night (including the list of 400 or so international
thly tabloid last July to provide a
breakfast and provincial sales tax) for Commodore-specific resource for Alber members (sorted by surname) for TPUG
single occupancy, and §19.50 per person ta residents. Now any Canadian living members in Zurich, Switzerland. As I
for double occupancy. For an under worked my way through the list I kept
west of the Ontario border can subscribe
graduate or high school student who can a record of the names of countries I en
for $1 per year. Those living in Ontario
produce a student card or university iden countered as well as the number of
and points east pay only $8, and
tification for the school year 1984-85, the members per country. Alphabetically,
Americans S10. The newsletter is well
cost is $20.25 for single occupancy, and we have members from Argentina to
written, well produced, and a bargain at
$18.75 per person for double occupancy. Venezuela. Numerically, we have one
these prices. To subscribe, write: Input,
Once we receive your conference applica member in each of Argentina, Austria,
Box 1710, Stony Plain, Alberta, TOE
tion, we'll see that you get a form to send Brunei. Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Jor
2G0.
in to the university, or information on dan, Namibia, New Guinea, Netherlands.
hotels in the area, if that is what you December 1984 Pugmag Bug Nigeria, Pakistan, Portugal, Russia,
wish. Singapore and Taiwan. (In case Brunei
Our apologies — a number of copies of the
puzzles you, it was the only new nation
December magazine had two sets of the
created in 1984, is in East Asia, and is
Other Computer Clubs pages 11 through 18 and 35 through 42,
the 159th member of the United Nations.)
Here are some more computer clubs who while the set 19 through 34 was missing.
On the other end of the scale we have 19
have sent in information to the magazine. Several of you have let us know about this
members in Sweden, 21 in Germany, 28
These groups may or may not have a bug, and replacement magazines have
in New Zealand, 36 in Australia and 61
membership in TPUG. been sent. Unfortunately, the office supp
in Trinidad. Counting Canada and the
ly also had bugs, but we have now check
Bordentown Area C64 Users Group, United States we have members in 50
ed all our copies and will replace any
New Jersey, meets at McFarland Jr. countries around the world! And yes, we
bugged copies as long as our supply lasts.
H.S. on Crosswicks St. on the first Mon do have a member in Zurich.
Our printer has been informed of the pro
day and third Wednesday of each month
from 6:30-9:30 pm. Contact the group at
blem, and hopefully it won't happen
P.O. Box 381, Bordentown, NJ 08505.
again. Piracy and Fast Backup
To date, over $500 has been forwarded
Commodore Club of Mobile, Alabama, B-128 Users Group
to Thomas Templemann in West Ger
is a well-established group that conducts
Good news! We have some help in sup many, the author of the fast backup pro
classes for beginner and intermediate
porting the owners of the B-128. A B-128 gram for the 1541 diskdrive. My thanks
levels, and machine language, as well as
User's Group has been formed in Califor to the various user groups, e.g. Nar-
regular meetings on the second and
nia. Marlin Schwanke plans to have a ragansett Commodore Users Group,
fourth Thursday of each month. Contact
monthly newsletter, a public domain Rhode Island, who have mentioned the
Tom Wyatt 205-343-1178, or Mary Lou
library, and a B-128 oriented BBS soon. situation in their publications and have
Sedgwick 205-478-1745.
Dues are $20 per year. The address is 432 quoted from my December column on the
Fort Wayne Area Commodore Club, In North M St., Apt. C, Lompoc, CA 93436. subject. If you keep spreading "the word
diana, holds general meetings on the se Phone 805-735-6931 (voice after 5:00 pm this 'thank you' effort should soon reach
cond Monday of each month and main PST) or 805-736-6291 (modem, 24 hours). $1,000.
6 TPUG Magazine
Associate Club Chapters
Elsewhere in this issue you wiil find a list Jim Butterfield's Valentine
of the meeting places and dates of those
associate clubs (i.e. those with 15 or more
members who are also members of
TPUG) who have provided the ap
Programming Contest Rules
propriate information. I'd like to make
special mention here of the new clubs who In our last contest, 'The Best 10-Liner', the judging committee had quite a bit of
have joined us recently — MAT-SU difficulty with the contest entries. The following rules will make it a lot easier to
Commodore-64 Club of Wasilla, Alaska; judge your program, keep it from getting lost, and make it easier for us to return
Fredericton Commodore Users Group, it to you.
New Brunswick; three groups from On the tape will be returned with align
tario: C-BUG of Thunder Bay, C-64 North Rule 1 ment instructions. No written or
Bay Users Group, and Markham District Your club membership number and typed submissions will be accepted.
High School; and two groups from Il the words 'TPUG Magazine Contest'
linois: The C-64 Users Group, Inc., of must be on the disk and its cover (or Rule 3
Chicago; and Kankakee Hackers. cassette and its box), along with the Multiple entries will be accepted on
computer model number. Example: one disk or cassette, as long as they
When You Order all operate on the same machine.
Please remember to put your member
ship number on any order you send in. #00000 C-64 Rule 4
Your number can be found on any recent Closing date for entries wili be April
magazine label (if you aren't quite sure TPUG Magazine Contest 30th, 1985.
where your membership card is). Doreen,
who does most of our invoicing, needs this Rule 5
number in order to start typing your Rule 2 Program must be formatted as
order. If it's not there, your order is set Only programs on disk (preferred follows: Use the program lines printed
aside to be done later, after the number method) or cassette will be judged. below ahead of your program, which
is looked up in our records. Cassettes will be tried on two must start on line 1000 (i.e. RUN 1000
machines: if the program will not load, will run your program).
B-128 Tip
A TPUG member with a B-128 has in 10 print"3" :rem clear screen
formed us that when you are loading pre 20 rem put your program name in line 30
packaged software (e.g. Superscript 2 30 print"S'EBfc>rocjram name"
and SuperBase), as well as the test 40 gosub9©0
diskette for the 8050 disk drive, you need 50 :
to have your printer ON! 100 prirrfgr :rem clear- screen
110 rem enter your correct data in lines 120 to 160
Joke
120 print"member's name"
The following was found in the newslet 130 print"member's street address"
ter of Jackson Commodore User's Group, 140 print "member's city., province or state"
Inc., December, 1984.. . One teenager to 150 print"member's country, postal or zip code"
another: "How embarrassing! I took my 160 3osub900
father to the video arcade, and he tried 170 :
to play the change machine!" 200 prinf'S" :clear screen
210 rem list the equipment necessary to operate
Educational Conference 211 the program in lines 230 to 270
The Educational Computing Organization 220 tprint"equipment required to run this program"
of Ontario (ECOO), and the Association 230 print"St-64, 1541 disk, joystick"
for Educational Data Systems (AEDS), 280 ojosub900
are holding their 1985 Conference Com 290 :
puting Knows No Borders, in Toronto, 300 print"S" :rem clear screen
April 21 to 26. This conference will pro 310 pr i nt"operat i ng i nstruet i ons"
vide a forum for the exchange of infor 320 rem list all necessary operating
mation and ideas, aid educators in becom 330 rem instructions in lines 320 to 79©
ing and staying current in educational 340 rem use the gosub 900 for each
technology, and give participants the op 341 screen o-f in-formation
portunity to examine innovations in com 350 gosub900
puting that can be utilized in the educa 360 goto1000
tional environment. Half-day sessions 900
cost $35, and full day sessions $50. For 901 press any key to continue"
further information call AEDS, 910 geta*:i-fa*=""then910
Washington DC 202-822-7845, or ECOO, 920 return
Toronto, ON 416-923-6641. 1000 print"3" :rem your program begins here
March 1985 7
Marketplace
The Answer Desk
with David Bradley luck, the Plus/4 TPUG members will send
some in (hint!). COMPUTER RENTALS
Which modem?
/ have a Commodore 64 with a 1702 New 801 characters We buy, trade and sell Commodore
monitor, a 1541 disk drive, aDPS-1101 computers
/ bought an MPS-801 a few weeks ago, and
printer and a number ofjoysticks. I am
I do not like the character set that it came We repair Commodore computers
h appy with my present system and I have
finally decided to add a modem. My pro with. I would buy another printer but, be Wanted 1541 and 4040 disk drives
blem is tvhich one to get. There are so ing retired and. on a fixed income, I had
just enough stashed away to buy the
many out there, and I don't want to get
stuck with a lemon. What do you suggest? MPS-801. I was wondering if there was COMPUTER RENTALS
any way to get a different character set
Before going out to look for a modem, on my current printer at a reasonable
you should decide for what purpose you price? 250 Consumers Rd., Suite 101,
want to use it, and then go shopping for Willowdale, ON M2J 4V6
terminal software that will do what you A company called Wilanta Arts, run by
a TPUG member, has just what you are Teltt: (416)495-0035
want it to do. Once you have found that,
looking for. The new character set comes
then get one of the modems that works
in the form of an EPROM and it can be
with the terminal software you have
purchased for $29.95. In case you are in
located.
If you don't really know what you
terested, Wilanta's address is: Wilanta
Arts, Department 'D', 6943 Barrisdale
would like to do with your modem, it
Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5N Do you intend to
might be a good idea to find one or two
2H5.
modem users in your area and get some
The chip comes with complete installa
move up to a
suggestions from them. Perhaps they will
let you sign on to a couple of systems for
tion instructions and from what I have
seen, it is well worth the price. (See CBM
larger computer?
a look around. Overall, I have found
Printers and the C-64 elsewhere in this
modem users to be quite helpful when it We offer a file transfer service
issue for further details.)
comes to getting a fellow computer en Commodore to IBM
thusiast hooked on BBSing.
Call or write
By the way, there are a lot of very good
1541 service costs George Shirinian
terminal programs available in the TPUG
library. You won't find a better package 53 Fraserwood Ave. #2
of terminal programs for $10.00. / live in Toronto and my 1541 has been Toronto, Ont.
constantly going out of alignment for
M6B 2N6
almost a year and a half. I have bought
Plus/4 compatibility? all of the disk aligner programs available
on the market but nothing seems to help. (416) 787-0926 (evenings)
/ have just bought, a Plus/4, a 1702
I took it back to Commodore a couple of
monitor, a 1541 disk drive, and an
times, and for seventy dollars they seem
MPS-802 dot matrix printer. My question
ed very eager to fix it, but soon after I had
is, will all of the TPUG Commodore 64
waved bye bye to my money, it was broken
software work on my Plus/4 ? again. Is there a. place, other than Com POCKET MODEM
Some of the programs currently available modore, that will really fix it at FOR YOUR VIC AND 64
for the Commodore 64 in the TPUG reasonable cost? — 1650 compatible
— Disk included comes with
library will work on the Plus/4, but at the
One place that does their own service is up/downloading software with a
moment we don't know which ones. The
COMSPEC. I have never had alignment 42K buffer.
task of testing all of the C-64 programs
troubles, but I have heard they do good
on a Plus/4 will take months! For now, Send $149.95 and 7% PST to:
work at rates that are much more
though, here is the rule to follow; POCKET MODEM
reasonable than those charged by Com
anything written in BASIC with no P.O. Box 6238. Station "A"
modore. If you want to give them a call,
Toronto, Ont.. M5W1P6
machine-specific features will work on
their number is 416-787-0617. Cheque or money order payable to "The
any Commodore computer. The best
Stelex Sector BBS"
thing that you could do would be to wait If you have a question for The Answer
For more information call
until some Plus/4 disks are assembled and Desk, please send it to: The Answer Desk,
released by the club. At the moment there do TPUG Magazine, 1912A Avenue Road., (416) 766-3038 (modem)
are not many public domain programs for Suite 1, Toronto, Ontario M5M 4A1, (416) 767-8062 (voice)
the Plus/4 computer but, with a bit of Canada. □
8 TPUG MagazineATTENTION
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W^tf ^^^^^^ Creative Computing with examples and easy to understand explanationsTPUG C-64 Chess Tournament Report
a devastating knight fork on the next move, the computer will
by Chris Johnson
discover it. But in a quiet position where long-range planning
Why did several members of TPUG volunteer to spend many is more important than tactics, the computer will flounder.
hours watching two Commodore 64 computers play chess with Odesta's Chess 7.0, released just over a year ago (and at that
each other at the World of Commodore II show a few months time unquestionably the strongest program available for the
ago? Why did these people choose the three strongest chess pro C-64), came third in the TPUG tournament. Sargon III, by far
grams available for the C-64 (Sargon III, Chess 7.0, and Col the strongest yet in the Sargon series, came second. The win
ossus Chess 2.0). and then pit the mighty three against each ner was an English program not yet available in Canada, Col
other for hours on end? ossus Chess 2,0.
Why? Because no other game embodies the concept of human In the TPUG tournament, each program played two games
intelligence as totally as chess; no other game leaves so little against each of the other two programs, once with White and
to chance, yet is virtually limitless in scope. once with Black. We set all three to piay at approximately the
After the first move in a game of chess (a 'move' is a move same speed (forty moves in an hour and fifty minutes), close to
by both White and Black) there are four hundred possible posi the speed used in a serious tournament with human players. It
tions — White has twenty possible moves, and for each of those, is long enough to give the programs time to examine to a
Black has twenty possible replies. After the next move there reasonable depth.
are more than a hundred thousand positions that could arise. The first game of the tournament featured Sargon vs. Col
ossus. It was declared a draw after 55 moves. A weak opening
by Colossus left Sargon a pawn ahead after 10 moves, but
.. .There are more ways to play the Sargon gave it back with a weak twenty-third move. The game
first 10 moves in a game of chess continued rather aimlessly for another 22 moves.
Observers were amazed near the end of the second game when
than seconds have passed since the
Colossus, this time playing White against Sargon, missed a
earth was formed, five billion years forced checkmate. Sargon advanced his queen prematurely and
ago... was forced to give it up in exchange for a rook. Then, on move
38, White checked with his queen, instead of threatening mate
by moving his knight (see diagram 1).
There are more ways to play the first ten moves in a game of White should have played 38. Nc6, threatening checkmate on
chess than seconds have passed since the earth was formed, five the next move. However, Black could delay the end a couple
billion years ago. of moves by checking White. This would have taken the line a
It becomes obvious, therefore, that the computer cannot hope total of seven ply (a ply is a move by one side; a 'move' is two
to play a good game of chess solely by analyzing all the ply). Did this take Colossus beyond the depth at which it was
possibilities. The program must, instead, examine only a short searching? If so, was this because time control was approaching
number of moves ahead for all except some forced lines, or and the program was playing faster — curtailing its search in
perhaps some promising lines. order to reach its 40th move before the 110 minutes were up?
Within these limits, computers are very strong: if a piece can Or did Black's check discourage it from examining the line any
be won in a few moves, the computer will find out how. The com further? Not that this oversight changed the result of the game:
puter is not forgiving of tactical mistakes: if an opponent allows Colossus took only a few more moves to finish off Sargon.
Game 2, after 37.. .Ka8. Game 5, after 12.. .fi>?
White missed the quickest win — a forced mate with Nc6! This obstructs Black's bishop and leaves a hole at e5.
10 TPUG MagazineThe score at this point: Colossus 1.5; Sargon III 0.5. Chess 7.0 in an exciting game. Black (Chess 7.0) came out of
Round three saw Sargon pitted against Chess 7.0. Black the opening in a fairly strong position, but frittered away any
(Chess 7.0) played a weak opening, brought his queen out too potential advantage with several pointless moves. Colossus
soon, and lost the exchange of a rook for a knight. White re made an unusua! sacrifice of two pawns that led to his winning
turned the exchange later for a pawn and a rook on the seventh a piece six moves later! Though this apparently left White's king
rank. White should have gone on to win the endgame, but like exposed. Black was unable to take advantage of it. After a series
most programs, is weak in the endgame and Chess 7.0 sacri of checks, White consolidated his position and the game to take
ficed to prevent White from promoting a pawn. The resulting the championship.
position, with a rook against a bishop, was a draw. The final game, Chess 7.0 as White against Colossus, was
In round four, both Chess 7.0 and Sargon played weakly. a long, see-saw battle that ended with a struggle to promote
White made a strange fourth move, and both programs mis pawns. Black succeeded, but could not keep the piece. Black then
placed their rooks — several times. Black closed up the queen's gained the upper hand but could not prevent White from sacrific
side when he should have left it active; White then opened it ing his bishop for Black's remaining pawn and forcing a draw.
up when he should have left it closed. The game could have gone The final score: Colossus Chess 2.0 3; Sargon 3 2; Chess 7.0
either way, there were many threats by both sides, though 1. Was this the last word on the strength of these three pro
Sargon retained the better position. On move 61 White lost a grams? It's not likely, since this was a very limited contest, but
piece and the game went with it a few moves later. Colossus did appear to have more positional sense than either
At this point Colossus, with two games left to play, both Sargon or Chess 7.0. All three are strong and could handle the
against Chess 7.0, needed only one win or two draws to win vast majority of chess players; they all can give a good game
the tournament. The scores: Colossus 1.5; Sargon 2; Chess 7.0 to any regular club or tournament players. But at the rate of
0.5. development in the field all three may be eclipsed by a new en
Round five saw Colossus clinch the championship by beating try at any time. □
Round 2: 24. Rxe4+ Kd7 4. d4 Nc6 25. f4 QdT
Colossus vs. Sargon III 25. RhT + Kc8 5. Bf4 Nf6 26. c3 Qd6
1. C4 e6 26. Nd5! 6. Bb5 Bd6 27. Qe3 Rnd8
2. Nc3 Bb4 Black has nowhere to put his 7. Bxc6 be 28. cd cd
3. a3 Be" queen. 8. Bxd6 cd 29. Qd2 Qb6
If Black was not prepared to 26.... QdT 9. Nge2 Rb8 30. Ne2 a6
exchange his bishop for the 27. Rxd7 Kxd7 10. b3 Bf5 Kh8
31, Nxd4
knight at c3 he should not 28. Nf6 + KcS 11. 0-0 0-0 32. QeS Qd6
have moved it to b4; now he 29. Nxg8 Bxe4 12. Ng3 Be6 White now embarks on a
loses a move. 30. Qxe4 Kb8 13. Rel g6 remarkable double pawn
4. d4 b6 31. Qxc4 a6 A pointless move. Black would sacrifice.
5. Bf4 Bb7 32. Qg4 Kb7
have done better to play 33. g4 fg
6. e3 Nf6 33. Qxgo b5
13.. -Re8 to counter White's 34. h3 hg
7. Nf3 Nh5 34. Qd5~ Ka7
rook on the e-file. 35. Kh2 Kg8
8. Bg3 Nxg3 35. Ne7 Rf8
14. Re3 Qe7? 36. Qe2 QdT
9. hg Na6 36. Qc6 Rh8
Not a good idea to place the 37. Rd2 a5
Not the best place to develop 37. Qxc7+ Ka8
queen on the active file. The 38. Nf3 Qf7
the knight. It should move in 38. Qc6 + ?
queen, if moved at ail, should 39. Rxe6 Qxf4
stead to c6 (at the right Here, White missed a forced
go to either d7 or c7. 40. Khl RfS
time). mate: 38. Nc6. Black can
delay by 38....Rhl+; 39. 15. Qe2 c5 41. Rxd8 Rxd8
10. Bd3 m
Ke2, Rel + ; 40. Kxel, a&; 41. 16. Rdl QdT 42. Re5 RfS
11. d5
Qa7 mate. Did this delay take IT. dc dc 43. Ngl Qh4
Lets Blacks QN in to a more
the analysis just beyond the 18. Nce4 Nx("l 44. Rxa5 Rf7
effective square:
level at which Colossus was 19. Nxe4 QeT 45. a3 Qd8
11.... Nc5
12. Ne5 ed analyzing? 20. NgS d4 46. b4 Qh4
38.... Ka7 21. Re5 Rfe8 47. QeS h2
13. Bxf5 Bf6
14. Ngfl! 39. f4 Rhl + 22. Rd3 f6 48. Nf3 Qh3
Black's h-pawn is pinned. 40. Ke2 Rgl At this point Black has a 49. Ra8 + KgT
14.... Rg8 41. Nc8+ Kb8 satisfactory position. Unfor 50. Qd4 + KM
15. RxhT dc 42. Nd6 tunately Black makes a number 51. Qe3 + KgT
16. Kfl Black can only delay one of weak and/or pointless moves. 52. Qc3 + Kh6
To protect his g-pawn. more move by sacrificing his 23. Re4 f5? 53. Qd2 + KgT
16.... Bxc3 rook with Rel + . This pawn was better left at f6; 54. Qb2 + Kh6
17. be Qf6 here it blocks the bishop's, 55. Qcl + KgT
Round 5:
18. Qc2 d5 reduces pawn mobility, and lets 56. Qal + Kh6
Colossus vs. Chess 7
19. Rdl Ne4 White's rook return to e5 where 57. Nxh2 Rf2
20. Bxe4 de 1. Nc3 d6 is it later entrenched with f4. 58. Qgl Re2
21. Nf4 Qf5 2. e4 e6 Black's position would have 59. Ra7 g5
22. Rh5 g3 More usuai, if anything in this been far better if he had con 60. Ra6 Kh5
23. Rd4 Qg4 opening can be called "usual", centrated on doubling his rooks 61. Rf6 h6
Black is advancing his queen is2...d4 on the e-file 62. b5 Rd2
too far, too .soon. 3. ed ed 24. Re5 KgT White wins
March 1985 11The Electric Goddess of Chess
ing. Although dedicated to the single task of cracking the Ger
by Bill Bullock
man 'Enigma' codes during the Second World War, it never
Men have been slaves to her powers for centuries without know theless gave rise to many important spin-offs. Perhaps more im
ing who she was, then became willing subjects for centuries more portantly it provided the world with a nucleus of Artificial In
after discovering her identity. Even in today's Future Shock telligence specialists, half of whom, significantly, were chess
society she has an enormous following. Her name is Caissa, God players.
dess of Chess. The modern era of computers began with the invention of the
The power of chess to grip the mind in addictive fascination transistor in 1948. However, the transistor was not actually used
has long been the subject of study from various disciplines. It in a computer until 1956. The big news came in 1949 when Shan
is not surprising that people's attempts to produce a machine non, then a researcher at Bell Labs, presented a seminal paper
that would play the game have a long history. of brilliant insight and thus launched computer chess as a science,
The first commercially successful venture of this kind entered and himself as the father of that science, all without a single
the marketplace in 1770 and was an immediate success. It was line of chess programming.
a mechanically marvellous chess playing machine — an Within a mere two years the first real chess program was mak
'automaton'. At one end was a ing the headlines. It was rather
scaled-down imitation of a crude by present standards but
Turkish figure complete with tur very impressive in 1951, even
ban, and at the other end a com though it had to run on a very
partment that could be opened for slow vacuum-tube IBM. Things
inspection by skeptical onlookers. began to hum at this point and
It became known as the Turk, and Caissa must have been truly im
was very successful until its ex pressed as MIT produced the
posure as a hoax in 1834. The original quantum leap in com
machine used a hidden chess- puter design with the introduc
playing dwarf as its micro tion of TX-O, the first tran
processor and enjoyed a 64-year sistorized computer in 1956,
run before being phased out. closely followed in 1958 by Texas
The next great step forward Instruments with their invention
came nearly half a century later of the integrated circuit. By 1964,
in 1878 with the introduction of the first computers with IC chips
Mephisto, another chess-playing were a fact and the information
automaton. The public was allow explosion was on its way.
ed complete access to poke and Unfettered by hardware, chess
peek around this machine even programs steadily advanced in
while it was actually playing — no number and quality. Inevitably
hidden player could be found. Un they clashed — which was the
familiar with the new principles best? That honour first went to
of remote control, the public had the Russians, whose Kaissa walk
once again been duped. The elec ed away with the First World
trical age had arrived. Computer Championship in 1974.
The first real chess-playing The Americans avenged the loss
automaton was produced in 1890 in 1977 by winning the Second
by a Spanish scientist named World Computer Chess Cham
Leonardo Torres y Quevedo. His pionship held in Toronto, Canada,
machine used an electro-magnetic in a remarkably clean sweep with
control system and an inefficient Chess 4.6.
precalculated algorithm to solve Today the chess-playing
and play out King and Rook ver machine has become an everyday
sus King type endgames. humdrum reality. The great
However, his machine, being dream has been realized, yet the
unable to play the whole game, aroused little public interest. age old problem remains. What is the fascination of chess? Why
Even historians have tended to ignore the fact that he was really is it so addictive? Where is its usefulness? How should it be
first on the block with a chess-playing machine that actually classified? Is it an art? A science? Or, after all, is it just another
worked! He also marked the end of an era. game? Computer science may hold an answer as more and more
In 1937, Claude E. Shannon, destined to become the father programmers and scientists, bent on pushing back the frontiers
of computer chess, worked out the electrical circuitry required of Artificial Intelligence, discover that computer chess is a par
to perform binary arithmetic. By 1943, the first working elec ticularly useful tool in evaluating differing algorithmic ap
tronic digital computer — named Colossus — was up and runn proaches to this important research. □
12 TPUG MagazineThe Anatomy of a Chess Program
by Bill Bullock
The Evaluation Module may be considered the very heart
of a chess program: it is called upon many thousands, perhaps
millions of times during the course of selecting just one move.
Position evaluation therefore accounts for most of a
program's execution time.
The Execution Module has the responsibility of providing
the search and rescue function of the program. When directed
it will search the opening book — a built-in data base of
approved opening moves — and will execute an immediate
move from the play book if a matching position is found.
Otherwise it establishes a search tree (using the move
generator) to set up a listing or layer of possible moves (called
a 'ply'), evaluates each of the resultant board positions, and
executes a repetition of the whole process for each succeeding
The problem facing the chess programmer is that of reducing ply or half move until the allowable response time has been
our vast lore of chess intelligence to a numerical equivalent exceeded.
that can be easily manipulated by a computer. In the process Response time, of course, is the variable altered when a
there are many problems to be overcome. Their solution program's skill (or 'level') is selected by a user. The strength
begins with the development of an algorithm that will enable of the program is thus reduced by shortening its 'thinking'
the computer to handle the basic concepts of chess: its rules, time, and not at all by changing its algorithm. As a result,
its principles, its moves. good programs remain surprisingly strong even at their
The particulars of the algorithmic approach are as diverse weakest level. Some programs offer a special 'easy' mode
as the programmers who use them. The outline described to achieve a more balanced contest, but even that is nothing
here, while typical of most chess programs, is nevertheless more than another reduction in 'thinking' time.
specific to none. Many different search strategies have been developed, each
A chess program has three main parts: a Situation Module, with its own strengths, and each at the cost of differing trade
an Evaluation Module, and an Execution Module. Each of offs, but none has effectively solved the syndrome known as
these sections is extremely complex, and each has been the Horizon Effect. This is simply the inability of a program
implemented in a variety of ingenious ways. that is looking ahead perhaps four moves to see the disaster
The Situation Module determines if the game is in its that awaits just over the horizon on the fifth move. In a more
opening, middle game, or end game phase. It must establish pernicious form of the effect, the program has looked five
the location of the pieces and the legal moves available, and moves ahead, has seen the disaster, and has opted for an
size up the overall situation. To do all of this it must know alternate continuation by adding a couple of time-waster
the laws of chess and some of its fundamental concepts. An moves that push the fifth move over the horizon to a new
array of legally eligible moves is built with a routine known move slot of seven. The program ends its search at move five
as a move generator. The Situation Module must also of the new move order, congratulates itself on finding a safe
establish the records: a data base defining and storing the continuation, and sets out on what is really just a longer route
current board position. to the same old disaster.
The Evaluation Module measures the strength of a board When search strategy has been developed to the point of
position in numerical terms. The accuracy of this numerical eliminating the Horizon Effect, chess programs will have
evaluation is the most important factor that separates good attained world chess championship standards. In the
programs from inferior ones. Each chess piece is given a meantime, the move is executed, and the search goes on.D
numerical value according to its importance in the game. In
addition, a large number of positional factors are numerically For readers who wish to investigate the theory of computer
weighted. Numerical pluses are given to each position that chess in greater detail, the following books are recommended:
adheres to the main principles of good chess. Stronger
Advances in Computer Chess, Vois 1 and 3,, edited by
programs attempt to beef up end game play by modifying
M.R.B. Clarke (Edinburgh University Press)
their evaluation routines to take into account the special
requirements of the end game phase. In spite of such fine Artificial Intelligence, by A. Bundy (Edinburgh
tuning, however, end game play continues to remain the University Press)
weakest area of modern chess programming, and for that
Computer Chess, by David E. Welsh (Wm. C. Brown)
reason has become the area receiving the most intensive
research. The Chess Computer Handbook, by David Levy (Batsford)
March 1985 13Computer Comfort
by Jim Butterfield to feel secure about programs. When we computer on, type this and you should see
pay a few hundred dollars or so for a soft as follows ..." When a user unwraps a
Copyright ° 1985 Jim Butterfield. Permis
ware system, we know that we will have package, he or she doesn't know whether
sion to reprint is hereby granted, pro
to live with it for months or years. We it's good or defective, or how to tell the
vided this notice is included in the
look for the support features — warran difference. A simple walk-through can
reprinted material.
ty, update, documentation — to tell us reassure the buyer and provide the first
There seems to have been a tot of discus that we'll be safe. step in demonstrating the program or
sion in the press lately on the subject of There's often a difference in viewpoint training in its first use. There should be
cuddling. It started off with a letter to between vendor and customer. A a more detailed tutorial (preferably with
Ann Landers, and has been picked up by customer thinks of buying a service — an specific examples that the user can try),
other columnists and talk shows. One accounting package, a word processor, a reference section, and an index. Extra
midwestern broadcaster was mobbed whatever. A vendor thinks of selling an material, such as 'Common problems
when he offered free cuddles to all object — an accounting package, a word when using this program', can be
listeners. I don't plan to make any offer processor, whatever. Same thing? Not at invaluable.
along that line; but I'd like to talk about all. A vendor's responsibility for a service I have sometimes wondered whether a
the way we would all like to feel safe, starts with the sale. But a vendor's software house might give away a pro
warm and secure .. . especially with responsibility for an object — providing gram free or at a small charge, and then
computers. it's not defective when sold — ends with suggest to the user that it would be wise
It's my theory that success in the big the sale. to subscribe to a support service, paying
computer world was achieved by making So here we have two opposing view an annual fee to be kept up to date. It
customers feel safe. In the early com points. The vendor might think that the seems to me that many users view
puter era, there was a lot of talk about moment the product goes out the door, themselves a? subscribers to a program
the IBM 'umbrella'. If your business the sale is concluded. The customer might service rather than owners (or licensees
walked with IBM, you walked under the think that the moment a package is ac or whatever) of a program.
umbrella and you'd never feel the bad quired, the vendor's responsiblities begin. And I'm sure that most purchasers feel
weather. Unhappily, there's often no middle quite insecure. Will the program work
Back in those days, you'd often pay ground. correctly? What will happen if something
more for the big guy's computers. But Nobody wins. The vendor is injured goes wrong? Suppose the disk fails? Sup
you'd get security. There would be a when a complaint comes in: "Look, for pose something weird comes up on the
Customer Engineer posted on your a five dollar profit I'm supposed to hold screen. We're full of phobias, and the
premises or on close call. Any software more we depend on a program, the more
you would like — compilers, subroutines, .. .We want comfort. profound the fears. A user told me some
report generators — was yours free for years ago of a package that had a HELP
We want to be able to
the asking. You'd get programming screen that said, "Occasionally, the data
forms, schedules for ordering fresh sup sleep soundly at night. base will fail and all files will be ir
plies such as paper, punched cards or We want software that retrievably lost". Such a loss had never
magnetic tape, free manuals, free train happened to the user; but the existence
ing courses .. . you were well taken care
cuddles and protects
of such a threat caused him to abandon
of. us. .. the program as quickly as possible.
If you went for one of the smaller six We want comfort. We want to be able
— little guys like Univac, Control Data, the guy's hand for two months?" The pur to sleep soundly at night. We want soft
or RCA (yes, they made computers) — chaser is wounded when support is ware that cuddles and protects us. Today,
you could often save money. But you'd unavailable: "I said, I don't want my there's still too little of that kind of pro
need to know your business: you'd have money back, I want it to work right ..." gram. Partly, it's up to the vendors to
to take care of yourself. No umbrella. No Hopefully, the gap can be bridged. make 'cuddly' software. Partly, it's up to
cuddling. Good documentation, update or newslet users to seek it out.
Why the difference? Mostly, I think, ter service, warranty/replacement policy, A few years ago, I visited Dallas and
because IBM rented computers and the supplementary programs — all these can on my arrival was taken to a nearby
other vendors sold them. A rental be used to connect the manufacturer to tavern. I was discussing with a Com
customer is still a customer. A sale is an the user without unnecessary (and cost modore employee my views on desirable
ex-customer. ly) lengthy interviews. software when the waitress came around.
By the way, times have changed. IBM The program itself should have help I asked her, "What do you think of this
has 'unbundled', and many of the features, significant defaults, menus theory that everybody really wants to be
marvellous free services have vanished. where appropriate, double-checks ('are cuddled?" She replied, "Well, ah think it's
But they achieved dominance before un you sure?') at dangerous points, and even jest fine, but my boyfriend don't really
bundling took place in the early sixties, subliminal clues such as colour coding care for it".
and they are still on top. associated with specific activities. So maybe it's not a hundred per cent
I think the same principles apply to Documentation should start with a universal need. But I'd put it in the high
software purchases today. A buyer wants walk-through of the package: "Turn the nineties. □
14 TPUG MagazineSuperPET's BASIC Distinctions
by Brad Bjorndahl No doubt the designers felt that its 4.0. Functions can be defined with more
omission would be a fault. The SuperPET than one passed parameter, and more
For this issue, I have chosen to ask myself is primarily a learning machine. Perhaps than one statement can be executed. Both
these questions: Why is BASIC still they thought that using BASIC is a good options make life a great deal simpler for
around? and, why does my computer have way to learn how not to program. the programmer. mBASIC also has add
two of them — Commodore BASIC 4.0 Waterloo mBASIC retains BASIC 4.0's ed matrix (array) features. For example,
and Waterloo microBASIC (designated character while upgrading it with the LET statement will operate on entire
mBASIQ? features that allow easier and better matrices if it is preceded by MAT. In this
First, BASIC pervades the entire pro coding. As a result, it is compatible with way, every element of a matrix can be set
gramming community by being available ordinary BASIC, yet provides features of to a constant or to the value of an expres
on virtually every digital computer. more advanced languages. sion. There are special keywords for set
Anyone remotely connected with com For example, consider the awful ting a numeric array to all zeros or a
puters has some knowledge of it. Second, BASIC 4.0 editor. mBASIC has com string array to all nulls. It is easy to
it is old — so old that many people con mands that are missing in BASIC 4.0: multiply all elements of a numeric matrix
sider it obsolete. Third, it has more ver RENUMBER, AUTOUNE, DELETE and by a constant or by the value of an ex
sions than any other language and most a proper LIST. I expect this was done on pression. No loops are needed. Even ad
versions have multiple upgrades tacked ly for completeness since there is also dition, subtraction and multiplication of
onto them. Fourth, it is relatively easy to available a completely separate full matrices are provided in one statement.
learn in spite of its lack of 'modern con screen editor with search and change One last, very important, extension
veniences' such as structured statements. commands. Every BASIC should have an must be mentioned. mBASIC has a LIN-
These comments help to explain why editor that makes entering code the PUT statement that will input an entire
BASIC is still around. That it is so easiest part of programming. line or record of a file, ignoring commas.
available and well known gives it Structured code is a similar story. It is difficult to express how welcome this
popularity 'by default'. For example, it mBASIC has the 'primitive control' command can be when it is needed.
is impossible to imagine the IBM PC statements with which every BASIC 4.0 There are a few more mBASIC
without BASIC. It is expected. Since new programmer is familiar, such as features that are not extensions but ad
machines must provide BASIC, they FOR. . .NEXT. To these, mBASIC adds ditions to BASIC 4.0. They can be class
usually use the language to present a LOOP. . .UNTIL, IF...ELSE. ..ENDIF, ed as debugging aids. mBASIC
buyer with the machine's best features — and so on. Structured control is extend recognizes a number of run-time error
graphics or colour, for example. BASIC'S ed further in mBASIC by providing a conditions such as overflow and
age, and its possible obsolescence as a CALL as well as a GOSUB statement. underflow, division by zero, string
language, are not really relevant to its Both statements will execute a section of overflow, and conversion to numeric
continued existence. Fortran and COBOL code and return to the following state values during READ or INPUT.
are older and just as deeply rooted as ment. GOSUB transfers control to the mBASIC gives the programmer three
BASIC. A great deal of program develop line number of a 'subroutine'. CALL options when errors are found. One, the
ment has been invested in these transfers control to the start of a 'pro programmer can ignore the error. This
languages. They are not easily discard cedure', which is identified by an is often done for the EOF (end-of-file)
ed. Finally, learning BASIC is easy alphanumeric name. Also, values and ex condition when the programmer would
because of its lack of structured pressions may be given to the procedure rather check the i/o status flag. Two, the
statements. The advantages of for use during the call. programmer can let the system process
IF. . .ELSEIF. . .ENDIF and organized The programmer has the option of us the error. This would usually be the case
data storage are (usually) lost on a novice. ing simple (clumsy) or complex (powerful) for an error such as an invalid subscript,
The overhead of forced program develop coding techniques. Sometimes, in prac because that usually indicates an unex
ment in other languages can be very tice, a combination is used. Recently, in pected program bug. Three, the program
discouraging. Besides, once the purpose translating a program from BASIC 4.0, mer can provide a group of statements
is appreciated, a student programmer can I changed almost ail the structures to bet to be executed if a certain error is found
find ways of structuring BASIC. In fact, ter ones available in mBASIC. The excep by the interpreter. This is useful for
organizing your own structures is a good tion was an ON J GOSUB. . . statement displaying data values or correcting the
way of learning to take advantage of where J was a menu selection number. error. When this error handling option is
them in those languages that provide I could have replaced this with an IF or used, the programmer can return control
them. a GUESS statement of ten to Fifteen to the line that caused the error,
The answer to my first question, then, lines, which would have allowed me to use presumably after making corrections.
is simple enough: BASIC is still around procedure names instead of line numbers. That covers the major extensions and
partly as a result of momentum and part Names usually yield clearer code. In this additions to mBASIC. It is clear to me
ly because it is easy to grasp. Now we can case, the number of lines required would that they ailow BASIC to be competitive
consider question two, which I will only have made the code more with other languages without sacrificing
restate as: why did Waterloo add complicated. its usefulness as a teaching language.
microBASIC to the SuperPET when the There are a few more features in And that is why I have two BASICs in
Commodore version was built in? mBASIC that are extensions of BASIC my machine. □
March 1985 15You can also read
