.IF DSK1.C3 ^^^^^^^^^TEXTWARE, SOFTWARE, and ELSEWHERE Goings-on in the TI Community ^^^^^^^^^^by Jack Sughrue ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^TRANSLATIONS All our text sources are drying up. Boohoo! No more options. And I do like typing in programs. What's to become of me. Alas! Or so the scenario is supposed to go for we poor orphaned types. But No More Options? Never! We 99ers are too ingenious for such talk. OPTIONS is the name of our game. IGENUITY and PERSEVERANCE are our methods. This is an article about work ethic and possibilites and noble stuff like that. First, the reason. There are still zillions of books out there with programs in them. Lots of programs you and I do not have and may find useful or fun. These programs just don't happen to be LISTed in TI BASIC. That's all. Second, the effort. We'll have to learn how to translate from other BASICs to our own. Some labor and time are required. Third, the how. Okay, we're willing, but how do we go about this? To start with, there are some readily-available books around which can give you the resources. THE BEST OF 99er (1981-3, Emerald Valley Publishing Co., Eugene, OR; $19.95) gives a couple tutorials on converting from Apple and TRS-80 to TI. BASIC PROGRAMMING FOR KIDS (by Roz Ault, 1983, Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA; $7.95) is just as handy for adults wanting to learn to make translations from and to TI, Apple, Atari, Commodore, Radio Shack, and Timex/Sinclair. This is probably the best starter of all the resources. THE BASIC BOOK: a cross-referenced guide to the BASIC language (by Harry Helms, McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, 10020; $6.95) cross-references TI, Apple, Atari, Commodore, IBMl, Radio Shack. It explains in details and clear charts what functions each computer has and how to access them and convert them. This would be a good follow-up to the book above and kept handy as a guide while doing the actual conversion/typing of the "foreign" programs. BASIC FUN: Computer Games, Puzzles, and Problems Children Can Write (by Susan Drake Lipscomb and Margaret Ann Zuanich, Avon Camelot Books, 959 8th Avenue, New York, NY, 10019; $2.25) is really the first level of conversions. If you're really wary of the attempt, this is the easiest and least expensive. My fifth-graders had no problem with this book, and the programs are cute (sometimes cutesy). Four books: COMPUTER CRAZINESS, MONSTERS, OLYMPICS, SPACE ADVENTURES (by Stephen Manes and Paul Somerson, Hard/Soft Inc., P.O. Box 1277, Riverdale, NY, 10471; $4.95 each) offer conversions for TI, Commodore, Vic, Apple, IBM, Atari, TRS-80 computers in simple, staightforward ways. Programs are fun for young kids (7-11) and are easy to type in and translate with LOTS of help and MANY specifics. No guess work here. A perfect starter series (and reasonably cheap for the large 172-page, 9x12, easy-to-read format. Don't expect great programs, but they serve their pupose, which is fun. l BASIC PROGRAM FOR SMALL COMPUTERS (by C. Regena, COMPUTE! Books, P.O.Box 5406, Greensboro, NC, 27403; $12.95) is the one I personally found the most helpful. Probably because I involved myself more in this one than in the others. She is very clear and concise and gives precise changes. Later in the book she lists specific programs for TI, TRS-80, MC-10, VIC-20 (with earlier suggestions for Timex and Apple). By the time I had reached these later chapters, I found it was more fun to try and type in the "foreign" programs while converting than it was to type in the TI LISTings. When these translations worked, I knew I was on my way to bigger and better things. But some words of warning. Do not try to convert programs which are primarily graphic. You're better off doing the non-graphic programs and adding your own graphics later than to attempt translating. This is advice I got from far wiser heads than my own. And I pass it on to you. Then (you may ask) What's out there? Lots. But I'll just give you examples from two authors, David H. Ahl and Tim Hartnell, both long-time writers, editors, programmers. Ahl: BASIC COMPUTER GAMES, MORE BASIC COMPUTER GAMES, BIG COMPUTER GAMES [about 200 games and not-quite games] (70s and 80s, Creative Computing, P.O.Box 789-M, Morristown, NJ, 07960; $7.95-$9.95) are all non-graphic (or non-redifined-graphic) programs just waiting for conversion into your personal BASIC (easier, still, into TI Extended BASIC) language. These books are made for adaptation and, particularly in BIG COMPUTER GAMES are really interesting. This last book contains only 12 programs, but they are blockbusters, including ELIZA. You'd probably be better off to start with his other two books. Some are a little difficult to debug. First, try to follow the logic of the things to see if you want to attempt the typing. Then do the typing with your conversion information in front of you. Very rewarding when you finally get these programs up and working. Hartnell: GIANT BOOK OF COMPUTER GAMES, SECOND GIANT BOOK OF COMPUTER GAMES, CREATING ADVENTURE GAMES ON YOUR COMPUTER [about 100 programs, most larger than the Ahl programs] (1983-5, Ballantine Books, New York, NY; $7.95-$12.95) gives you, on the whole, better programs then the first two Ahl books. Hartnell also gives more conversion help and more resources to go to for other things. The Hartnell programs are much easier to read, have better references within the tutorial sections, have more satisfying results. But both authors do a fine job with these works. Both authors in their last of their three books spend lots of time and space on adventure programming. (Hartnell actually devotes his entire book to the subject.) If you are really interested in learning how adventure programming works and how you can actually write your own, I would highly recommend Hartnell's Creating Adventure Games... It is an unusually well done book; a highly readable one even if you decide not to do the programs within. Everything about understanding the workings of adventure programs is explained in short, lucid concept chapters: mapping the environment, building a travel table, moving about, consistency and reality, modular construction, and so on. Because each concept is presented in such a concise, direct way, there is no feeling of being overwhelmed. And because each step adds a little bit to an actual program, a pleasant surprise results when you suddenly discover you've written a complete adventure. After that, the world's your oyster (providing you can discover the magic amulet that changes it to an oyster while preventing the Balrog from eating your monk's pet black widow talisman). But your oyster, eventually. This is a start. At the end you may be 300 programs richer and very much wiser in the ways of computering and how our 99 is still a long way from death (or even illness). *********** As an afterword: I have a TRS-80 Model I; two Timex/Sinclair 1500s; an Apple II-Plus; and two TI-99/4As in my classroom. Over all the years I had this stuff it never occurred to me to do conversions. Last year one of my fifth-grade students took one of my TI books home to convert a few programs to her Apple. Then she came in and converted a few TRS-80 programs to the Timex and TI computers. She helped me a lot. Then I bought the Regena book and the BASIC Book and they helped me more. Then I bought the others mentioned in this article and am still in the learning stage (the exciting stage) of this language-translation business. Such fun! And hard work. I also have a PD conversion chart I got from my user group in Worcester (M.U.N.C.H.). Some time soon I will update it and write an article about specific conversions which will include the updated chart. ************ NO-NO of the Day! This outing brings us three NO-NOs: 222 BASIC Computer Programs for Home, School, and Office and MICRO ADVENTURE: Space Attack and, finally, THE BYTE BROTHERS: Input an Investigation. The first, put out by ARCsoft Publishers of Woodsboro, Maryland (whose books should, in general, be avoided), is a ripoff (a $9.95 ripoff). Supposedly "edited" by Don Roberts, this book merely xeroxes pages form all their old (very inane) books for Atari, TI, Timex, IBM, Apple, TRS-80, Vic-20, and lord knows what else. There is no help on how to convert. There isn't even a note that these different programs (shoved into this 288-page book willy-nilly) even have to beconverted! There isn't even a letter code to tell you what computer the listing is for! This is a useless book, absolutely of no help to anyone trying to learn how to convet (or even anyone trying to locate the programs they can use on their own computer), and is the biggest waste of ten bucks I've ever put down for textware. The second book (by Eileen BLuckholtz and Ruth Glick, Scholastic Inc, NY, NY; $1.95) at least is cheap. It's the first of a too-long series of rather dull adventures. You are supposed to type in eight programs to help the novel's adventurers along. The programs are a strain and are pretty much irrelevant. (The strain grows with each book and could have been avoided by getting creative people involved in the project after the original idea - which is good - was proposed.) But at least there is a conversion chart and some very specific changes. There is also a 20-odd page reference manual at the back which I DO feel is worth more than the novel. If it were not for the boring novel, this book would be as much on my YES-YES list as the Avon Camelot book above. A very weak no-no. I guess I feel similarly to the BYTES BROTHERS series "written" by Lois and Floyd McCoy and put out (for $2.25) by Bantam Books of New York for older kids (but DUMB older kids). Purporting to be solve-it-yourself computer mysteries, the books, if possible, are even more boring than the Micro Adventure books. The programs are better, but the reference section is pitiful. Not much conversion help here. [Jack Sughrue, Box 459, E.Douglas, MA 01516] ************ If any newsletter editor prints these articles, please put me on your mailing list. Thanks - JS Հ