Thomas A. Dwyer

Although this book was sold at Radio Shack stores in 1977, the same year that the TRS-80 Model I Micro Computer hit the market, it is all about minicomputers, timeshare BASIC, and teletype terminals.

I bought the book in 1978 hoping it would help me understand how to program my new TRS-80 Model I. After all, a TRS-80 Model I was pictured on the cover under a prominent Radio Shack banner. Alas, there was no help to be had for my TRS-80. The contents had nothing to say about personal computers in general and not one word about my TRS-80 in particular. Instead, this book is all about the world of minicomputers. Inside the book, an operator is pictured sitting in front of a teletype terminal staring at a roll of paper, not at a video display. The TTY is connected to a minicomputer somewhere in another room or by telephone modem to a minicomputer at a remote location. The minicomputer is running time-share BASIC.

Instructions tell how to log-in to a time-sharing computer system. Other instructions tell how to store your programs on rolls of paper tape. There is even a work flow chart provided for a typical batch programming session that goes something like this: (1) Sit at a desk and think about your problem. Sketch your program ideas as best you can using paper and pencil. (2) After you come up with a program idea, move to an architect's drafting table and draw a flow chart of your finished program. (3) Done with your flow chart? Let's move on and take a seat in front of the keyboard of a keypunch machine. Transfer your flow chart logic to punch cards by coding your program in timeshare BASIC onto as large a deck of 80-column punch cards as necessary, one line of code per card. (4) Carry your drawer of punch cards from the keypunch machine to a card reader. (5) Run the batch of cards through the card reader, thereby transferring your program line-by-line into a minicomputer. (6) Execute the program on the minicomputer and send your output to a line printer. (7) Remove the fan-folded paper from the printer and take it back to your desk. (8) Check the printout for errors. If you find errors, it's back to the drawing board.

This book should have been titled, Computer Programming in BASIC for Everyone Except Owners of TRS-80 Model I Microcomputers. The book should have been subtitled, Don't Be Misled by the Picture on the Cover.

Please move on, folks. There's nothing to see here.… (mehr)