¢SOFTWARE SCENE¢¢¢The Programming Kit - Public Domain¢¢ I have just received this three disk PD set from the OL'Hackers Atari User Group in New York, USA. The Turbo BASIC Programming Kit has been put together by OHAUG member, Ron Fetzer.¢¢ All six disk sides of the Programming Kit contain the new American (NTSC) version of Turbo BASIC. This version, by John Picken of the Garden City ACE in Canada, features a enhanced Time$ function for US systems and a new .ARB (AutoRun BASIC) function (you can now give your autorun file any filename as long as the extender is .ARB). The prompt in this new version reads TURBO instead of READY. (Ed: The NOSAUG PD version of The Programming Kit features both the U.S. and European versions of Turbo BASIC)¢¢ On Disk 1 side A there is the Turbo BASIC Compiler which now has an instruction screen in English. There is also a program for reading .DOC files - docs for the new Turbo BASIC and the Compiler are included.¢¢ On side B there are the complete docs for Turbo BASIC, written by Dave and Laura Yearke of WNYAUG. They can be read or printed from an autorun file.¢¢ Disks 2 and 3 are the products of Ron Fetzer of the Ol'Hackers. Disk 2 (both sides) features a comprehensive tutorial entitled "Programming Made Easy". Ron details structured programming in Turbo BASIC with the use of the PROCedure and ENDPROCedure commands. I remember being tought structured programming in PASCAL a few years back - you create small modules and then put them together for the final program. It really does make programming a lot easier!¢¢ Disk 3 side A contains a number of programming modules and utilities which you can experiment with and use in your own programs. The modules include DOS functions, screen printing and sorting. The utilities include a hexidecimal-decimal converter, a loan financial program and a word counter for text files (extremely useful for university essays!).¢¢ On side B of Disk 3 there are docs on "How To Use Modules", "How To Use Arrays" and "How To Do Sorting". They can be read or printed. There is also a picture of Ron Fetzer himself.¢¢ In conclusion, the Programming Kit contains everything you will need to begin detailed structured programming in Turbo BASIC. The documentation files are VERY easy to follow - you can tell Ron was a math and computer studies teacher.¢¢ Turbo BASIC was always something I had in my collection but which I never used unless I had to load a .TUR file from a disk. I had heard many 8-Bitters raving about it's power but I was quite content with Atari BASIC and BASIC XL. Now that I have examined Ron Fetzer's Programming Kit I will never look back. How did I put up with the speed of Atari BASIC for so long? It's time to switch on the printer, print out all the .DOC files within the Programming Kit and get down to some serious programming. Well done Ron - you have opened my eyes and allowed my 8-Bit to take another breath of fresh air.¢¢ -------¢¢The Programming Kit is in the NOSAUG PD Library (we swap disks with OHAUG). It is a three-disk set and is priced at only 4.95 pounds (disks U23, U24 and U25). If you wish, you can buy the disks individually for 1.95 pounds each. Send to: S.J.Murray, NOSAUG, 71 Walker Road, Torry, Aberdeen AB1 3DL, Scotland (cheques/POs payable to S.J.MURRAY). International orders please add one pound per disk ordered.¢¢It is available in the USA from:¢¢Ol'Hackers Atari User Group,¢c/o Alex Pignato (President),¢3376 Ocean Harbor Drive,¢Oceanside,¢N.Y. 11572,¢USA.¢¢Price: $7.00 (cheque / money order payable to Ron Fetzer, the OHAUG Treasurer)¢¢¢Give your 8-Bit some Turbo power!¢
