Loadstar 128 27/q27.d81/t.diskovery 27

Text File | 2022-08-28 | 9KB | 150 lines

        D I S K O V E R Y : The LOADSTAR 128 Programming Philosophy

                              by Fender Tucker


    When the first LOADSTAR 128 came out 81 months ago I didn't like the
128 mode.  I didn't know the BASIC 7.0 equivalents of the BASIC 2.0
commands and none of the machine language tools worked in the 128 mode.
But we were getting 128-mode submissions and requests for more 128 programs
so we dashed together an emulation of LOADSTAR 64 for the 128 mode.

    It was in 40 columns and looked and acted as much like LOADSTAR 64 as
we could make it.  But then we started to actually use the 128 mode and
realized that if a program is going to be in 40 columns, it might as well
be a C-64 program.  Sure, BASIC 7.0 makes some things easier for the 128
programmer, but from a user's viewpoint, who cares how easy it is for the
programmer?

    It's the 80-column screen that makes the 128 a better and more powerful
machine than the C-64, not the extra RAM, and definitely not BASIC 7.0.
There are some applications for the C-128 that use (and need) the extra 64K
of RAM -- databases, spreadsheets, word processors, etc. -- but most
programs would run comfortably even if there were no Bank 1 for variables.
We've published hundreds of programs on LOADSTAR 64 that get by famously
with only 64K total.

    But the 80-column screen is fantastic, both from a user's and a
programmer's point of view.  With 80 columns a programmer can design his
screen(s) with style and grace, knowing that the user won't have to "flip
pages" to see the rest of the program.  In fact, 80 columns have often
inspired programmers to add features because their dinky little menu boxes
look silly in the middle of a big screen.

    So here is the basis of the LOADSTAR 128 philosophy: The 128 mode is an
80-column mode.  Programs that look and work best in 40 columns should be
written in the 64-mode so that the most people can benefit from it.  We
have published 40-column programs on LS 128 and we'll continue to do so
from time to time, but only if there is a compelling reason for it.  For
instance, Bob Pellegrino's MATCH IT on LS 128 #14 has such beautiful font
and sprite graphics in it, it deserved to be published even though it's in
the 40-column mode.  The same for David Zammat's CLOCK 40 program on LS 128
#25.  They're two of the few 40-column programs we've published since going
80-column with LS 128 #10.

    But what about sprites and graphics?  How do you do those on the 80-
column screen?  Our philosophy is: if your program is an arcade game and
requires sprites, by all means use the 40-column screen (and consider using
the 64 mode while you're at it).  But if it's just a nice graphical screen
you need, we recommend using BASIC8, an excellent programming "language"
for the 80-column mode.  Several games (and applications) in this language
have appeared on LOADSTAR 128: PAINT 128 II on LS 128 #11; HURRICANE
TRACKER on #14; WHEELS AND BONES on #17, for instance.  For a real classy
interface you can use MOUSE 80 by Maurice Randall on #1 and #24 and have
mouse control.  I must admit that I haven't used it (mainly because I'm not
a mouse user) but it's there if any programmer wants to use it.

    The biggest boon to 80-column programming is CONTROL80 by Jon Mattson
on #10, #22, #24 and #25.  I use it in every 80-column program I write and
I STRONGLY recommend that you use it too.  If you don't, there's a good
chance I'll add it anyway.  It gives you several tools that modern
programming requires, such as screen stash and restore (for easy window
effects), custom font installation, easy highlight bars, screen dump, PEEK
and POKE on the 80-column screen (!), and one-command control of the VDC
registers, which is almost impossible without using machine language.

    There's a special version of CONTROL80 called CONTROL80-C on #22 which
is specially designed for card games.  In my opinion card games are one of
the few areas where computers have actually made our lives better.  Card
manufacturers may not agree but card games, especially solitaires, are more
fun on computer.  Edward Rainey, who took up programming at an age I'll
probably never see, produced a BLACKJACK game on #25 and just sent me a
VIDEO POKER game which I plan to use on #28.  Obviously, card games and
solitaires are favorites of mine and since I'm the one who decides what
goes on LOADSTAR 128...

    The 128 world is a cult, and I mean that in the best possible way. In
fact, I just read a definition of a cult: a group that's not large enough
to be a minority.  That's us exactly, and you know what?  That's not a bad
thing to be.  Those of you who are prepared to dip your toe into the waters
of programming have a much better chance of getting pleasantly wet than the
poor people with IBMs and Macs.  The competition in the IBM world chews up
and spits out anyone without a megabuck backer or a hit squad.  Quality
means nothing to Microsoft; power is everything.

    I've always wanted to be the leader of a cult, but preferably one
without Kool-Aid or assault weapons.  LOADSTAR 128 has neither but we've
got Softdisk, a company that pays me to put out four LS 128s a year (in
between 24 disks a year for LOADSTAR 64).  We don't need so many
subscribers that we become a minority, but of course we could use more.
Anything you can do to help us gain subscribers will extend our life.  I
once suggested that issue #32 is a good place to call it quits, but just
because LOADSTAR LIBRARY (whose database is updated on this issue) will
blow up when it encounters #33 is no reason to stop if enough of you
continue to subscribe -- and more importantly, enough of you become
programmers and send me programs.

    It's hard to find friends with C-128s, or even C-64s.  It's become a
solitary hobby, but then computers have always been rather anti-social.  In
my former life as a guitar picker (1963-1987) girls would come over to my
house to listen to me strum and warble.  Now I can't even get my wife to
look at my programs until they're on an issue, when it becomes her job to
look at them.  Let's face it, there's no such thing as a computer groupie.
You've got to love puzzles and the thrill of a bug hunt to be a programmer
in the 90s.  The rewards are few and limited to several hundred bucks but
it's much easier to become a big wheel in our cult than it is in any other
milieu.  Think about it.  Isn't it better to be respected by your peers
than to get lost in the cacophony of cyberspace?

    Oh well, at least this was much shorter than Hugh Hefner's Playboy
Philosophy.

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    We recently decided to lower our prices for LOADSTAR and LOADSTAR 128.
The higher powers at Softdisk wisely figured that it's better to have a lot
of subscribers and customers who send us a little than to have only a few
customers who send us a lot.  I've been pushing for this for a long time
because I get letters from Commodore subscribers who are retired, or are on
a fixed income, and have a hard time coming up with the subscription money
every year.

    I feel that we are also losing customers to the online services (which
are much more expensive than we are in the long run).  I have nothing
personal against the online life and recommend it for those who like wading
through reams of often unreadable gibberish, but I won't be getting online
myself.  After nine hours in front of my computer five days a week I look
forward to going home and reading and watching TV.  When I turn on my
computer at home I do what I like best: write programs.

    But if you like careening down the Infobahn, more power to you!  I mean
that literally -- DAVE'S TERM 128 ranks up there with the best 128 modem
programs ever written, and it's made even more powerful by the modules on
Side 2.  You need last issue (#26) which has the "shell" for DT 128 in
order for the modules on this disk to work, but back issues are now less
expensive than ever.  Although I haven't done more than test some of the
modules of DT 128 I've received feedback from power modemers who say that
Dave Jansen has created one of the best