CHANGING TIMES

AS was mentioned in the last newsletter, the inevitable has begun to happen, and some of us have started acquiring new computers. The ZX81 or Timex 1000 was for most of us our first computer, and will probably remain an object of love for some time. However it will eventually pass out of Production, and we will all be on to the next generation. Timex has announced it is going out of the business, while Sinclair in England has just unveiled a mouthwatering new product, the QL (Quantum Leap), which we are told will be selling in North America later this year for $500 US.

Any computer group which sticks resolutely to only recognizing one model of computer is fated to obscurity in time, so it behooves us to open discus- -sion on the future of the club. Clearly we will have to start supporting other machines as well as the ZX81/T81000, and the question is which ones? How wide should we spread our attentions?

We should have no intention of abandoning the 81/1000's. Most of us still have a great deal to learn about them, and will want to keep learning for some time. But we will want to take on some new machines as well. One obvious route is to stay with the Sinclair family; another is to branch out into other makes, staying with modestly priced machines. Perhaps we will do both.

It has been suggested that we might make overtures to other computer ‘groups about joint meetings, and reciprocal memberships. This would enable our members who also. own ather machines to attend sessions on those machines while the rest of us continue to milk the maximum out of our Sinclairs. It would also give the rest of us the opportunity to see what else is going on in the world of tiny computing.

I personally would encourage the idea of joint meetings, on either a regular or itinerant basis, with groups like the Vancouver Island MicroCompu- ter Society. We could, for example, take side-by-side classrooms in a school one evening, and move back and forth.

Perhaps this approach would be a good way of providing our members with the benefits of branching out, without actually watering down our own efforts in support of our main machine. This would be a valuable topic to throw around at the upcoming meeting. ;

On the subject of our own meetings, I would like to suggest that we try and have a Basic tutorial session scheduled for every meeting. It need not involve everyone, but I strongly suspect that there are few of us who would not listen in anyway, to pick up some tips. It will probably mean dragooning members to stand up and give us 5 or 10 minutes of what they have discovered or learned on their own. Noone will be spared!

Julian Greenwood.

UNREPORT OF UNMEETING: Sec's Report, March 8, 1984.

Our last monthly meeting at Bee-Gee's was of a style we should follow more often. We did not have a business meeting. Our President Dave Skaalrud had just resigned, our V-P was in California, Director Karen Petts was unavailable, I was late, Director Bob Clark expected to be late. In the result Director Stu Montgomery drew the short straw and had to work double duty. He called us to order (to start an informal forum), and soon afterwards had to leave to go on to his job.

Of most significance to me was that members were first interested in Dave's resignation, and secondly in the news of Timex? retirement from computers. These were emotional concerns. The forum was open for any topic, but software enquiries and programming help took a back seat.

Computing is a human activity, and we should not forget that! Reflecting on that I think that some members may feel themselves in need of some discreet help in showing their desire to learn. Perhaps those that have specific questions could put them in writing at the meetings so that we can discuss them in front of the membership.

' The Directors met and appointed Julian Greenwood to fill the interim vacancy on the Board left by the shift of Dave Curry to President. Stu Montgomery is in the process of being railroaded to V-P, but he missed the meeting! =

Dee.

The REGISTERED ADDRESS of the Victoria Sync Association is 942 Cloverdale Ave., Victoria, B.C., U8X 2176.

President David Curry 743-9260 ADVERTISING RATES i

Sec, Treas. Dee Shoolingin c/o Victoria Sync. Assn. Sai Page: $40, Half: $20, Sixth:

w— Stu Montgomery 473-6330 o $0.40 or rector Bob Clark 384-7410 ; "3781.00 en

Director Karen Petts 656-5879 eli pip sen bei erii d

Director Julian Greenwood 383-2073 Bona-fide job ads are free to members or NE non-members on a first come/ space available basis. (computer help-wanted Committee Chairnen ads may get preference) S TETTE sm mint All ads must be accompanied by payment (Checques payable to the Victoria Sync

Education Tom Caron 385-2£66 Assn.) and submitted camera-ready (ZX

Displays Alison Gunn 479-8618 ng dan, bre ween

Machine Code Dale Bird 992-505 months.

Librarians Dave Curry 743-9260 (Cobble Hill) irt danced, Help Ma ted, Trase/susn, = David Skaalrud 656-5879 (Royal Oak) Wanted to Buy, For Sale, Play,etc.

Hewsletter Dee Shoolingin 388-5464 #107 (nsg.) —— t" TENE

Membership is $10.00 per year, which includes subscription to the newsletter. Regular meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month.

Please provide the following information : |

Hane,address,postal code, telephone nusber(s),optional age å |

gender and other info about yourself which you want as to know. Send to Victoria Sync Association, 942 Cloverdale Ave, Victoria de also want to know what equipment you have, your experience and Beber VSK 276, or present at seeting.

special interests. Enclose your dues of $10.00. d

(O HILLSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE -*. PHONE 558-4232

Hillside Shopping Centre: 595-4232 New» in Stock

Richard Startz, “8087 Applications for the IBM-PC" $26.00

Jonathon Sachs, “Your IBM-PC Made Easy" $17.50

Goldstein & Goldstein, "IBM-PC;

Introduction to the Operating System”. Book and Disk. $53.95

fu 3 Qa D Q R b. c+ a ` ~ wy, 3 % x kaa, o o o nd DN Ch o o M ho o o 2 h bu bh * ^o th

Allan Parker, “AppleSoft Basic for the

Business Executive” $20.95

Richard Haskell, "Conmnmodore-64 Basic"

A CEÉIIIÍ ==,

$18.95 Richard Haskell, ^IBW-PC Basic Programming” $13.95

Programming for the IBM-PC" $22.95

If you don't see what you want, give us the title, author & publisher, and we can order it for you.

O teo T. | C

C H4 £ voce f ul "T dd LI d uu "m X [ET] wd i : Ez E T mE Ea uno en "ovr H - > t4 . wu DAXDU DO! ax rada d o Og «rnt on n x = w dw. £ocmESSS. XC C C e e Cid d C e EL CU e DLP d d e OU = - iw a A 7 E » E: gm uu m l H- || “ CE. w if ee — 4 La : v du ^ "e i "em y OUR of c O rr e. wee wag I d Nm: soc) dui DU dre EID e OE OE LOI OE i (uis E = : (ruso an hb $ mee M... I T : x is Ti zd C > mum o im tr tuin - = in = iMm os MUNERE: aru m DAL m P = in M vow a wot a: AE 5 Ta <I M [ER TIT] na De] HA aad Comin urine gne c TO M" ^od. x Avis abe e A ^ beo Pee ed en CIE C n Cu n e I meu CE BAT. r- Per DI UA TE Ka " frt M i 71 A HA " n. ne 3 i " D. ns E | Kak Je Je kakak PF B wu = "v o mun L3 UN) [CDI DRE) me a qune. cd mne Ld iW c4 "wel “ies TETTE Gr

AID D eb el ed cb ob OCU a FM un E: "m

= E TA

cac e

"E E Lae Mp

I Fb imp ac KAWAN ! - A i hp HEE Y . ru bh its 4 : s pr ei " to C. Wee T.A tet UAE cree gp p E | feat tuno (elucet 210300. WML WL, KE Er p Co ee ce cc Ce cc e pe ee = Fn ü n x ) TOT Ie ru Busen, Jaca fae «noo dno. Pod E 483 43 kah e n don. d AJ AO OO CL OL Qc c FL CL UJ mide iE ou ps CO CU D 0D M ioi wie PEE, in SUSME ace osas Ta "gis is " ws (ct "| S | e er r a e "3 STUER FEL A OS SS) UOI a EEE 3 (31 Fs (a C3 C EEES NN D. RO DR. UN] in mm n un OS E E DOES EDO o ae b Ua un MEN en e fma <A Rn ME Win. o DRA LO DIR DO d SINE Ob Red HOO CE ul - - = vd cd cd cd PAAA A eng ire UT cie Quod or ori orar AN Moameccirarratrarac ^ CU D HER VCI e MO POL EE n n MATE E Cd A Cc = z "I KM dod ed nd e Atty

| i

[NA Za mi a won mde c. im i Wd ies Ce NTI cw c qi dec une E Mom «CAE O RO O E et SO E uinci 42 i d i di c. " CEC OTI de O C d OLE Cre iG vti (Cen Et dr c mee A TEU Or en CIL Cm C T1 Cn rema. iu on Zee C. mm ES WIT A za A DEL s 0 oe AE dre C Chafee ee tt Chet Ee zd udi OX dee munggu a+ ECCI eA EUW s at ure! up cre d ur cod, ur CE MAN eet dX ud PECI M 3 HITO EA waon nc OO. ult mm. OU O a Te a » a ZO et tit. A akak EN erre te OF ool Gam C4 C Creer C. ente E HOw ded cr re Codes! COLI Indre et Ure eel pO wet x E E 0 al | E Welt Hoo E o£ At O9 AL EAE NAH & mnM —n 20ü0« W Ww n»cüucscires qm Ü 60 «Ot 3 "Ul xn Ot L Sera OM. pa | ua E anda oo E wa Chet ute w w E Ce wot 0 | Mi | 4A anb pr ae PLI cen cp ul di t. d! We Mc. cu Wed CDE, TW Coe eet di a fo Uni T (7 ZO d “wim Dea odo e de C der DU fei C D. L nooo ad Gor-042. C Em oda at tet c 4p c Ze heed ana 2 (C c Morel Wet Gee =A A C OBa c » coo AVC acto AIO E Clk Free CM C -uomon WD E SES meo CC et Pt 3E mo coo CALO Anci + ge cm ut e fittest cade cone ama -0 E "oc Mollad D-H ong DO d Coe ce xOcCOz Loo ate Wee (0 -AD (e) Ed Hom CPH oe ER Ka rai cog) wa ni iti A vue "13 OQ d ES Eww D RF EM HE S 4-4 qp 2 2o $2 2M) «ARO Og =e We . DJ E «du ü e «eem Ho ui mico ELCT c a WENG £m "uolo PL L o(Enünce ^c Ti] Sow M Hod "cu LAWUO «vp Co um Oo 0 ME D LOM mu we «e TU wi AA BAM b 6o omi vol oF 2gt--o0x F- Zee 3 60 otek cU we - MW CAEADELD gm dee ak dO da Uem o 3 Ro. Wool " ne undo qno qd tu ud cL 60 ec a Qu) mi dr C i ma Q à Id MUO dG C Oe QU 420. EDO ILC cem Morel War Es "(CCf.üdO RO MAA Co Qu qc £c pz Ed ue una Qi fe SN GANG o CC C7» fcd fü oe 44 — IeOGesO A A Cr Oo ic m Kan we TAA dee ei qp TS 2p XI wae zgr dünn ceee d) 0 E pce mu cd. oe e YIH EC ALEA mau TE 22 it G Mohali "i Q AOC CAROD E WI iti A = £. 0.0163 e CUECA Cent. C OZ E qi £c ur cen Oo ELE vI quum C Cw C ü. es op COM ap Bell we wm H MIGO Om oh ke Ww i. ECCU -Oxtbz tC Lo mE Q OU d+ w cC uno £c cen wur OQ Tee m6 2 wo etd align, " UU ca uy. i wi We OE o Oe UR O Coa bp ea ORT OO a qq-cco4 wr. C, vena d W O w "CO Woe. G4 € ol ," Oc com eS y nnn Moi w"w Uic AJ AN C SAR Le TU A Cata «m A RO CO AN COS ede on q O qi mz co ae hes CA AZ om Oo Z4) ol AMEE D. C. 0. (17x GW tet “ol Ma +3 a UU OA di O uice adi 2 M M E E Cn bes nex Di Oc a 1000.00 O edo COO Sewn sai 4+ + 73 CA um cC "wu Cea 4 0 giam Oui tan ut ™m lum i TI eet m ~The di i rti Ma a Ck B C EGIA uw E wu WO eet WE Test 00 OHO 0C o. ~ dit tz Mw. EGGE Me N” i. os Jun i dere ad OC Me KA TK GANGGA GGG ced Can = wo med CACA dq WOCE CIA cdd FOL ORL OCU congu) be it Moros Ca++ : ALT Me ob daca 8 wep EE A +t ce t7 d ke Oe eet COL ag GEMI Ito wee RAN 4 COEL f. V. nana ^l SLOPE dn Da AE tg 2H m pe ddr coe me t-42 MATTA MH wewn lI 4Unmguoa2g Cen ti ar Azul om Cres : Xe gU — C. ee. ME tient CEA Vow ee au Cue ude. co He CO Rodded dos OOM E n DECEO OCDE ECO OD e O DIELD HE E. Oke Cra WE oc ap D RO. LO TOO i4 CED Oe D. OAT ure WI TAH E re QJ Ci Ut C447 e Z1 AH 0 4 Carp! ui Qi DL rm Cie CO ANAA vp aie! E ues Cun O E codec oon tqq

6160 FILE

“TAX AND THE SYSTEM" The Commissar now has a bulletin 840-83 for SS taxing of computers and Wftware. The general principle is “If Y doubt, tax it; otherwise tax it anyway.” A bit dry, but a must for busi- ness users.

MRP Technology, PO Box 340128, Tampa, FL 33694 (813) 961-2595 (after 7 p.m). has a $20.00 kit for building a 64K Rampack for a ZX/TS. All parts except 14 IC's and sockets and some resistors, capaci- tors, diodes - this could be about $60 worth of stuff.

Dave Dack is looking for a cartridge that plugs into a Magnavox Odyssey 2. Sell cheap or lend him one for a while, c/o Dee.

Me have received letters fro» indivi- duals all over Canada wanting info or asking to join us. Also we have been sent some Commercial fliers, like the one from HRP. However there have been no spiffy groups offering to exchange news- letters since the New York one.

Q Computers, S344 Hest Banff, Glen-

le, AZ 85306, (602) 978-2902, has a Timex catalogue. Examples: 2068 for $169.95; 2040 for $89.95. Lots of TS1000 and 2068 software cassettes, from $3.25 per.

Compusa has a nice controller for $199. Horks with SA400 and similar drives, including Double Sided, Double Density. They say the operating system is compat- thle with other computers. CP/M?

Thomas B. Hoods, PO Box 64, Jefferson, NH, 0353567, (603) 586-7734 has PRO/FILE 58, an advance over the ZX PRO/FILE. e almost 100 page manual is not ready yet, but will be available to all who buy it now at $29.95.

C-64 users dislike Commodore's version of MicroSoft Basic so much that they are replacing it with COMAL, a very complex language written by Borge Christianson.

Bill Love is alive and well nursing an old system at Barrie Ont., 56 Little Lake Drive, RRÉ1, (705) 737-4491.

*I'm afraid Dad's tied up with his new Microdrive d

LAST MONTH I PROBABLY HINTED. 50 THIS MONTH IS THE RESULT OF THE HINT IN HARD COPY. AND IF THAT DOESN,T MAKE SENSE. THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD READ THE REST OF THIS. :

THE BOOKS YOU BUY, AND. THE MANUALS YOU READ, SOMETIMES LET

YOU STRUGGL ALONG, AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU COME UP WITH A PROBLEM, AND NO SOLUTION TO BE FOUND.

MAYBE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO

You; You HERE PLAYING ."DRHS-BOOT", AND THEN YOU TRIED TO LOAD In "OUEST", OR "UUU-FILE", OR —"HMELTDOUN", AND ALL YOU COULD GET WAS A "RK"

CURSOR FOR YOUR TROUBLE. BUT, YOU SAY TO ‘YOURSELF, THEY HAVE ALL LOADED Ü.K. BEFORE. AND AFTER A FEW MORE ATTEMPTS. ‘You LORD IN A PROGRAM THAT YOu COPIED OUT OF A HRGRZINE, AND IT WORKS.

WHY? THERE YOU WERE SITTING CONTEMPLATING THE EARLY DEMISE OFTHE HAN-RADIO OPERATOR COUN THE STREET FOR INJECTING SIGNALS INTO YOUR COMPUTER, OR THE NEXT DOORNEIGHBOR FOR USING POWER TOOLS AND INJECTING SPIKES

INTO THE POWER LINE, NOT REALIZING THAT -THE CULPRIT IS YOURSELF.

OH, REALLY? HOW COULD THAT BE? WELL, REMEMBER, THE FIRST REQUIREMENT TO LOAD "DAS-BO0T" WAS TO POKE DONN RRH-TOP. (POKE 16389,183), (NEW. AND THEN ‘YOU TRIED TO LOAD IN A FULL 18K PROGRAM, AND THERE WAS JUST HOT ENOUGH ROOM. BUT THE PROGRAM

FROM THE MAGAZINE WAS ONLY SK OR

LESS, AND THAT 13 WHY IT WENT IN.

THIS IS WHERE "RAND USR 0" IS VERY | HELPFUL. IT BEATS WEAR ANDTERR ON THE S-UOLT JACK ON YOUR COMPUTER. IN OTHER WORDS, RAND USR Y DOES THE SANE THING AS UNPLUGGING YOUR COMPUTER, AND PLUGGING IT SACK In, BUT SOMETIMES A LOT EASIER, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE TO RETUNE YOUR T.U. SET EVERY TIME You TURN OFF AND ON.

THIS PROCEDURE WILL EVEN RESET YOUR COMPUTER IF YOU HAVE A PROGRAM IN YOUR SYSTEM WHICH RESIDES "ABOUE-RAM-TOP" SUCH AS "TOOLKIT" OR "ASSEMBLER".

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR PEOPLE WITH 54K, OR 32K MEMORY.

RAND USR O DOES NOT, AND I REPEAT. DOES NOT ERASE THE MEMORY. IN THE SK-TO-165K AREA. THAT AREA IS AS SAFE FROM USR Ø AS CAN BE 50 FEEL FREE TO CLEAR ALL OTHER MEMORY THIS WAY. AND KEEP YOUR MACHINE CODE INTACT.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH I15K RAMPACKS, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE 3-TO-16K AREA. YOU HAVE THE 16K-TO-32kK AREA. AND IF THIS CONFUSES YOU, FEEL FREE TO PHONE HE AT 555-5979, EVENINGS, OR WEEKENDS.

WELL, THAT,S IT FOR THIS MONTH. I,LL BE BACK AGAIN NEXT MONTH WITH SOME NEW HINTS, BUT THE USR ROUTINES WILL BE ABANDONED, AS THE REST OF THE! ARE USELESS FOR HOST PEOPLE, AND SERIOUS PROGRAMMERS USUALLY KNOU THEM ANYUAY.

DAVE SKRRLRUD RAND USR a

KNITTING PROJECT

Some time ago I challenged the membership to help write a ZX81 program

capable of "charting" a knitting

project. One would put in the measure- = INT CHES

ments of the victim - the intended PRINT. SH, “SHOULDE MEAS recipient of the new sweater - together 1250 na AN EH. UNDERART a ENGTH' with some information about stitch and 1278 “INDUT ut ae 2

row gauges. The program would then issue instructions about how many stitches to cast on, when to increase or decrease, how to bind off, etc.

To the delight of my knitting wife, I have finally started this. Somewhere in this issue you will find a listing which does actually chart out the back of a sweater with reasonable success. Next I have to do the front and sleeves. Then I will want to add modifications for different neck styles. The whole will be driven from a menu.

In the listing, the menu starts at 1500. There are not many choices on it yet, but there will be more! The essential measurements are put in through the routine at lines 1200-1390, which then returns you to the menu.

“Once that is done, the instructions for the back of the sweater start at 2000. Instructions come up a few at a time, and then GOSUB 500 provides a pause, and a message "press any key to COMERSURE uE nali. This allows the user to make A EDMUND HEASUREM notes before reading the next screen. d =

When I get around to finishing it, I'n sure it will take Lynne much less long to make me the sweater, which will, of course, be tendered as an exhibit at an upcoming meeting!

Julian Greenwood.

TM EC Gora © “sa — arcis cd euin 13 LET UKSCINT CCHz4] YAE: 120 IF feta = THEN LET pylon iaa e rs THEN LET uU 29.5

i U 4 200 LET. ‘UK =(INT “(CHv43 07 +4 ^ 218. IF ¿CH<36 THEN (epi 220 IF UK>18.5 THEN -230=RETURN = 300 IF Us="0" THEN LE -318 IF Us="F"

PRINT SHARE En - 310 LET sirsa E

SH- 2350 IF -SG<4 "THEN D EIOS ID Siri ==

Y Use" T CHSEHAINT . (CHS) 420 -RETURN 5@e-PRINT AT at, Y TO- CONTINUE"

; CLS => = | , 920 PRINT “IS THIS PE CoAT?

-930 INPUT cC 1000 PRINT? = ;

T(F),O0R MRLE FEEUL T- CH 1918 SN Ug--—— ——

191a d CS oe" HEM GOUE Fi = A ae ees ; sun aca "Ee ET OB Das r THEN GO 2460 PRINT "FINISH BACK OF NECK =

1930 IF Us="M" THEN GOSUS 20 1048 IF us<>"c" AND acd ae AND- US<>o"M" THEN cae e 1050 PRINT "IS TH n O LARGER E ie ae SHORT OUER OTHER -CLOTHE

BY BINDING OFF REMAINING . ST5. DR PLACING THEM 6

mero rm “i

A ANN TED es oada aaae de te ne REESE:

qu^

Last week Dee & I searched through the memory on the MC-10 and found some addresses which will help the MC-10’s potential to become known. Included in this issue is a program which demon- strates the graphics potential of this machine. We also found that machine code is possible, and that there are commands which execute machine code which aren't in the manüal the MC-10 comes with.

To execute a machine code program one can use the command EXEC, followed by the starting address of the machine code program. This is similar to the Sinclair USR, though it has some differences.

The MC-10 has its own USR function, but with this command you must poke the addresses 14918 and 16919 with the starting address of the machine code. Also the USR function is preceded by a number in brackets which can be used by the machine code being executed.

On the MC-10, when you poke addresses, the most significant byte comes first instead of last.

I would be interested to hear of other discoveries people have made on the MC-10.

Dale Bird.

Try this: (on the MC-10)

10 REM "Mili? BS

15 N=1

20 EXEC 17227

35 EXEC (65445) N,1

40 EXEC 17233

SO FOR DELAY = 0 TO 400: NEXT 35 N=N+1 60 FOKE 17228,N

80 GOTO 20

CSAVE "ZX REM"

ENTRE ENS

i 2 Figuretlé ‘extensions:to:Sinclair Basices*:

Channels:

Streams:

These are given by # number where the number cc ca be betw e

Statements: CAT y

cat #ziy

' | ctose #stream

d che FORMAT''m"';y;" Iname?" FORMAT''n"; x s FORMAT TK

inxey$#stream |

input stream; variable toao* channel options

MERGE* channel. options

MONE sources to destination

E ; E Toi XN DM Lats all the files in the cartridge in Microdrive

This shows the name of the cartridge and the number of remaining kilobytes. > =- Acs Sends catalogue of cartridge in Microdrive y to stream z.

Unlinks any channel from the specified stream. MM: z Erases the file with the specified name from the ricos! in Ka dha y. Prepares a blank cartridge in Microdrive y for use by Basic. SE

. Sets the network station number to x. x. 5 . Sets the baud rate for the RS232 interface tox. - PED a. ` Returns a single character as a string if one's available c or r the e string * opi

if no character's available from the stream. Inputs the variable from the specified stream. é £ loads the programs, data or code from the specified channel ‘Channels 'b', 'n' and 'm' are the only ones that can be used. SS: an All options usually available with 1040 are available with tono”. : M The same as ioan except that it doesn't delete old program lines to moke

“way for new ones with the same program line.

Moves data from source to destination. These con te ‘ther ‘ream numbers or channels.

oren#stream, channel links the specified channel to the specifi ed stream to allow Basic input or output to that channel. URS Outputs the print sequence |. ..} to the specified stream. BUSCO TUS Saves the program, dota, or code to the specified channel. l Ony channels ‘b',‘n'or'm’canbeused. =... ud EEE “All facilities available with save are available with SAVET. 01. VS The same as ic4D except that dota is not loaded but i is compored v with the : data glready there.

PRINT#Stream ... save* channel options

verirr* channel options

A 32-bit computer for $499? Clive Sinclair, creator of the $99 Sinclair com- puter which was introduced three years ago, plans to unveil such a system this summer. Dubbed the Sinclair QL -- Quantum Leap -- it, like the Apple MacIn- tosh, is based on Motorola's 68000 microchip. Included in the $499 price will be 128K RAM -- expandable to over one megabyte -- and two microfloppy disk drives, presumably 33", each with a capacity of 100K. Also bundled are word processing, spreadsheet, database and graphics software programs, along with a full keyboard with five function keys. Color graphics are supported by the sys- tem, although a video-display unit is extra. The QL will be incompatible with every other microcomputer on the market, however, with its proprietary QDOS operating system. The system is touted as being multiuser and multitasking.

Should the unit come close to what it claims to possess for the price, the computer industry's price/performance expectations will be completely restruc- tured. (Asian Computer Monthly, March 1984; 22 Wyndham St., Hong Kong.)

If only one person on the net owns a Microdrive then there's a very useful facility called broadcast. What it does is allow one station to send data or programs to all the others on the network and not have to wait for them to input it.

When something is sent on the broadcast channel it's always sent to station 0. So if data's to be sent, the command OPEN¿*“n”;0 is used. Any stations that are reading on the broadcast channel can get what ever is sent on it from any other station. The same applies to programs. Should a user have a program that he thinks everyone should have, then he can save it; SAVE*'*n^50 and anyone who enters LOAD*“‘n’’;0 will receive it. If no-one loads the program, the sender's computer is not held up as before, - but is ready for use straight away as the Program is lost.