COMPUTE! DO IT AGAIN!
It has to be said that the majority of the ST books
to have been published so far, with only one or two notable
exceptions, have been re-writes of the manual with, maybe a few new
ideas thrown in here and there. Compute!, who have a fine reputation
for quality books, have themselves been guilty of this, but now
comes the publication of a new series, and a new format which they
call the COMPUTE! Library Selection, that looks like being the start
of some excellent reading for the ST.
One of the things missing so far for the ST is a
collection of type-in listings that helps new users get stuck in
with learning just what their new machine can do and the first of
the new Compute! books is just that. ST APPLICATIONS is a collection
of twenty practical applications that any owner can type in with ST
BASIC. The programs range from games of skill to 'household helpers'
and on to business, finance and science. All will run on a 520ST or
1040ST in either mono or colour. There are no arcade style games
here, most of the games require thought and skill and include such
favourites as Knights Errant, Mosaic Puzzles and Checkers. More
useful programs are those for calculating loan payments and there is
even a spreadsheet! Other, less usual, applications include
Chemistry Basics, a Simultaneous Equation Solver and Least-Squares
Forecasting and there is even a program for Weather Forecasting! All
in all, an unusual collection with some very useful programs that
will not only teach you about using your ST but will also provide
you with some useful programs.
Another applications guide is the first in a series
entitled ST APPLICATIONS GUIDE and this one is subtitled PROGRAMMING
IN C. Here you have a guide which shows the elementary C programmer
how to use C for many specific ST applications. Chapters include
Creating The GEM Envelope, Creating Menus, Dialog Boxes and
Graphics, Programming the Sound Chip and others on graphics. The
book is full of programming examples illustrating all the aspects of
GEM using actual programs such as a fractal program and a program
for drawing world maps as examples. All the co-ordinates for the
latter are provided in an extensive Appendix! There really is so
much in this book that it is hard to know what to mention. There are
over 320 pages chocked full of examples and explanations and anyone
who works all the way through will have a very good understanding of
GEM and programming the ST in general. It does not teach C as such
but looks to be the best book so far to explain how to use C to get
the best from the ST.
The final one in this trilogy of new books will
appeal to artists and doodlers alike, indeed anyone who has a copy
of the Neochrome Sampler (v. 0.5) or Degas. The title is COMPUTE!'s
ST ARTIST and the book has 265 pages packed with information about
Neochrome and Degas, including much that you might never discover
yourself! Most users will be able to work out how to use the various
functions of the programs but there are many small features that are
not documented, particularly with Neochrome, and the authors
introduce several tips and tricks to enable you to extend the basic
facilities. There is much included on using perspective and shadow
effects and defining your own text and pattern fills and several,
not so obvious, applications including floor layouts, graphs and
charts, even letterheads and business cards! Some very clever
effects include using two screens to produce an A4 image and cutting
designs from background patterns. Advanced techniques concentrate
mainly on achieving animation through colour cycling and include
some very impressive effects. Several appendices include a
conversion program for Degas/Neo, a glossary and a round up of the
art programs available if you need to explore further. All in all a
cracking collection of ideas and tips that will enhance your
purchase of Degas or turn a 'free' copy of Neochrome into one of the
most interesting programs in your collection. If you want to pay a
bit more you can also get the book with an accompanying disk which
not only includes all of the drawings, programs and routines from
the book but also has six extra Degas fonts and four fill patterns
plus three screens of Neochrome 'shapes' that can be cut and
incorporated into your own drawings. This is one of the few times
when the disk actually provides more than is in the book.
All the books are in a new large format of 9" by 71"
in conventional paperback style. There are expensive, as are all
books nowadays, but at least they look the part and all three are
packed with information to provide value for money.
COMPUTE!'s ST APPLICATIONS by Brian Flynn and
John J. Flynn. ISBN 0-87455-067-X. £15.95
COMPUTE!'s ST APPLICATIONS GUIDE: PROGRAMMING IN C by Simon
Field, Kathleen Mandis and Dave Myers. ISBN 0-87455-078-5. £17.95
COMPUTE!'s ST ARTIST by Selby Bateman and Lee
Noel, Jr. ISBN 0-87455-071-8. £15.95
COMPUTE!'s ST ARTIST with Disk. £25.99
top
