| ★ AMSTRAD CPC ★ GAMESLIST ★ PARACHUTE (c) COMPUTING WITH THE AMSTRAD/GRANADA PUBLISHING ★ |
Computing with the Amstrad |
IN a previous form this book was specific to the Electron, and the author has transferred the same games to the Amstrad - and that is where the problem lies. The original programs were written to show some of the ways in which the Electron might be used by young people, and so the author worked within the constraints of the machine. For instance, the Electron's sound capabilities are fine but confined to one note at a time. The sound on the Amstrad is superb, yet little use is made of this facility. However, perhaps this is only to be expected when a new machine comes out, as it is obviously easier to adapt than to write from scratch. Indeed, a lot of the books for the Electron were themselves originally written for the BBC Micro. So what is this book like? Well, it is unashamedly aimed at younger users, and for them it is going to provide a lot of help. There are, for a start, 40 programs for less than £6, and this will give the beginner a gentle and inexpensive start to programming. Some of the programs are quite good, and all have a slant towards enjoyment, so I am sure children will enjoy using them. The range covered is quite wide, from science to spelling and from the Highway Code to morse code. Standards are there of course, but I was pleased to see a few newer ideas in this book. I cannot imagine that many children will find all the programs instantly useable, but there are program notes which might encourage the child to experiment. These notes could be more expansive, and I would be happier to see more REM statements in the body of the listing. Overall. I hope that better books will arrive in due course, but for the young and inexperienced user, this one represents fair value for money. Phil Tayler , CWTA |
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