ABCs of Atari computers PDF
Preview ABCs of Atari computers
(<-UihriL J ABCs of Atari Computers ABCs of Atari Computers By David E. Mentley Illustrations by Peter Wickman DATAMOST;- ~ 20660 Nordhoff Street Chatsworth, CA 91311-6152 [818J 709-1202 ~DATAMOSli ISBN 0-88190-367-1 Copyright 1984 by DATAMOST, Inc. © All Rights Reserved This manual is published and copyrighted by DATAMOST, Inc. All rights are reserved by DATAMOST, Inc. Copying, duplicating, selling, or otherwise distributing this pro duct is hereby expressly forbidden except by prior consent of DATAMOST, Inc. The word Atari® and the Atari logo are registered trademarks of Atari, Inc. Atari, Inc. was not in any way involved in the writing or other preparation of this manual, nor were the facts presented here reviewed for accuracy by that company. Use of the term Atari should not be construed to represent any endorsement, official or otherwise, by Atari, Inc. Printed in U.S.A. DEDICATION To my mom and dad, with love. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Joe Decuir for his careful review of this book and historical perspectives on the Atari hardware. Thanks to Roy Wolford and Michael Moore for their thorough review and suggestions. Also, thanks to Pete Goodeve for answering many questions at all hours of the day or night. FOREWORD The Atari Home Computer is the most powerful personal computer in its class. Like me, you probably did not know this when you made your purchase. You probably brought your new toy home, plugged it in, and said, "OK computer, entertain me." It probably didn't respond. Computers are not good for anything unless you know how to make them do what you want. This means that you have to provide some instructions. You can buy some software at your local computer retailer, get some public domain software from your local user group, or, for the ultimate exhilaration, write your own programs. The very things that make the Atari computer powerful also make it com plex. You have to know the basics of the way the hardware is put together and also the way that the Operating System works if you want to control your machine yourself. And we do want to control the machine. My theory is that the success of home com puters and video games is due to the fact that WE CONTROL the television picture instead of just watching it. What makes the Atari computer so powerful? It was designed over six years ago. This should make the hardware obsolete by today's standards. The new XL line uses basically the same architecture as the original Colleen (800). The secret to the success is flexibility. Try to do a custom display list on a Commodore 64 or an Apple II. Try to make some four voice music on an Apple II. Try some high speed player motion on an Apple II. These features were put in place by the designers who had visions of the potential of a flexible machine. With the microprocessor bus available to be tapped on the new line, I expect to see some add-on peripherals that will allow the Atari line to compete against personal computers priced between $2,000 and $3,000. This book is designed as a guide to take you from being a beginner to being an inter mediate user. I did not see a need for another book on "How to Write BASIC Utilities for the Home" or "2,000 Games for Your Atari." What I did see a need for was a com pilation of the tips, tricks, and lore for the Atari computers. As president of a large users' group, I was exposed to a constant flow of fascinating discoveries that probably only 1%o f Atari owners could know about. These are usually expressed in the numerous club newsletters which criss-cross the country monthly. Some of these tips are only for the brave. You may not want to open up your computer and start cutting and soldering, but then again, you may. I have included some of my favorite public domain programs. When possible, I have given credit to the author. After all, that is part of the appeal of writing software for the public domain. Some of these have been around so long and have been modified so much that the author is not known. Please let me know if you can help here. 7 Although this book has consumed a good chunk of my life, and I swore I wouldn't type another word, I would like to keep it up to date. If you have an unusual discovery or a favorite utility or demonstration program which looks appropriate, please send it to me at the address below. You will be given appropriate credit. If you are a vendor and you think that you have a truly useful product for the Atari com munity, I would be happy to review your hardware or software. Happy Hacking, Dave Mentley P.O. Box 325 El Cerrito, CA 94530 May, 1984 8
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