Message-ID: <167@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Oct-84 15:37:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.167
Posted: Tue Oct 23 15:37:30 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Oct-84 03:00:58 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 93



The following is a quick review of the new Commodore Plus/4 computer.  I
haven't had the chance yet to go through it thoroughly, so this may contain
some errors.

For those who have been living in an ice cave on Deneb II, The +4 is 
Commodore's latest entry into the home computer field.  It has 60K of user-
accessible (i.e. BASIC) RAM, 120+ colors, BASIC V3.5, and four software
packages in ROM:  Word Processing, Spreadsheet, File manager, and 
Graphics.

Don't sell your '64 yet.

On the other hand, if you don't own a computer, and don't care much for
games, the +4 could (note, I said could) be what you need.  Yes, it doesn't
have sprites.  Yes, it doesn't have SID.  But these two items on the '64 
are probably the most difficult features for a newcomer to learn.  To sound
a tone on the TV speaker, a '64 user must enter about 6 pokes.  The +4 user
enters SOUND 2,800,360.  OK, the +4 won't do an aural imitation of the battle
of Waterloo, but the average programmer doesn't usually need the capability.

Similar situation on the sprites.  Sprites are neat, but the generation of 
them is incomprehensibile for the neophryte.  Even now, I don't understand
all of the ins and outs (I use a sprite generator).  And how many '64
users have figured out bank switching and/or changing the start of BASIC,
which allows bit mapped graphics AND 128 sprite definitions?

The point is, the '64 is still deux et machina for the hacker... the +4 is
aimed at those who would like to fiddle around with computing, but still
want a machine with useable features (i.e. the software packages) right from
the box.

In the grand Commodore tradition, the +4 is incompatibile with software for
any other computer.  Of course, straight BASIC programs, with no POKEs, run
fine.  INFOWORLD says Commodore is considering a plug-in module which would
allow the +4 to run '64 programs.

BASIC 3.5 fixes nearly all the complaints about Commodore BASIC.  In addition 
to the SOUND command listed above, you have DOS commands such as DIRECTORY,
DSAVE, and direct reading of the error channel.  Bit mapped graphics are
easily entered.  The +4 acts like a '64 with a super expander- DRAW, GRAPHIC,
CIRCLE, CHAR, JOY commands are all added.

I don't understand why printer commands are not augmented.  To list a program
to the printer, you still have to enter the OPEN4,4:CMD$:LIST sequence.  LLIST
would have been so much nicer.

As long as I have broken into the bad things about the machine:

**** WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS COMMODORE UP TO IN THE HARDWARE DEPARTMENT? ****

The joystick ports and the cassette port now have different connectors.  From 
what I've been able to pick up from the manual, the joysticks work in the 
Atari fashion, but the 9 pin D connector isn't used.  In other words,       
Commodore wants you to buy the "Commodore PLUS/4 Joysticks" shown on page
5 of the user's manual, not Wico, or any other existing stick.
The cassette deck seems unchanged, except for a different connector.  The
connector change means that printer interfaces that need a 5V source will
not be able to get it from the cassette port without modification.

Instead of POKEs to change the screen , border, auxilliary, and character
colors, the +4 uses the COLOR command.  It is much easier, except the numbers
used to designate the colors are different from the old POKE values, i.e.,
use 1 for black, instead of 0.  This corresponds to the number key which
has the color printed on it, so it's easier for the new computist.  However,
old '64 & VIC hackers take note!

The other peeve I have is the word processor... it only holds a page and a 
half!  In other words, each page of your document must be saved separately.
This seems silly... I've typed 25 page documents with SPEEDSCRIPT on my '64,
and saved them at one swell foop.  It uses a travelling window to the full
77 char/line capability, which is irritating if you are reading the document
on the screen.  It doesn't have wordwrap on the screen, either, although
it does wordwrap when printed.  This does make it difficult to format data
in tables, etc, on screen.  If you are really serious about word processing
on a Commodore computer, get your head examined.   Whoops, I mean,... get
a '64 for $100 less, and buy a January 1984 issue of Compute's Gazzete
to be legal to use Speedscript.  Then find someone to give you a copy
of Speedscript, to avoid typing it in...

One alleviating factor about the built-in word processor:  It has a linking
capability for printing, so you don't have to print each page separately.
Also, all the integrated software can pass outputs back and forth, so you
can incorporate a spreadsheet in a document.

Spelling/intelligence/Grammar flames to /dev/null, all other comments to:

					       Ron Wanttaja
					       (ssc-vax!wanttaja)

"... and now, net.micro.cbm will explode..."