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From: eve@ssc-bee.UUCP (Michael Eve)
Newsgroups: net.micro.apple
Subject: Prodos Technical Reference Manual (at last)
Message-ID: <258@ssc-bee.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Oct-84 19:39:27 EST
Article-I.D.: ssc-bee.258
Posted: Mon Oct 29 19:39:27 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 31-Oct-84 00:31:05 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 31


	After waiting for five months, I can finally use Prodos!

	The Prodos Technical Reference Manual is now apparently back
	in print. I was able to purchase a copy at my local computer
	store for $25.  I have skimmed the manual and it seems to
	have all the necessary information for assembly programming.
	There is even a return card in which Apple says they will
	attempt to keep registered users informed of changes (I
	will believe this when I see it).

	The parameter format for calls to the Machine Language
	Interface (MLI) is a bit strange to me: The first parameter
	of each call is the number of parameters to expect.  The
	manual says this is to guard against accidental calls to
	the MLI.  Is this practice now being pushed by anyone besides
	Apple?  This is the first time I have encountered it, and 
	think its a little silly but harmless.

	A very, minor flame: The manual is distributed in looseleaf form.
	The pages are smaller than normal 8 1/2 X 11, and are wider than
	my one small notebook likes.  Apple says they did this to make
	updates easier and binders are available at extra cost.  The
	loose leaf style is good for updates especially if the updates
	are issued in the form of "replace this old page with this new
	page", but the first set of updates which came with the manual
	contains several widely separated page updates on one page so
	you can't really just replace the offending pages.
-- 
	Mike Eve     Boeing Aerospace, Seattle
	...uw-beaver!ssc-vax!ssc-bee!eve