Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 (Tek) 9/26/83; site tektronix.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!tektronix!keithe From: keithe@tektronix.UUCP (Keith Ericson) Newsgroups: net.micro.cbm Subject: anatomy books Message-ID: <3259@tektronix.UUCP> Date: Thu, 2-Aug-84 12:42:39 EDT Article-I.D.: tektroni.3259 Posted: Thu Aug 2 12:42:39 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 5-Aug-84 01:04:56 EDT Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 58 I've purchased both of the following books: "Anatomy of a Commodore 64" and "Anatomy of a 1541". My reaction? BUY THEM!!! No serious Commodore 64 user should be without these little gems! We mortals finally get to find out some of the secrets that only the gurus can normally discern. I've spent more time with the C64 book, so I'll discuss it this time. The table of contents for the 64 anatomy includes Machine language programming Includes list and description of useful kernel functions Performing screen & keyboard I/O Details of how data is saved on cassette and disk Programming the RS-232 interface A short section on the serial bus Assembler programming (essentially how to use an assembler) A close-up look at the C64 Special features of the 6510 Memory multiplexing, and resulting system configurations The expansion port The SID (somewhat abbreviated) Graphics programming (one of the books best chapters) Basic from a different viewpoint How the BASIC Interpreter works and how to extend it Vic-20 - C64 - Pet Comparison of ROM locations for VIC and C64 Changing VIC programs to run on C64 Changing PET programs to run on C64 I/O Control - the CIA ROM Listing (KERNAL and BASIC ROMs) Well annotated; reason alone to buy the book (other misc. stuff) The book includes many sample programs - assembly and BASIC - to illustrate the points; and equivalent BASIC and assembler programs are occasionally presented. With the exception of the translation problem mentioned below the book is quite readable. Problems with the book: It was originally written in German (I think) and the translation is not at all perfect. (You'll get used to reading about "floating-comma" instead of "floating-point", I 'spose) and I've found a few places where (apparently) several lines of text have gotten lost. And there is (at least) one block of the BASIC ROM that is missing from the listing ($B4A9 thru $B7AC). I can't figure out what happened here. I'd say that the publisher (Abacus Software) did pretty much the minimal job on this one. (But it is still worth the price which is $19.95.) They even included is a very thinly veiled advertisement for the Abacus Software SYNTHY-64 program in the SID chapter: I could have done without that! Later on I'll try to review the 1541 book... keith ericson at teklabs (decvax|ucbvax)!tektronix!teklabs!keithe