[net.micro.cbm] Yet another addition to the C-16 review

wanttaja@ssc-vax.UUCP (Ronald J Wanttaja) (11/08/84)

<All right, I promise, one more review, and then I'll shut up... unless I
find something else interesting>

An interesting feature of the Commodore-16 is the documentation included with
the machine.

There isn't any.

Not that there isn't an owner's manual, but it is small, and really contains
no other information than how to set up the machine and load software.  It
contains NO information on the built-in BASIC (no command lists, nothing!), or
screen maps, error codes, etc.  Anytime the manual looks like it is going to
give some useful information, it says "Buy the Intermediate owner's manual!"
Talk about cheap!  The C-16 is going the stereotyped computer merchandising
route... "Oh, you actually wanted to do something with it?  Well, for $59.99,
this little..."  I really enjoyed the VIC owner's manual, it was a nice, simple
step-by-step introduction to BASIC, and was all I ever needed.  All Commodore
needed to do was reprint the VIC manual, adding a little on the graphics
commands, replacing "VIC" with "C-16" where ever necessary.  Maybe Commodore
doesn't have a word processor :-)

Speaking of graphics commands, whenever you enter one of the GRAPHICS modes on 
the C-16, 10K of memory gets grabbed for use by the bit-mapping and color 
definitions.  That leaves 2.2K for programming, actually less than a VIC with
a Super Expander.

Let not my comments on the C-16 manual infer the same state exists with the
PLUS/4.  The +4 manuals (there is a separate manual for the integrated
software) are pretty well done and provide equivalent information to the
'64 owner's manual.

I made a comment on an earlier review about the possibility of buying a C-16
for $99 and upgrading it to 64k for less money than a +4.  It looks like this
is not too possible.  My technical expert looking into this says the new
TED chips is handling everything, and, without detailed information sees little
hope of cracking it.  He describes the '16 as less a downgraded +4, more like a
lobotomized '64.  Keep those cards and flames coming, folks...

					  Ron (put all my computers together
					  and get a 143 column screen) Wanttaja
					  (ssc-vax!wanttaja)