[comp.sys.amiga] Help a poor soul learn Modula-2

hcmutt@hpcllld.HP.COM (Harry Muttart) (07/08/88)

Hi,

I started the same way that you have...knew Pascal pretty well...do not care 
for C and wanted to learn Modula-2.  

I used to use the TDI compiler, and found the best way to learn about Modula-2 
and the Amiga (my aim) was to read code from good-sized programs.  Examples that
come to mind from the Fred Fish disk collection include DuM2 (directory utility
in Modula-2), the original Gravity Wars.  To make you more productive on the
Amiga, there has also been software released on Fish disks that provide simpler
interfaces to Intuition capabilities.  (I do not know the Fish disk numbers 
off the top of my head...I don't have the information at work...look in the 
50-90 range for the first two.  Look in the 100+ range the last.)

If you are trying to decide what Modula-2 to get, I would recommend the 
Benchmark Modula-2 from Avant Garde.  The ease of use, reliability and 
collection of example programs make this the tool to own.  It might not hurt to 
take a look at a good Modula-2 book too...the Benchmark documentation does not 
try to teach the language (neither does TDI's documentation).  Another benefit 
of Benchmark is that the error messages are generally helpful enough that you 
do not really need to consult the manual to find the problem.

When I started Pascal, I put together a cheat sheet for the syntax of the 
language.  I should have done that for Modula-2.  You might try it.  

The tip from a friend when I was learning (self-paced) was make use of modules.
He claimed that as long as you try to use the language like Pascal...one 
source for one entire program...you miss the point (or words to that effect).

You mentioned that you just wanted to learn Modula-2...recognize that learning
to use the Amiga's capabilities, viewed as a seperate task, is no small 
undertaking...it also requires ability to read C.

Harry Muttart

aplusl@ethz.UUCP (Albert Meier) (07/13/88)

course to learn Modula-2 I suggest to use M2Amiga. Included in the price
you get one of the best (and nicest too) books to learn Modula-2 from.
And if you know some German or Danish (just a bit is fair enough) then
you may get books that explain M2Amiga (programming in Modula-2 as well
as on the Amiga!) perfectly. You really don't have to learn C!

    .....           Albert Meier        Tel.  +41/1/700 30 37
   .. ....          A+L AG, Im Spaeten 23, CH-8906 Bonstetten
  ..   ....
 .......A+L.        E-Mail          aplusl@ifi.ethz.(ch/UUCP)
..       .......                 ...mcvax!cernvax!ethz!aplusl