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