kaz@cadovax.UUCP (03/23/87)
[]
There have recently been several positive reviews of "The Programmers
Guide to the Amiga", by Bob Peck. In general, I also would give a positive
report. I like the style of the book, the examples are great and there is
lots of good information presented.
I am discouraged about a couple of things, however. Several times in the
book there are false leads. For example, in the Graphics chapter the
introduction indicates that you will learn how to draw lines, boxes and
circles. But, there is *nothing* on circles. In the chapter about the
CLI, it says that there is further information about using the printer in
the Devices chapter. But in the Devices chapter the only mention of
printers is that you can find more information in the RKM. Finally, many
places in the book, the reader is told that the information is too advanced
and won't be covered. Several times the reader is directed to look
in in either the RKM, "Inside Amiga", or "Programming the Amiga".
I have all these books. They are also incomplete which is why I bought
this one. I hope Bob's next book fills in the holes.
Kerry Zimmerman
# {ucbvax,ihnp4,decvax}!trwrb!cadovax!kaz
# cadovax!kaz@ucla-locus.arpawagner@utgpu.UUCP (03/24/87)
Well, I went out and bought Rob's book too. I like the style in general,
but I have noticed some problems. In particular, I already found one example
that seems to be in error. It erodes my confidence a bit about the others.
Listing 2.6 on page 28 is supposed to put a directory listing into a file.
I doubt that it could...it uses EXECUTE("DIR",0,0). It kind of looks like
two examples got mushed together there.
Michael
rap@dana.UUCP (03/31/87)
[for the article-eater.. second try posting... nobody recalls seeing first 1] In article <1445@cadovax.UUCP>, kaz@cadovax.UUCP (Kerry Zimmerman) writes: > There have recently been several positive reviews of "The Programmers > Guide to the Amiga", by Bob Peck. In general, I also would give a positive > report. I like the style of the book, the examples are great and there is > lots of good information presented. > > I am discouraged about a couple of things, however. Several times in the > book there are false leads. For example, in the Graphics chapter the > ....(more) > I have all these books. They are also incomplete which is why I bought > this one. I hope Bob's next book fills in the holes. > > Kerry Zimmerman While I was writing the Programmers' Guide, I wanted to see that it had as many fully functional examples as I could and certain of them, especially the audio chapter, took loads of time. In the process, it seems I did provide some false leads. For the reprint, I'll be certain that such false leads (and a few typos that I have since discovered) are removed. The disk that I am offering though does have both source and object code and contains no such typos (all examples compiled from the ondisk source and run as documented). In the Prog.Guide, which might just become the initial one of a series (if I can manage it) I was trying to assure that many of the interesting things people can do with the system routines would be covered in some way. My original goal for RKM was to have one-of-everything demonstrated in some way. We fell short of that goal, unfortunately, due to man-hour availability. The other idea was to provide sufficient info to bring along a user who had not too much experience with the system so far, giving things that worked, that he/she could build on. Future books, if SYBEX agrees, will be along the same lines. Find something interesting, explain the principles behind it, and provide the source code. Suitably group the chapters and PROVIDE GRAPHIC DUMPS (thats what I missed the most this first time around... troubles with my and somebody elses printer and not much time available to chase the problems down before deadline). My current project, as was mentioned on the net a few days ago, is an article for Amiga World that includes a set of audio tools to make it easier to access the audio device. This is planned for the July/August edition and it looks like it just might be a "go". Complete source code will be published for the tools-as-they-exist-on-3/30/87, with continued development on enhancements up till date of actual publication and perhaps beyond that. Routines for the most part to be pseudo-PD (latest and greatest available directly from me; mailing list/current users updated at extremely minimal cost). (hope that didn't sound commercial) My apologies in advance to C-purists in that the listings will be de-beautified slightly so as to take up less vertical space. I will keep the appropriately beautified routines in their original form on the distribution disk. The disk will be cheap ($8.00 ppd) and the routines will be license free/ test-em-yourself/use-em-at-your-own-risk etc. But to meet terms of the publisher, I won't be able to distribute the routines widely until just after the article appears (perhaps I can have people sign something that says they won't "publish" parts of the tools before the Amiga World article appears??) I could use some feedback (feedforward?) regarding what kinds of needs STILL have not been met by anyone, including myself. I cannot get access to system source code, but I do know a fair amount about the system. I'd rather produce a book that answers a lot of questions than one that is simply my own idea of a bunch of whizbang hacks that might amaze and amuse, but maybe... You can email me with suggestions. I may not be able to answer all of them, but I'd like to hear what you want "somebody" to tackle. I will summarize the responses, in the form of a proposed table-of-contents showing what I think I can actually do if enough replies are received. Thanks for the kind words about the book. As long as the Amiga survives, I intend to keep hackin' on it, (its 'our baby', ya know). Regards, Rob Peck hplabs!dana!rap or USnail: Datapath, P.O.Box 1828, Los Gatos, Ca. 95031
fnf@mcdsun.UUCP (04/02/87)
NOTE: Rob is having problems posting from his system and has asked me to post this for him, please respond to hplabs!dana!rap. ------------------------------------------------------------ In article <1445@cadovax.UUCP>, kaz@cadovax.UUCP (Kerry Zimmerman) writes: > There have recently been several positive reviews of "The Programmers > Guide to the Amiga", by Bob Peck. In general, I also would give a positive > report. I like the style of the book, the examples are great and there is > lots of good information presented. > > I am discouraged about a couple of things, however. Several times in the > book there are false leads. For example, in the Graphics chapter the > ....(more) > I have all these books. They are also incomplete which is why I bought > this one. I hope Bob's next book fills in the holes. > > Kerry Zimmerman While I was writing the Programmers' Guide, I wanted to see that it had as many fully functional examples as I could and certain of them, especially the audio chapter, took loads of time. In the process, it seems I did provide some false leads. For the reprint, I'll be certain that such false leads (and a few typos that I have since discovered) are removed. The disk that I am offering though does have both source and object code and contains no such typos (all examples compiled from the ondisk source and run as documented). In the Prog.Guide, which might just become the initial one of a series (if I can manage it) I was trying to assure that many of the interesting things people can do with the system routines would be covered in some way. My original goal for RKM was to have one-of-everything demonstrated in some way. We fell short of that goal, unfortunately, due to man-hour availability. The other idea was to provide sufficient info to bring along a user who had not too much experience with the system so far, giving things that worked, that he/she could build on. Future books, if SYBEX agrees, will be along the same lines. Find something interesting, explain the principles behind it, and provide the source code. Suitably group the chapters and PROVIDE GRAPHIC DUMPS (thats what I missed the most this first time around... troubles with my and somebody elses printer and not much time available to chase the problems down before deadline). My current project, as was mentioned on the net a few days ago, is an article for Amiga World that includes a set of audio tools to make it easier to access the audio device. This is planned for the July/August edition and it looks like it just might be a "go". Complete source code will be published for the tools-as-they-exist-on-3/30/87, with continued development on enhancements up till date of actual publication and perhaps beyond that. Routines for the most part to be pseudo-PD (latest and greatest available directly from me; mailing list/current users updated at extremely minimal cost). (hope that didn't sound commercial) My apologies in advance to C-purists in that the listings will be de-beautified slightly so as to take up less vertical space. I will keep the appropriately beautified routines in their original form on the distribution disk. The disk will be cheap ($8.00 ppd) and the routines will be license free/ test-em-yourself/use-em-at-your-own-risk etc. But to meet terms of the publisher, I won't be able to distribute the routines widely until just after the article appears (perhaps I can have people sign something that says they won't "publish" parts of the tools before the Amiga World article appears??) I could use some feedback (feedforward?) regarding what kinds of needs STILL have not been met by anyone, including myself. I cannot get access to system source code, but I do know a fair amount about the system. I'd rather produce a book that answers a lot of questions than one that is simply my own idea of a bunch of whizbang hacks that might amaze and amuse, but maybe... You can email me with suggestions. I may not be able to answer all of them, but I'd like to hear what you want "somebody" to tackle. I will summarize the responses, in the form of a proposed table-of-contents showing what I think I can actually do if enough replies are received. Thanks for the kind words about the book. As long as the Amiga survives, I intend to keep hackin' on it, (its 'our baby', ya know). Regards, Rob Peck hplabs!dana!rap or USnail: Datapath, P.O.Box 1828, Los Gatos, Ca. 95031 -- = Drug tests; just say *NO*! (Moto just announced new drug testing program) = = Fred Fish Motorola Computer Division, 3013 S 52nd St, Tempe, Az 85282 USA = = seismo!noao!mcdsun!fnf (602) 438-5976 =