Looking for old BASIC programming book
February 25, 2010 2:08 PM Subscribe
Do you remember this old BASIC programming book from the mid-80s?
I was thinking back the other day to my very first attempts at computer programming. I was around 8 years old at the time and my parents bought me an Atari 800XL computer (with 64K memory!).
The computer had an option to go into BASIC programming mode. I got a book that contained instructions on how to program in BASIC, and I'd love to find that book somewhere. Here's what I remember about it: the book's cover was fairly cartoony, and I vaguely recall a plunger being on the cover (could be wrong about that, though). The book itself was fairly humorous. Two lessons stand out in my mind - the first was a lesson on how to make sounds using BASIC (I drove my parents nuts with this). The second was a very long program near the end of the book that had all the code for a turtle/maze type game. I remember trying to type it all in and finally giving up (and begging mom to buy a cassette tape backup, which never happened).
Does anyone remember this book?
I was thinking back the other day to my very first attempts at computer programming. I was around 8 years old at the time and my parents bought me an Atari 800XL computer (with 64K memory!).
The computer had an option to go into BASIC programming mode. I got a book that contained instructions on how to program in BASIC, and I'd love to find that book somewhere. Here's what I remember about it: the book's cover was fairly cartoony, and I vaguely recall a plunger being on the cover (could be wrong about that, though). The book itself was fairly humorous. Two lessons stand out in my mind - the first was a lesson on how to make sounds using BASIC (I drove my parents nuts with this). The second was a very long program near the end of the book that had all the code for a turtle/maze type game. I remember trying to type it all in and finally giving up (and begging mom to buy a cassette tape backup, which never happened).
Does anyone remember this book?
Oh, here's another one. I have very fond memories of these books, but I may be leading you down the garden path...
posted by Jimbob at 2:24 PM on February 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Jimbob at 2:24 PM on February 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I'll try to find info on the whole series and see if any match my recollection. Thanks!
posted by sherlockt at 2:25 PM on February 25, 2010
posted by sherlockt at 2:25 PM on February 25, 2010
That and Creative Computing had cartoon-like covers on some of their books.
64k, woo hoo, now THAT was cooking with gas at the time!
I can still recall the joys of being able to do Apple ][ hi-res graphics once I soldered in sockets for several hundred dollars worth of 48k RAM.
(shakes geezer fist at you kids spoiled with gigs of RAM and quad core CPUs...)
posted by wkearney99 at 2:37 PM on February 25, 2010
64k, woo hoo, now THAT was cooking with gas at the time!
I can still recall the joys of being able to do Apple ][ hi-res graphics once I soldered in sockets for several hundred dollars worth of 48k RAM.
(shakes geezer fist at you kids spoiled with gigs of RAM and quad core CPUs...)
posted by wkearney99 at 2:37 PM on February 25, 2010
Seconding the Usborne books, as well.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:41 PM on February 25, 2010
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:41 PM on February 25, 2010
Was it this by any chance?
I just got nostalgic for my old TI 99/4a programming book with the airbrushed rocket and apple on the cover.
posted by abirae at 6:28 PM on February 25, 2010
I just got nostalgic for my old TI 99/4a programming book with the airbrushed rocket and apple on the cover.
posted by abirae at 6:28 PM on February 25, 2010
Nthing Usborne. I had this one and this one. Fond memories indeed!
posted by avocet at 9:46 PM on February 25, 2010
posted by avocet at 9:46 PM on February 25, 2010
Did anyone else have the BASIC book (I think it was Usborne) that had the secret-agent text adventure at the end for you to type in? I can relate to spending many hours typing before giving up... oh, the memories.
posted by Zephyrial at 10:58 AM on February 26, 2010
posted by Zephyrial at 10:58 AM on February 26, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Jimbob at 2:23 PM on February 25, 2010