In the Spotlight

Quality Software
6660 Reseda Blvd.
Suite 105
Reseda, CA 91335
(213)-344-6599

This section will keep you up to date on those companies producing good products at service we feel is better than average. To qualify, the software or hardware must be bugfree (no problems or defects), and the company behind it not a 'fly by night operation'. The latter may be difficult to identify, many times a problem such as this isn't detectable ahead of time. One producer of 16K memory boards, 'Just Another Computer Company'(JACC), disappeared without notice (or a trace).

What I have seen from "Quality Software" thus far is a group of programs well written and error free. What I thought was nice of them involved the 'Tari-Trek' Star Trek game. After completion and initial release of the game, QS had a number of requests for a galactic map, the version in release now includes this feature. 'Tank Trap' at first glance looks simple and non-exciting, however after one or two games, see if YOU can turn the game off! Assembly subroutines are used to move the tank on the screen. (Reviews of both these games can be found in this issue).

The version of backgammon they produce uses graphics mode zero. When Bob Christiansen wrote the game 'Fastgammon', he wanted it to run on the 400 and 800. This meant it had to fit in 5 1/2K or less, however the graphic characters are used to making up the board. This game is written in QS's own Assembler language, which they market also. Their assembler is great to add routines in BASIC programs, making things run faster and smoother. Also marketed is a disassembler. And soon to be released, 'QS Forth', a new language to microcomputers, and a fairly complex one. You can define your own 'labels' for commands and the QS version allows for the use of up to four disk drives. Price of this is $79.95 on diskette.

With Quality Software, when you order software, you won't need to worry about receiving it, and they stand behind what they sell.

 

PERSONAL SOFTWARE

SOFTWARE REVIEW - VISICALC

You have more than likely heard of VISICALC (if not, then where have you been?), the "wonderful, amazing program". Well the only way you can find out for certain is to try it out. There have been so many reviews of VISICALC, I won't go into it too much. I CAN tell you that this program has been invaluable to ANALOG assisting us to determine just how many copies of the first issue we should print. The program can do many things besides: sales projections, personal financing and check balancing, taxes, and much more.

Learning to use VISICALC may seem like taking on a new programming language, it is very extensive - plan on spending some time with it. The 'screen' consists of a matrix with hundreds of locations you can access at any time, where you can place numbers or labels. When you need a calculation, it takes place very fast, and by changing one variable, the results of an entire problem can change with it, saving quite a bit of time.

To run this you will need 32K (although Personal Software recommends 48K), a disk drive, and several blank diskettes to save work you have done. The package consists of the VISICALC disk, a workbook from which you learn how to use VISICALC, and a small reference card with a summary of the commands.

This is a handy program to have at home, and I feet an invaluable one for business. While you can get by without it, I suppose you can get by without a television or calculator, too.

 

ATARI Color Rainbow

Displays all 128 colors on your screen! 16 colors with 8 hues each Note: hit 'SYSTEM RESET' to stop