30 Programs for the Sinclair ZX-80 – a Review

30 Programs for the Sinclair ZX-80, by Melbourne House, Glebe Cottage, Glebe House, Station Road, Cheddington, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, England, distributed in the United States by Image Computer products, 615 Academy Drive, Northbrook, IL 60062, 111 pages, paperback $14.95. 1980.

30 Programs for the Sinclair ZX 80 published by Melbourne House, contains games and utilities that will run in 1K of memory. But the book is more than just a collection of programs; it is a storehouse of valuable techniques and tricks. While many of the programs are entered in the usual way, some are entered in ways that expand the capabilities of the Sinclair. For example, several of the programs come in two parts. The first part accepts inputs which are stored as data for the second part. In “Lunar Lander,” these data are used to draw the rocket ship. In “Dr. ZX80” (see Creative Computing’s More Basic Computer Games for the original Dr. Z), the data are used to store strings in memory.

These techniques alone make the book worthwhile. Add to this the fun of the games themselves, from a simple “Leap Frog” to the complex programming of “Gomoku,” and you have a bargain that should be a part of every Sinclair owner’s library.

The listings are presented in clear, large type. The numbers are larger than the letters, thus avoiding confusion between zero and the letter O, as well as one and the letter I. Each program is preceeded by a description which covers any special techniques used. The only shortcoming is the lack of sample runs. It is always nice to see what a program does before going to the touble to enter the whole thing. Also, sample runs can help show where you went wrong if there is an error in your typing. Despite this, the book is highly recommended.

You will find two programs from the book reprinted in this issue of SYNC. “Life” and “Draw a Picture” were reprinted courtesy of Melbourne House Publishers.