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Vintage Computers Any vintage computer systems, calculators, video games etc., but with an emphasis on 1980s and earlier equipment. |
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5th Mar 2022, 7:39 pm | #1 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,119
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SC/MP programming book?
40+ years ago I had a book containing SC/MP code examples in both assembler and NIBL, all that remains here is just a few photocopied pages which include an SC/MP disassembler written in NIBL by Jim Derosa (and full of mistakes!) a complex word game in assembler, and a subroutines supervisor by Erik Skovgaard.
I dont remember the title or publisher but I wonder if this rings a bell with anyone? There was a book (booklet?) by Kemitron Electronics called "A Guide to SC/MP Programming" which I'd also like to find but I dont know if that is the same book I had all those years ago. Nothing substantial has turned up in online searches, the best I've found is this: https://archive.org/stream/Compute_M...r_Apr_djvu.txt which is a poor ocr scan of the disassembler (including the original errors!) Surely one of these two (?) books has survived at the back of some dusty bookshelf somewhere ? Many thanks Cheers Phil Last edited by Phil__G; 5th Mar 2022 at 7:54 pm. |
7th Mar 2022, 11:16 am | #2 |
Pentode
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 115
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
I have this. Approx 30 pages. Would posting scans of those as zipped folders (max is 4MB) be best way to provide for all? PM me...
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7th Mar 2022, 12:45 pm | #3 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,119
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
PM sent, thank you!
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7th Mar 2022, 6:42 pm | #4 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK.
Posts: 1,364
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
I would love to see a copy of that as well -perhaps an upload to archive.org? If you have only JPG put them on a Google drive I could perhaps assemble a PDF we could share that way.
I have also gone back to the person I think has another Kemitron booklet on a Facebook group to see if he will make a scan available - I am sure it was him posted pics of the front and back but, I may be wrong. |
8th Mar 2022, 2:54 pm | #5 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK.
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
I'm very much looking forward to reading the Kemitron book, but I'm pretty sure it isnt the one I had. I've scanned the few photocopied pages I have in the hope that reading them might jog an old memory... its at the very bottom of the PICL page on http://philg.uk
Looking at the references, it may not have been a specific SC/MP book, theres a lot of other stuff in there... Cheers Phil |
9th Mar 2022, 2:28 am | #6 |
Octode
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Newbury, Berkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,287
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
The font and style of that book looks so familiar but I just can't put my finger on it.... It looks like one of those series of programming books by Sybex, TAB or Usbourne etc
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12th Mar 2022, 4:00 pm | #7 |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Walsall Wood, Aldridge, Walsall, UK.
Posts: 2,874
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
Hi!
It isn't this one is it? Alas to say I can't find it for download or sale anywhere! Chris Williams
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12th Mar 2022, 5:27 pm | #8 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK.
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
Is that just a later printing of the one on Curious Marc's page https://www.curiousmarc.com/computin...microprocessor as the cover is very much in the style of the Technical Description?
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13th Mar 2022, 3:57 pm | #9 |
Pentode
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 115
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
PMs have been exchanged.
25ish years ago I was in British Library mining for SC/MP info and code, eg NIBL in Doctor Dobbs', etc. And I acquired my own copy of a couple of the Mystery Pages. (But don't know wherefrom!) The earliest issues of those mid 70's computing magazines were awash with enthusiasm and printed lots of listings, usually straight from a teletype. The scans Phil has at http://philg.uk appear to be from an anthology/selection from one of those magazines, a hardback with 310+ pages, about 8x5 inches. In addition, I scanned the Kemitron Electronics "A Guide to SC/MP Programming". And Timbucus has taken those JPGs and produced a PDF version which can be admired at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GtZ...ew?usp=sharing |
13th Mar 2022, 3:58 pm | #10 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,119
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
Hi Chris thanks but no, the "lost" book isnt just assembler and appears to cover other than SC/MP stuff too, maybe a compilation by one of the monthlies. The weird thing is that Circuitryboy also has a couple of photocopied pages from the very same 'lost' book, what are the chances!!! The Kemitron book is also very good, thanks to Circuitryboy, but these aren't the droids we're looking for
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14th Mar 2022, 11:16 am | #11 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,119
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
Circuitryboy has done more sleuthing and we're wondering if this might be it: does any one recognise this book, maybe confirm that it contains the few pages we have please?
One thing thats giving me doubts is that the SC/MP disassembler written in NIBL for example contains many mistakes, that I wouldnt expect that in a 'real' book that presumably has been through proof-reading Last edited by Phil__G; 14th Mar 2022 at 11:25 am. |
14th Mar 2022, 2:01 pm | #12 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 11,587
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
There is a copy of a (presumed earlier) but similar work by the same author on archive.org although it's unclear to me how you 'borrow' it - looks like you have to sign up for a free account to 'borrow' the whole book.
https://archive.org/details/howtodes...ge/n3/mode/2up Not quite the book in the previous post but maybe the style will tell you whether you are barking up the right tree. The actual 'Advanced' book in the previous post seems quite widely available for not unreasonable money. |
14th Mar 2022, 3:09 pm | #13 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Duffort, Gers, France
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
I think archive.org got into trouble by allowing copyrighted books to be freely downloaded. They got around that by setting things up like a library. You can "borrow" the book and it is then flagged as being "on loan" to you. During that time no-one else can access it. You have to create an account but that's free and doesn't seem to have any strings attached.
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14th Mar 2022, 5:00 pm | #14 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK.
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
Thanks G the archive.org one defo isnt it and I'm not sure the 'advanced' one is either -I saw a few listed but from £32 which is too much for me, especially as we're not sure, its not something I actually need, I just hoped someone might have a copy!
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14th Mar 2022, 6:08 pm | #15 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,119
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
The British Library have a copy of the 'advanced' book but I have to make an appointment in London or Boston Spa to become a reader, take ID to the appointment, all being well I get a pass, then I can ask for the book to be delivered to Wetherby where I can read it but not borrow it. What a faff
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14th Mar 2022, 7:03 pm | #16 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
Hmm, strange, I thought I saw one or two a bit cheaper than that but maybe those ones have been snapped up by lurkers. I was considering buying a copy myself, as it's obviously squarely within our area of interest.
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14th Mar 2022, 8:15 pm | #17 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
The listings that I’ve seen for the advanced book say that its using the INS8070, so probably not what you are looking for.
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14th Mar 2022, 8:58 pm | #18 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK.
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
I have the original one which although it intersperses some coding methods is very much totally a hardware design guide for the SCAMPY computer so not the book you are looking for. It does briefly mention Tiny BASIC at the end saying it will take some work to adapt it for your computer... There is no real SC/MP listings at all in it.
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14th Mar 2022, 8:59 pm | #19 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
I see, I suppose that at that time it would have been silly not to take advantage of the INS8070 if your intent was to build a NIBL BASIC machine.
Does that mean that the earlier book is based around the INS8060 (SC/MP), then? That one is a little bit cheaper, and there are a few copies around. Edit: Just caught Tim's summary of the earlier book - no, doesn't sound as interesting as I thought. |
14th Mar 2022, 10:39 pm | #20 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,298
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Re: SC/MP programming book?
I wasn’t sure if the references to INS8070 were generic references to include the INS8073 or if the book was using the INS8070 which does not include ROM.
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