Jeff's VIC 20 Book
- Mayhem
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Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
And away it goes on itch.io too! More exposure. Hopefully means any nasty little errata missed can be picked up and fixed too. Congrats
Lie with passion and be forever damned...
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Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
If you are OK shipping to the US and we can arrange an easy way for me to pay then put me down for a copy.Jeff-20 wrote: ↑Sun May 21, 2023 1:07 pm The FINAL draft is posted here:
Version 0.9 PDF
I have enough orders to do a print run, so please let me know if you want one too. This PDF is what I am sending to print this week.
Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
UPDATE: Printing and shipping is a lot more expensive now then when I started (and first estimated pricing)... pre-pandemic.
I had sourced a local printer and had the price down to $10 per book (with a loss for me on international shipping), but now the estimate has doubled -- just over $20 per book. I think it is still comparable to most books nowadays and still more affordable than many used guides!
I am now going to try LULU for printing. They send direct to buyer. This is a faster option especially for international buyers, but it will use a slightly lighter paper stock than I intended. I am ordering a sample and will post pictures here when it arrives.
The prices are transparent on LULU. Of course, they set a minimum price to cover printing and their fees. This is not for profit, but any overage will go back into keeping this forum hosted.
I am sorry if this update discourages some of you and hope the free PDF will suffice if this sounds too expensive... you may also be able to find local printing options in your area. More info below...
FYI, to make the book available internationally, I have to meet a minimum retail price. Here are the numbers, everyone. Let me know your thoughts.
I had sourced a local printer and had the price down to $10 per book (with a loss for me on international shipping), but now the estimate has doubled -- just over $20 per book. I think it is still comparable to most books nowadays and still more affordable than many used guides!
I am now going to try LULU for printing. They send direct to buyer. This is a faster option especially for international buyers, but it will use a slightly lighter paper stock than I intended. I am ordering a sample and will post pictures here when it arrives.
The prices are transparent on LULU. Of course, they set a minimum price to cover printing and their fees. This is not for profit, but any overage will go back into keeping this forum hosted.
I am sorry if this update discourages some of you and hope the free PDF will suffice if this sounds too expensive... you may also be able to find local printing options in your area. More info below...
con gusto! I am working on it now. I will post information on how to purchase soon.
That's the idea. I hope this all works!
Thank you for suggesting this! This is clearly the way to go.
FYI, to make the book available internationally, I have to meet a minimum retail price. Here are the numbers, everyone. Let me know your thoughts.
- AndyH
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Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
Not a bad price. Is that your local printers (and if so postage on top of that?)
Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
This is LULU's price. My local printer would be much more expensive because I would have to ship to me THEN ship to destination. I'm so happy you suggested this.
- AndyH
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Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
Ah, good stuff. I would likely have bought a version from you and a lulu version (for speed of delivery).
As you have the source files you are best placed to construct the lulu version, for example, to create a proper front cover, so glad you are doing that. I've got a few reprints of vic 20 books and have been happy with the quality. Hopefully your test order is good enough... did you go with the ring binding?
Btw, lulu constantly give out 10% or 15% discount codes, the last one I had is COURSEBOOK15 if it still works
As you have the source files you are best placed to construct the lulu version, for example, to create a proper front cover, so glad you are doing that. I've got a few reprints of vic 20 books and have been happy with the quality. Hopefully your test order is good enough... did you go with the ring binding?
Btw, lulu constantly give out 10% or 15% discount codes, the last one I had is COURSEBOOK15 if it still works
Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
Yep, ring bounding. It almost doubles the price of the book, but the whole point is to have a lay-flat book... I'm still making tiny tweaks to the content, but I am eager to get a tangible sample.
- Lechuck
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Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
Price looks Ok for me too. I have ordered some Lulu prints in the past and delivery cost to Spain wasn’t high so will order it as soon as it is available.
Thanks
Thanks
- mathom
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Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
I too think the price looks fine (looking at US). I have also gotten a few reprints from Lulu and am favorably impressed with their quality.
...mathom...
Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
I've give this version a couple of read throughs. Here's what I've found so far
Page 1
Include start of IEEE-488 interface cartridge
SYS45065
Page 6
92/$5C - if there's enough space include Yen symbol
Page 12-15
ABS(<number>) - for consistency with other numeric functions
INPUT# - extra spacing compared with INPUT
LOAD - <device> and <command> can only follow one another
. LOAD[<"file">[,<device>[,<command>]]]
NEXT - use ellipsis for consistency with other statements
. NEXT<counter>[,<counter>...]
ON - use ellipsis for consistency with other statements
. ON<variable>GOTO/GOSUB<line>[,<line>...]
READ - single instance in repeat
. READ<variable>[,<variable>...]
SAVE - <device> and <command> can only follow one another
. SAVE[<"file">[,<device>[,<command>]]]
VERIFY - <device> and <command> can only follow one another
. VERIFY[<"file">[,<device>[,<command>]]]
Page 36
Title should be "DISPLAY OPTIONS (VIC CHIP)"?
Page 40
Multicolour table, centre numbers
"Set Screen / Border Color", white square in top right, make entire right column grey
Page 49
TRMPOS - bad rendering of second line in my viewer
Page 57
M51CTR - bad rendering of '00=5 bits' in my viewer
Page 64
911D - typo "VIA1IER"
911E - typo "VIA1IFR", not sure why there are arrows on this entry
911F - no need to include "sense tape switch"
Page 65
VIA2DDRA - bad rendering of second line in my viewer
Page 67
Autostart graphic isn't rendered correctly in my viewer
Page 77
Last three entries are vectors so for consistency with other entries
FFFA 65530-65531 {etc}
Page 83
SBC - For consistency with ADC
. A - M - /C -> A, /C
Page 87
AND ),Y - $31
Page 94
SBC updates /C (as page 83)
Page 96
The more usual term is "Undocumented Opcodes"
Page 101
ACPTR - typo, [TKSA] (brackets to match CIOUT)
Page 108
Keyboard Matrix - missing key @ G6 (up arrow)
Page 114
Device Number table - not sure why devices below 4 have "TALK" & "LISTEN", they don't respond to IEC commands (just KERNAL I/O)
Will do another pass tomorrow,
Simon
Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
Great input, Simon! I'll get started on this right away!
Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
This whole time I thought you could only nest 3 loops!
That section labels two different parts of the chart: the white Is meant to indicate screen color, and the grey is border colorPage 40
Multicolour table, centre numbers
"Set Screen / Border Color", white square in top right, make entire right column grey
I'm not sure I understand. There are no arrows here. Do you mean 911D?911E - typo "VIA1IFR", not sure why there are arrows on this entry
Yeah, I had to pick one and made a personal choice... I used undocumented in the index. I would love input from others on this.Page 96
The more usual term is "Undocumented Opcodes"
This is also a new area for me. I don't understand the change you are suggesting. This is what appears in "Mastering the VIC"...Page 114
Device Number table - not sure why devices below 4 have "TALK" & "LISTEN", they don't respond to IEC commands (just KERNAL I/O)
Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
That makes sense.
Yes, I got the wrong register. Both IER and IFR here have a '1' instead of a 'I'. And the bits in the IFR don't have 'direction'.I'm not sure I understand. There are no arrows here. Do you mean 911D?911E - typo "VIA1IFR", not sure why there are arrows on this entry
Well, that table is just bogus. Devices support communication in different directions sure but only devices on the serial bus (4 and above) actually respond to TALK and LISTEN. It's even wrong wrt device 3 (screen), you can perform input operations on it (see my KERNAL I/O doc). It's impossible to address any device on the IEC (or IEEE) bus above 30, I think a better table would just summarize direction wrt the VIC, like thisThis is also a new area for me. I don't understand the change you are suggesting. This is what appears in "Mastering the VIC"...Page 114
Device Number table - not sure why devices below 4 have "TALK" & "LISTEN", they don't respond to IEC commands (just KERNAL I/O)
Mastering_the_VIC-20_0071.jpg
Code: Select all
+------+------------+----------+
| 0 | Keyboard | IN |
| 1 | Cassette | IN & OUT |
| 2 | RS-232 | IN & OUT |
| 3 | Screen | IN & OUT |
| 4-5 | Printer | OUT |
| 6-7 | Plotter | OUT |
| 8-30 | Disk/Other | IN & OUT |
+------+------------+----------+
- thegg
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Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
For what it's worth, 'undocumented' seems clearer to me.
Re: Jeff's VIC 20 Book
"Unintended" seems to be the genereal consensus nowadays. "Undocumented" makes it read as if they were intented but just not documented. The "No More Secrets"-PDF that is updated each year at Christmas also calls them "unintended" and this seems to be the go-to-document regarding these:
https://csdb.dk/release/?id=226987
https://csdb.dk/release/?id=226987