TECHNI-TAK

Welcome to another superb edition of Techni-Tak, packed with interesting titbits for all you technical-minded peeps. Arriving on the CRASH doormat this month is a new programming language from Mira Software. "Duh! What's that then?" I hear you cry. Well don't upset yourself ass Samm H Garson will explain in his usual clear as mud way!

Modula-2's a variant of the programming language Pascal and a compiler, and its job is to convert BASIC programs into ultra-fast machine code. Anyone who's had to program in assembly language before would soon notice the advantages of this package.

The author's designed his own language and after reading the hefty manual it seems he's tailored his package towards the gamesplayer/BASIC writer wanting to take the step up towards machine code.

But it still allows the user to program the compiler in a semi-BASIC way. Let me give you a for instance: The programmer's built-in routines that read things such as joysticks. These are accessed as procedures and it's easy to define your own.

WHAT CAN IT DO?

What does Modula-2 offer you in the way of games writing? It's quite complex to master the syntax used by the complier but if you were to master it you could produce great things.

The package presents itself as a halfway house, ideal for the user that finds machine code too difficult but BASIC too simple, while introducing mc methods. As for the games creator, you could write your latest masterpiece using the compiler - it would be difficult but the result would be an ultra-fast machine code marvel.

The compiler also supports virtually every add-on it's possible to attach to a Spectrum (Opus, wafer, microdrive etc) so programs can be written to call up and pull extra data off the drive as it's needed.

I'd recommend this package to anyone into serious programming. It comes a bit late to make a big impact on the Spectrum; a few years earlier and it would've won rave reviews. Now, it makes old souls like me very happy.

Details can be gleaned from MIRE SOFTWARE, 24 Home Close, Kibworth, Leicestershire LE8 0JT. Modula-2 costs £20 and you should state which medium you want it on. The author says any programs written via Modula-2 can be freely distributed or sold.