Amstrad CPC Discussion (was: Graphics in Locomotive basic)

[joska]

if CPC users can brag about one thing, it's their BASIC interpreter

The CPC - and especially the 6128 - is one of the best 8-bit machines. Low price, good performance, built-in floppydrive, 80-column screen, easily expandable, cp/m and some really good games. Locomotive BASIC is rather good too, although the editor is horrible compared to the fullscreen editor found in other BASICs.

[Gryzor]

Granted, I've not used others extensively, but what's wrong about the CPC's editor?

[joska]

Granted, I've not used others extensively, but what's wrong about the CPC's editor?

It's a line-editor. I guess this is fine if you're used to it, but when you're used to a fullscreen editor it's quite awful. Most 8-bits had better BASIC editors than the CPC.

[Gryzor]

Well, true, in the sense that you have to press COPY when you reach the line that interests you. Is this so bad?

A follow-up question: any 8-bitter that had a scrolling editor?

[joska]

Well, true, in the sense that you have to press COPY when you reach the line that interests you. Is this so bad?

Compared to just edit the line directly - yes. Editing on e.g. Microsoft Basic on the MSX is *much* more comfortable.

The CPC should be the ideal 8-bit machine to program in BASIC on. Good BASIC, 80-column screen, floppy, 128Kb RAM, low price... However, they made a big mistake with the poor editor and the lack of support for RAM above 64Kb in BASIC.

A follow-up question: any 8-bitter that had a scrolling editor?

Yes, the Sharp MZ series. With a fullscreen editor

[Gryzor]

Never used a Sharp MZ (lovely machines!) except to run an emulated program or two, got to check it out (though, if I'm not mistaken the MZ series run up to the late 80s with new models, so it wouldn't surprise me...).

Didn't remember the thing about the MSX despite having used them - I guess I'm too accustomed to the CPC

But hey, calling the editor 'poor' is, I think, taking it a bit too far. I mean, if nothing else and just off the top of my head, I'd take an 80-column editor over one that doesn't need pressing 'copy'

[joska]

The MZ had a scrolling editor from the beginning (late 70's). But yes - 80 column is a huge advantage for the CPC compared to most 8-bits. Together with the built-in diskdrive this is one of it's strongest points. But the editor *is* poor, something that was commented on in reviews when the CPC arrived. Consensus was that the editor was a big disappointment for a machine that was launched at the end of the 8-bit era. The Copy key is a workaround to make the line-editor slightly more usable, but line-editors was a thing of the past even in 1984 when the CPC was launched.

[simonsunnyboy]

if CPC users can brag about one thing, it's their BASIC interpreter

The CPC - and especially the 6128 - is one of the best 8-bit machines. Low price, good performance, built-in floppydrive, 80-column screen, easily expandable, cp/m and some really good games. Locomotive BASIC is rather good too, although the editor is horrible compared to the fullscreen editor found in other BASICs.

I fully agree, the editor is still ages ahead of other 8Bits. The copy cursor is quite neat.

But most people don't seem to get the point of the 80 columns or the CP/M compatibility.

Someday i have to add a 6128 with HxC to my collection. Already have Spectrum +2A from the Z80 camp...

[Mug UK]

It's nowhere near as bad as the cobbled together BASIC editor that Amstrad dumped into the +2a/+2b/+3 machines. That 'EDIT' button just gets in the way of anyone who's ever used a proper keyboard beforehand.

[MrPixel]

why make a sub thread in one that i started? doesn't make sense

[simonsunnyboy]

Because this drifted into CPC advocacy and has no content on Locomotive Basic graphical features anymore. The graphics command discussion belongs in the old thread, generic CPC good or bad here.

[Gryzor]

I do see the point, but the new subject is misleading and prone to lead to a flame or something; nobody was advocating anything for or against, we were just discussing the pros and cons in a very nice way.

[MrPixel]

exactly. don't see how CPC advocacy applies to my old thread but what the hell

[simonsunnyboy]

Some feel free to rename, discussing Pros and Cons contains advocacy so i don't see the problem.

[Gryzor]

Really? Discussion=advocacy?

[MrPixel]

i did some programming on the CPC and i do have one thing to say: Whoever ported NARC, needs to be fired