Title: An Introduction to VU-
CALC Spreadsheeting for
the Timex/Sinclair 1000
and the Sinclair ZX81
Author: Harry Anbarlian
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Book Co.
1221 Ave. of Americas
New York, NY 10020
Price: $22.95
“Run-out-and-rip-off-a-user” approaches affect all ZX/TS users, (i.e., taped programs and printed pages sold without regard for quality or utility). One program that does not belong in the “user useless” piles: VU-CALC, a quick, flexible matrix formatting program.
But one new book does belong in the “useless” pile. An Introduction to VU-CALC Spreadsheeting offers less actual information on VU-CALC than the fanfold flyer that comes with the program.
This book’s cover looks good, (possibly the book’s best feature) bearing all the appropriate TMs and circled Rs to lend credibility to its contents. The book offers five “simple” and five “advanced” programs presented in an undecipherable manner.
Of the book’s 251 pages, 191 contain the ten exercises presented in this cryptic fashion. The first 50-odd pages discuss various aspects of VU-CALC’s use.
It appears the author expects you to know and understand VU-CALC commands (he explains none in the text). But he does not expect you to know how to press appropriate keys (shown in the text by the constant SHIFTs preceding addition signs and use of the letter on each key when describing commands or functions).
This example from page 56 typifies the overall approach: “In addition to the above mentioned commands the Vu-Calc Program has a (D) DELETE FORMULA COMMAND and a (G) GET and (S) SET COMMAND to move a formula to any BOX you desire on the spreadsheet. These commands can be useful for your own individual matrix creations and certainly are well worth exploring, but are not used in any of the matrix Exercises in this book.”
These sentences constitute the only mention of these important commands (except in the index). VU-CALC users should know that these time-saving commands allow you to move and alter formulas.
Another example: the only definition of ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE options (an essential distinction VU-CALC users must make): “You will learn to use both ABSOLUTE (where by using the $ a variable is kept constant with no change) and RELATIVE options together. Examples of using the ABSOLUTE option can be found in… (three of the exercises). The RELATIVE option is used in all the Exercises.”