Best of PCW Assembler Routines

Correspondent Larry Chavarie sent me a copy of this book for review. He had sent his order to Personal Computer World, a prominent British computing magazine, who then forwarded it directly to the author/editor to be filled. It didn’t take me long to realize that this book is a real gem. The back cover panel summarizes it best: “Every serious assembler programmer needs well-documented sub-routines. This is a collection of the best routines for the Z80 compiled from the famous SUBSET series that has been running in “Personal Computer World” for several years…. “This book presents the distilled experience of the best machine-code programmers, and will be an essential part of any serious assembler programmer’s library.” The routines are organized into chapters, starting with the simple (delays) and progressing to the highly sophisticated (extracting roots and 32-bit arithmetic). Along the way, topics covered are comparisons, searches, sorting, data compression, graphics, conversions, random numbers, and matrix transposition; to name but a few. All routines were written to strict standards, set out in a series of rules published at the onset of the series. Included in these standards is the rule that no registers be corrupted (except those used to pass parameters). Each routine includes a “datasheet,” which is a 14-point summary of the routine’s characteristics. Every line is annotated. Additional descriptive text makes the documentation as complete as anyone could possibly want. I agree with the writer of the back panel. This is a “must have” for serious programmers on any Z80-based machine. Cost is 7.95 (pounds sterling); be sure to include enough for return shipping. Order directly from: | David Barrow | 9 Dorset Close | Pontefract | West Yorkshire | WF9 4HU | United Kingdom