CARING FOR YOUR COMPUTER

Reviewer Alex Heywood takes a selection of books from ZX and computer library shelves and assesses their value for owners of Sinclair computers.

This book is aimed at those who are afraid of computers! At least author Walter Buchsbaum says so in his introduction, and adds that if you are in this situation you are not alone. " ...most people in your circle of acquaintances are (also) likely to be, at least, a little afraid of computers," he claims. While this introduction seems to have little relevance to the balance of the book, it does give Mr Buchsbaum a chance to explode some myths and misconceptions about computers, including discussing the exact meaning of the word 'intelligence' when applied to machines, and whether a computer can be 'smarter' than a person or display 'talent'.

This matter firmly dealt with, the book goes on to describe 'what computers really do', leading through a discussion of binary numbers to how microprocessors work, and the architecture of some common memory chips.

As can be seen from the brief discussion so far, this book is somewhat different from the others reviewed in this section of the magazine. It assumes the reader has some fundamental questions about computers which need answering, than a need for an understanding of how modern microcomputers are constructed. The book is clearly aimed at a person who does not yet own a personal computer but is thinking of buying one, and reviews a number of small systems, including the TRS 80 and the Atari 400, to show which applications each machine best supports.

You'll find it an interesting book, not least for the programs (such things as an arithmetic quiz program, and a bubble sort) but for the overview of the personal computer market the book provides.

Personal Computers Handbook, Walter Buchsbaum Howard W Sams and Co., ISBN 0-672-21724 4.