
It
should also be noted here that while
we
communicate with the
VIC through the BASIC language, the VIC's "native" vocabulary
is
Machine Language which
is
based on abinary or hexadecimal
numbering system. BASIC
is
realty atranslation of Machine
language
into terms
we
humans can understand
...
which
is
why
BASIC programs generally run slower than Machine language
programs, since BASIC programs have
to
be interpreted into
Machine Language before they run, while Machine language
programs
run
immediately. See "Introduction to Machine
lan-
guage Programming" for more information.
Of course, you don't have
to
know BASIC
to
take advantage of
the VIC's computing power
...
you don'teven have to know howto
type. We like to say that with the VIC
20,
the first thing you do
is
learn "computing"
...
not "programming." You don'thave to be an
auto mechanic
to
driveacar, and
by
the same token you don'thave
to
be
aprogrammerto"drive"yourVIC
20.
Still, knowing something
abouthow yourcar works mechanically helpsyou maintain and use
yourcar
to
best advantage. Likewise, knowing howthe computer
is
programmed helps you get the most out of your VIC
20.
In
thefuture, being ableto "speak"acomputer language will give
you atremendous advantage overthose whocan't
...
not because
you can write acomputer program, butbecause you'll have abetter
understanding ofwhatacomputer is and does,
and
you'll be ableto
make better use of computing at school,
on
the job and at home.
learning
BASIC
...
oratleasthow
it
works
...
will bring you close
to
the future and prepare you for the dramatic technological
changes that are already occurring as part of the "Computer
Revolution."
TO AVOID CONFUSION, PLEASE NOTE:
o=letter 0as
in
OPEN
o
~
ZERO
I=
letter'
as
in
INPUT
1=number ONE
• = type the large asterisk key
Format =all format entries shall be typed
in
on
one line
[ 1=information contained inside brackets
in
the Format
lines
is
optional.
WARM START
-If
you get
into
trouble
or
want
to
break
out
of
a
program
while
it's
running,
you can
hold
down
the
RUN/STOP key and
hit
the RESTORE key. This
combination
resets the VIC
without
losing your program.
Now
you can
LIST
or
RUN
your
program
again.
4