TRS-80 Programs: 32 BASIC Programs for the TRS-80 (Level II) Computer

written by Matthew Reed

In the early days of microcomputers, books containing “type-in” BASIC programs were common. But probably the book series published for the widest range of computers was the “32 BASIC Programs” series, written by Tom Rugg and Phil Feldman and published by dilithium Press. (The name dilithium was intentionally lowercase.)

Each book contained thirty-two BASIC programs divided into six categories: applications, educational, graphics, game, mathematics, and miscellaneous. Some of the later books added seven extra programs spread across the same categories.

The text of each book was almost identical, sometimes with just the name of the computer changed. Of course, the programs themselves and the screenshots illustrating each program were necessarily different for each new computer.

The TRS-80 entry in the series was titled TRS-80 Programs: 32 BASIC Programs for the TRS-80 (Level II) Computer. Judging by the publication dates, it was the second book in the series, immediately following the Commodore PET version.

• 32 BASIC Programs for the PET Computer (ISBN 0-918398-25-8) published in 1979.
• 32 BASIC Programs for the Apple Computer (ISBN 0-918398-34-7 for the book, ISBN 0-88056-151-3 for the book and companion disk) published in 1981.
• 32 BASIC Programs for the Exidy Sorcerer with Kevin McCabe (ISBN 0-918398-35-5) published in 1981.
• TRS-80 Color Programs: Programs for Color BASIC and Extended Color BASIC on the TRS-80 Color Computer (ISBN 0-918398-61-4 for the book, ISBN 0-88056-154-8 for the book and companion cassette) published in 1982.
• More Than 32 Basic Programs for the IBM Personal Computer (ISBN 0-88056-078-9 for the book, ISBN 0-88056-171-8 for the book and companion disk) published in 1983.
• More Than 32 Basic Programs for the Commodore 64 Computer with Western Systems Group (ISBN 0-88056-112-2 for the book, ISBN 0-88056-180-7 for the book and companion disk, ISBN 0-88056-183-1 for the book and companion cassette) published in 1983.
• More Than 32 Basic Programs for the VIC-20 Computer with Clarence S. Wilson (ISBN 0-88056-059-2) published in 1983.
• 32 BASIC Programs for the Atari Computer with Timothy Barry (ISBN 0-88056-084-3 for the book, ISBN 0-88056-172-6 for the book and companion disk) published in 1984.
• 32 BASIC Programs for the IBM PCjr (ISBN 0-88056-306-0 for the book, ISBN 0-88056-207-2 for the book and companion disk) published in 1984.
  

• 32 BASIC Programs for the Coleco ADAM Computer (ISBN 0-88056-141-6 for the book, ISBN 0-88056-201-3 for the book and accompanying “Digital Data Pack”) published in 1984.
• 32 Basic Programs for the TI 99/4a Computer: Programs for Either TI Basic or TI Extended Basic with Raymond Alen (ISBN 0-88056-136-X for the book, ISBN 0-88056-203-X for the book and accompanying disk, ISBN 0-88056-188-2 for the book and accompanying cassette) published in 1984.
• 32 Basic Programs for the Timex/Sinclair Computer with Abby Miller (ISBN 0-88056-137-8) published in 1984.

In addition to a program listing, each program also featured a list of routines and variables, a list of “Easy changes” that could be made, and a list of “Suggested projects” for the more advanced reader.

Probably the best remembered of the programs in the books was “Walloons.” Described (in the TRS-80 book) as a presentation of the “TRS-80 Theatre,” the Flying Walloons performed “a dangerous trick from their repertoire” involving a seesaw. This was one of the primary differences between the earlier books: the Commodore PET version was presented by the “PET Playhouse” and the Apple version by the “Apple Arena.” Most of the later versions were presented by the “Color Circus.”

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