Kürzlich habe ich eine Originalausgabe vom Handbuch des TRS-80 (Level 1) erstanden. Wie nah 1977 die Sphären von „fun“ und „programming“ schon/noch beieinander lagen, lässt sich sehr schön aus dem Vorwort des Autors ablesen:
A Personal Note from the Author
This is not a conventional book. There are plenty of good conventional books, and plenty that are not so good.
This book is written specifically for people who don’t know anything about computers, and who don’t want to be dazzled by fancy footwork from someone who does. It is written to teach you how to use your Radio Shack TRS-80 computer and start you on a fast track to becoming a competet programmer. To that end, every fair and unfair, conventional and unconventional, flamboyant and ridiculous technique I could think of was used. I want you to have fun with your computer! I don’t want you to be afraid of it, because there is nothing to fear!
The only restraints put on this book were good taste an a genuine attempt not to insult your intelligence. Beyond that, it contains no „snow jobs“, no efforts to impress or intimidate you, and no attempt to sell you anything except the idea that comptuers are just not all that hard to learn to use.
Sit back, relax, read slowly as though savoring a good novel, and above all, let your imagination wander. I’ll supply you with all the routine facts and techniques you need. The real enjoyment begins when your imagination starts the creative juices flowing and the computer becomes a tool in your own hands. You become its master – not the other way around. At that point it evolves from just a box of parts into an extension of your personality.
Enjoy your new computer!
Dr. David A. Lien
San Diego – 1977
