“20 Goto 10: 10101001 Facts About Retro Computers” by Steven Goodwin

Main Index / Reviews Index / Nonfiction Reviews Index / 2023 Reviews Index

Rating: 3/5 Stars

An interesting book on retro-computers. Unlike other book on retro-technology, this one presents trivia on the machines: lots and lots of trivia on lots and lots of early home computers, some of which I later had to look on up the internet as I’ve never heard of them before.

The book also presents trivia on numerous games and on the idiosyncrasies of the machine themselves, both the operating systems and the tape based systems used at the time to save programs, and on the BASIC usually found on the machines. Some bring back memories of some of the POKES and PEEKS done in the past to ‘bypass’ game protection systems or to hack games.

The chapters, with a numbering system that starts with 0 (zero) repeatedly, and then jumps to other entries via GOTOs, are not meant to be read in sequence (although you can do that). Instead, you are meant to start with an entry of interest (computer, game related) then follow the appropriate GOTO until the end of the journey, like a ‘pick-your-adventure’ type book.

But whatever way you use to read the book, those who have used early computers and those who are now into retro-computing will probably find lots of entries of interest in the book.

Book read from 2023/11/02 to 2023/11/09