INMC 80 News

In this Pascal, the data type Character has been replaced with a STRING type, where a string is up to 255 characters long. Predefined functions allow for the manipulation of these strings in much the same way as we have learned in BASIC. (Go and wash your mouth out with soap!) Predefined PLOT and POINT allow easy interface with the Nascom Graphics.

As you can see from the preceding list, a fairly full subset of Pascal is supported. The omission of Sets, user-definable types (including records) and file types is to be regretted, but can be programmed round with a little ingenuity. Figures are supplied of the PCW benchmark times for this package. Running at 4MHz, with one waitstate, it is faster than an Apple 2 and a Heathkit H11A, which uses an LSI 11/2 16 bit processor! How much faster, you ask? In round figures, it is three times faster than the APPLE, and in general, twice as fast as the Heathkit. It loses out to the Heathkit on the Real algebra and Maths tests, where the LSI 11 beats it, but is still comfortably faster on all other tests, particularly on the housekeeping overheads. In addition, it offers 11+ significant digits, whilst the APPLE is only offering 6+ !

The arithmetic accuracy is remarkable – the strings of figures marching across the screen will impress even the uninitiated, but when you hear that it has predefined the ability to format figures to so many decimal places, in fields of a predefined width, you will realise that this package is a must for number crunchers!

It is to be hoped that in the future the authors will expand this package to include set operations, and user defined types – perhaps even variant records? In spite of the omission of these, this package is quite capable of doing anything an extended BASIC can do, and doing it considerably quicker.

There will be points I have not covered in this review, due to limitations of space and/or time (I’m sure you’d rather have the review in this INMC80 rather than the next one) but your Nascom dealer will be able to help you. Any errors and omissions are regretted, but neither I nor the INMC80 committee, or anyone else are responsible. (Responsible for what? – Ed.)

48K RAM B board with full complement of memory. New Link block.
100.00 or nearest offer.
Tel Stoke-on-Trent (____) ______ evenings.

Nascom 2 with 32K, Kenilworth case, Toolkit, Naspen, Nasdis, Zeap, Pascal,
Nascount, Games, Etc. Total cost over 750.00 will sell for 500.00.
Full documentation including INMC mags. available.
Also Nascom Imp , 200.00. Genuine reason for sale.
Phone Great Dunmow (____) ____.