 x&                                                                 On the Acknowledgements page of the ADAM SmartBASIC programming manual are the words "Portions of this manual are an adaptation of The Secret Guide to Computers bookreviewLEAF

      BOOK REVIEW: 
 RUSS WALTERS' SECRET 
  GUIDE TO COMPUTERS
        By Dave Sands, Edmonton (Alberta, Canada) ADAM Users Group. 
This article originally appeared in the EAUG ADAM's LEAF and is supplied by the ADAM News Network.

      On the Acknowledgements page of the ADAM SmartBASIC programming manual are the words "Portions of this manual are an adaptation of The Secret Guide to Computers written by Russ Walter." 
      In his books, volumes 1 and 2, both entitled "The Secret Guide to Computers" Walter goes into some detail about his relationship with Coleco. It wasn't happy, and he has little good to say about the ADAM.  Actually, he has little good to say about any computer or computer company.
      The value of volume 1 of "The Secret Guide ..." is that it is the full length BASIC computer language and programming book that the Coleco manual is not. It has much more detail and many more examples, some of which expand on what's only glossed over in the ADAM book. It's probably not the best BASIC book, but since it enlarges on a book you're already familiar with, it can be time saver.
      In addition, there is much information about other makes, their similarities and differences, and Russ Walter's opinions about them, and a lot of other things.
      Walter's writing style gets in the way of his book's virtues.  He is determined to be cute in a dozen different ways, and if you're not prepared to go along, you're going to be bored, and quickly.
      Volume 2 will be more interesting to experienced users.  It contains a four-page history of the ADAM and discusses all of the current programming languages (except C) with examples showing similarities and differences.  Whether his discussion is thorough enough will depend on your knowledge, but as an introduction, it works.
     "The Secret Guide to Computers" is $14.00 (U.S.)per 400-page volume, and is sold directly by the author. The best way to decide if it's worthwhile is to take it out of the Public Library. If you like it, there's a coupon in the book to order it with.  ###
                                    nd diff
