BOOK REVIEWS

Computer ~~ra~~ in BASIC; PETER BISHOP, Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd. 1978, Paperback. fl.50.

Depending on the rate at which microcomputers are taken up by schools, this book may have arrived just too late to be really useful. It provides an excellent course leading to O-level or CSE in Computer Studies for pupils who are tied to the use of batch processing facilities, particularly those based on ICL 1900 machines on which the examples given are said to have been tested.

Praise must be given for the way in which the teaching strategy adopted has been implemented. The subject has been broken down into a sequence of conceptual steps-comparing other texts there is little difference between them here-but each new concept is then hammered home in a structured way. First, a concept is explained, then instances are given; next partially completed instances are presented, such as a flow chart with one box or one branch missing, in order to identify the separate parts of a more complex principle. Lastly, the pupil is required to solve probIems involving different applications of the concept being considered. This strategy is designed to build confidence-very important in a batch context where the rewards are not immediate as they are with interactive systems. To cater for the brighter pupil some slightly more advanced concepts are included in marked sections, which the less able can omit without detracting from the course. Also the format is sufficientiy self-instructional to allow bright pupils to push on ahead, leaving the teacher to drive from behind. Each section also contains questions from examination papers, building to a climax with su~~tions for projects at the end

The publisher is to be congratulated on the good graphical presentation. Unfortunately, there are one or two errors which may lead to exasperation as they are not obvious mistakes-perhaps this is why they were not spotted in proof reading.

The book really teaches computing-not BASIC-and so the choice of language is not important. Algorithms are presented using flow charts, though more care is needed in presenting the FOR.. . NEXT construction in flow chart form. Both string and numeric variables are given equal prominence (this is probably where BASIC scores) and success does not depend on mathematical ability e.g. the concept of a reciprocal is not assumed.

Examples are well chosen and interesting, covering business and domestic applications as well as some numerical modelling.

The main weakness is in the treatment of interactive programming The INPUT statement is dealt with in only one short chapter; its examples are boring and uni~~Mtiv~ probably r$ecting the poor quahty of interactive resources available to the author. This is a pity because ‘games’ which are essentially interactive are educationally motivating, also because the future of computing lies in making interactive systems more available to the public. Computer specialists unfortunately tend to be brought up with batch systems, and this often leads to a Luddite mentality towards the more public use of computers.

Because of this, the book is not suitable as a ‘teach yourself text alongside a personal computer unless the objective is to take an ‘0’ level or CSE.

The final comment must be reserved for the front cover. It depicts a trendy photograph of a ‘silicon chip’ during manufacture. But do the publishers realise the significance of the red spot with which the chip is marked? Fortunately, it does not reflect the worth of the book.

Fucufty of Engineering

~~p~t~trr of E~gj~eefj?lg Science

University of Exeter,

Exeter

U.K.

JOHN MATWEWS

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