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What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
05-07-2014, 02:44 AM
Post: #89
RE: What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer
I ran Dave's prime factor program on an Panasonic HHC running snapBASIC I replaced the first data statement with an array because the restore function in this dialect restores all data statements in the program. Time functions are different you read the clock by peeking at 5 sequential bytes in memory. Replaced all the INT functions with one called FIX as INT will only work with integer values and they are limited to a signed 16 bit number. Replaced SQR with SQRT, SQR returns the square of the argument.

In interpreted mode 167699497 takes almost exactly 3 mins despite having a considerable faster CPU than the HP handhelds. I think the difference is the HP handhelds are running a CPU that is optimized for floating point math, whereas the HHC is running a 1 MHz 6502, a general purpose processor and a very simple one at that.

I wanted to try this as a compiled program but before I can do that I need to figure out a way to get the compiled program off the machine and burn it into a EPROM as the design of the system does not allow the execution of compiled programs from RAM. The design of this machine is, interesting but the keyboard on it is pretty unfortunate. It works well but the keys are crowded and the keytops are small rectangles arranged in straight columns. The key legends are printed on the top of the machine around the keys instead of on the keytops and are pretty busy, it is not a nice keyboard to type on.
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RE: What is the best BASIC Pocket Computer - Paul Berger (Canada) - 05-07-2014 02:44 AM



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