BBC micro: Recommended books:
-----------------------------
1. Graphics:
 - 1.1 "Creative graphics", John Cownie
      [ Graphics techniques explained and shown in fantastic example programs ]

 - 1.2 "Advanced graphics with the BBC model B microcomputer"
      [ Excellent book if you want to spend a lot of time with a BBC micro:
        Teletext graphics (incl. line drawing), 3D graphics with hidden
        line/surface removal, some useful diversions as well such as a game
        board for chess and a nice disassembler. ]

2. Advanced programming:
 - 2.1 "The advanced user guide", Bray & Dickens & Holmes { Usually referred to as the 'AUG' }
      [ For serious programming on the BBC micro you need this book! Information
        on how to use interrupts, use system calls etc. Includes a circuit
        diagram for the BBC micro. ]

 - 2.2 "The new advanced user guide", Mark Holmes & Adrian Dickens
      [ This updates some information in the AUG and includes information on
        later Acorn machines. There do not seem to have been any circuit
        diagrams included... ]

 - 2.3 "BBC micro compendium" or "Advanced programming guide to the BBC micro", Jeremy Ruston
      [ The "BBC micro compendium" contains a complete disassembly of Basic 1.
        Acorn stopped further publication and the second book is the same as
        the first minus the disassembly of BASIC. Lots of interesting material
	such as using interlace from another screen giving 512 point vertical
        resolution, and a section on compilers. ]

 - 2.4 "Advanced programming techniques for the BBC micro", Jim McGregor & Alan Watt
      [ One could use another general book instead of this one as most
        information is not BBC micro specific but about programming techniques
        and algorithms ]

 - Perhaps: 2.5 "BBC micro advanced programming", Joe Telford


3. Hardware:
 - 3.1 "A hardware guide to the BBC microcomputer", Wise owl publications
      [ Some simple improvements such as increasing the VREF accuracy for the
        AD converter, plus loads of datasheets on the ICs used in the BBC
        micro. The handy collection of datasheets is the main reason to
        get this book. ]

 More books on interfacing?


4. ROM book(s), { about the Basic, OS, or on how to make one yourself }:
 - 4.1 "The Basic ROM user guide for the BBC microcomputer and Acorn Electron",
      Mark D. Plumbley
      [ Goes through the inner workings of the entire Basic ROM, including some
        pointers on using subroutines like floating point stuff. Example
        programs included are for example for partial renumbering. ]

 - 4.2 "Advanced Basic ROM user guide", Colin Pharo
      [ Lists routines that are particularly useful to call from assembly
        language (as the Basic routines are likely better than one can write
        without a lot of effort), which are the floating point routines (incl.
        ASCII <-> FP conversion) and the random number generator. This is
        handled in more detail than in in other books but overal very little
        information is presented in the book. ]

 - 4.3 "Guide to the BBC ROMs", Don Thomasson
      [ Detailed listing of which sections in the OS ROM do what. Brief listing
        of some stuff in the Basic ROM. ]

 - 4.4 "BBC micro compendium", Jeremy Ruston
      [ An annotated disassembly of the Basic 1 ROM makes up the bulk of this
        book ]

 These books are mostly complementary. (2) is best if you just want to use the
 FP/random routines from Basic but it doesn't have much other information, (1)
 gives the best information on the entire Basic ROM and (3) gives the most
 information on the OS ROM. (4) Also focuses on the FP routines of the Basic
 ROM but has many other interesting topics. If you don't want all these books
 for say space reasons, go for the combination of "BBC micro compendium" and
 "Guide to the BBC ROMs".

 - 4.5 "The BBC micro ROM book - Sideways ROMs and RAMs", Bruce Smith
      [ On sideway ROMs, and how to make ones own sideway ROM (for EPROM or
        sideway RAM). Btw, I cannot recommend Smith's "Advanced sideways RAM
        user guide, for the MASTER and BBC computers" due to the extreme
        ugliness of typesetting. I just couldn't read it without getting
        really annoyed. The '1' in particular is awful... ]


5. Assembly language programming:
I can't give recommendations as I never read any (I just used the advanced user
guide and an article with an assembler program in the micro user (dec. 1983
issue) to get me going in 6502 assembly, in january 1984).


6. Game programming techniques:
 - 6.1 "Creative assembler: How to write arcade games"
      [ This book combines an introduction to assembly programming with some
        techniques used in game programming. Much more information on game
        programming/techniques should have been included. As it is, the book
        has not really enough on assembly for beginners, and not enough of
        interest in game design or assembly techniques for advanced
        programmers. Still, the book is nice to have and is very nicely
        produced with lots of colour. ]

 ? "How to write adventure games"
 ? "Creating adventure programs on the BBC micro"
 ? "Adventure games for the BBC micro"


7. Listings:
 These books are almost always rubbish. Two exceptions are
 - 7.1 Toolbox (BBC soft), book + tape package
    [ The programs are ok, but mostly the type presented in the computer mags
      so if you have a large collection of Micro user, Acorn user, A&B
      computing you won't need it. ]

 - 7.2 Toolbox 2 (BBC soft), tape separately available
    [ More advanced than Toolbox 2, an excellent collection of programs. ]


8. Disk systems:
 - 8.1 "The advanced disk user guide for the BBC microcomputer", Colin Pharo