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2016-03-29

My BBC Master 128 projects part 02

So, recently I bought a vintage BBC Master series microcomputer and set myself the task of turning it into a productivity machine.

My first app - Listy - is a note-taking and reminders app.  Although there are a few bugs that I still need to iron out, this app is almost complete.  Listy lets me add tagged notes with reminder dates.

All in glorious teletext graphics.


Most of the functions are accessible through one of the special symbols on the computer keyboard. Operating System commands are also accepted.  Oh, and yes, I am aware that the date is incorrectly set in the CMOS.

Here is an example of a note "Electricity" which will remind me to check my meters on the current due date.  I only wish that the CMOS calendar was not set incorrectly.

My latest project is a command line calculator.

It allows me to enter a mathematical expression and evaluate it.

Here we see the value 47 in the accumulator.  The previous expression resulted in an error.

The app will allow me to store values in up to 26 variables (a through z), which will be stored on disk for next time the program runs along with the value in the accumulator.

Variables can, of course, be used in the expressions.

It would be possible to set variables equal to expressions, such as y = f(x) so that y would change as x changes, however I have not implemented this in the first iteration in order to avoid dastardly circular references from melting my 'beeb'.

Well that's it for now.

I'll be back with more BBC microcomputer adventures soon; hopefully after I've fixed the CMOS date problem.

Still with us? Read about my other adventures with 25-year-old operating systems

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