(C) Kilat Amor. One day in the life of a programmer. The sun was shining brightly. The birds were chirping cheerfully, rejoicing in the fresh day, the trees rustled noisily with their leaves, and each leaf nodded in time with its neighbors. A light breeze stirred the dust along the street and burst into every open window with a fresh breath. Programmer Vasechkin, grimacing from the bright sunbeam that shamelessly sprawled across his twisted face, opened his left eye. The left hemisphere of his slightly jammed brain was slowly starting to function. Some images began to surface, and the awakened Horde of Smart Thoughts began to stir, forming a peculiar anthill in Vasechkin's gray matter. Without raising his head, Vasechkin focused his open eye on the clock's dial and, surpassing himself, managed to clear his foggy gaze. Struggling to analyze the information just received, he was able to assess the situation: the clock showed 14:15. Vasechkin had never trusted clocks, especially his own, and therefore, not succumbing to provocation, he rolled his eyes and fell back into his wonderful dream, filled with visions so pleasant to him...
...A terrifying rampaging computer - a monster, maliciously aiming its limbs at Vasechkin and wrapping his legs in colorful wires, mockingly winked with its single eye from the monitor and cackled wickedly. Vasechkin tried in vain to break free but was further ensnared by the flexible tentacles. Trying to break the shackles, he let out a wild scream, then another, inhaled and screamed again, inhaled again, screamed again... Finally realizing that it was just a stupid nightmare, Vasechkin opened his eyes and was surprised to find a joystick in his hands, which he had been unsuccessfully trying to tear apart just a moment ago. Tossing it aside, Vasechkin stretched and, finally getting his body out of a question mark position with elements of the lotus pose from Indian yoga, sat up. The phone rang loudly. Yawning heartily, Vasechkin reluctantly picked up the receiver and mumbled with a slurred tongue, "A-A--ALLO-O-O-OU."
- Hi, Vasechkin. - called his friend Petrov.
- Hey-oo-oo... - Vasechkin yawned again. - Why are you calling?
- Just because. What are you up to?
- Well... I'm going to finish writing a procedure in assembler...
Vasechkin had indeed planned to sit down to assembler in the morning, and to confirm his intentions, he pressed the phone receiver to his ear and turned on the computer.
- I see. By the way, I came up with another little gadget for your program. Want to hear about it?
- Go ahead...
The usual everyday conversation between two friends began. Petrov, with unrestrained enthusiasm, was pushing crazy ideas specifically for the recently conceived Vasechkin program. Vasechkin happily agreed with each and was ready to implement all of them, and there were, by the way, a great many ideas. All of them, gathered together, formed a kind of warehouse of Particularly Smart Thoughts (PST), which had been gathering dust on the warehouse shelves for Quite a Long Time (QLT). All PSTs combined with QLT constituted the Mighty Potential of Vasechkin as a programmer, and upon closer inspection, it was evident that they had great historical value for future generations...
But soon the Smart Thoughts of both friends ran out, and the topic of today's phone conversation turned to discussing a new game, which Vasechkin had gotten for free from a distributor acquaintance.
It probably isn’t worth recounting the further conversation between the two friends here, as it mainly consisted of drooling and enthusiastic praises about the game, containing no useful information. And so, after half an hour of admiration, Vasechkin's hands involuntarily reached for the disk drive, the disk with that very game was placed in the drive, which loudly growled, having received an object of torment for its electronic belly.
- What, loading assembler? - asked Petrov, catching the familiar sounds on the line.
- Yep. - Vasechkin replied without blinking and glanced at the clock. Receiving another portion of information about the state of temporal matter, Vasechkin pondered. All his brain cells were tense, and his thoughts were directed far away. He thought about the heavy plight of a simple programmer from the perspective of world humanism, who was so unjustly burdened with the practically impossible task of contributing the main volume of information to the overall intellectual potential of our planet... Realizing that he was something other than a vital element of the world community, the loss of which could threaten the existence of all humanity, or at least its better part, Vasechkin, proudly and solemnly sniffing, thought: "Work is work, but even the best minds of civilization spent a considerable amount of time on quiet, peaceful, useful, and healthy rest and pleasant entertainment. So now I just need to relax and rest."
An unpleasant question arose on its own: "What to rest from if you woke up only an hour ago, and during that hour you did nothing?" But the cunning mind still present in Vasechkin's brain found an answer to this treacherous question: "It was necessary to rest... (what do you think?)... from the upcoming work." And the best rest for a computer owner is, of course, the time spent with a joystick in hand, drooling in his mouth and later under his armpits. So Vasechkin, with a calm soul and heart, said goodbye to his friend (who was sure that Vasechkin would soon reach new heights in programming, for which he was immensely proud, although he felt a slight twinge of envy) and grabbed the joystick, the cord of which he had recently tried to tear apart.
"Well... Now I'll play a little, for ten minutes, fifteen at most, and then...", - thought Vasechkin, pressing "START."
Outside, the sun was shining, a dog was barking cheerfully, openly scolding someone in its canine language. Pigeons were cooing chaotically, trying to dig up something tasty near the local dump. Sparrows were jumping nearby, chirping loudly, stealing tasty morsels from the pigeons.
Vasechkin WAS PLAYING! The adrenaline concentration in his blood was about to reach a critical level. A mad spark of passion shone in his eyes. The poor joystick creaked, but still held back Vasechkin's attempts to twist the stick from its base. For three hours, he had been unsuccessfully trying to pass the third level of the game, but no matter what - nothing worked. Deciding to take a little break (his index finger was already numb and couldn't press "FIRE"), Vasechkin looked at the clock again. He was quite surprised when he saw 19:25 on the dial. Confirming the time by phone, and being sure that during the game on the computer he had been subjected to an alien experiment on time folding, Vasechkin found the courage, gritting his teeth and rattling his bones, to press "RESET." He didn't want to do anything on the computer; a certain everyday state of apathy was coming over him, he wanted to sleep, and therefore Vasechkin, having previously thrown a couple of stale sandwiches down his throat and washed them down with cold tea the color of urine, collapsed onto the couch. Planning to lie down and think about the upcoming work, he got comfortable and began to sort his Smart Thoughts in his head using the bubble sort method. Obviously, Vasechkin used the wrong sorting algorithm because after just two minutes, his thoughts began to tangle and mix. Deciding that torturing his brain was a nonsensical activity, Vasechkin allowed his thoughts to feel like racehorses. This decision pleased Vasechkin. He vividly imagined how his ALREADY COMPLETED PROGRAM was taking top spots on the best hits lists, how his phone was ringing off the hook with calls from grateful fans, how Vasechkin himself was in the spotlight among the best programmers...
Pleasant thoughts enveloped Vasechkin's hazy consciousness, and under their impression, his mouth stretched into a blissful smile. Remaining in this state for several more minutes, Vasechkin suddenly realized that his favorite TV series was about to start its 192846th episode. Jumping off the couch, he turned on the television.
Several hours passed. As luck would have it, the TV program was filled with interesting shows, and Vasechkin forced himself to tear his gaze away from the blue screen only after the program "Rural Hour for Tundra Residents" (which talked about a new variety of dwarf pumpkin adapted for growth in the polar circle)... Vasechkin finally sat down at the computer and even loaded the assembler, but after the lines 10 ORG 50000 20 ENT $ his brain froze. For some time Vasechkin stared blankly at the monitor and nervously cracked his fingers. Then he tried to start something, but after a couple of lines, he hesitated again. A cunning plan brewed in his head, justifying yet another procrastination from programming. This time the arguments were rather flimsy, but Vasechkin's inner voice kept insisting that a person should follow his feelings and inspiration, and a programmer, as a creative person, should only work during those bright moments when inspiration visits him. After philosophically pondering for a while, Vasechkin dug out among a pile of disks his favorite music mega-demo and blissfully got lost in it...
The phone rang. Vasechkin only emerged from his crazy fan persona after the fifth ring and picked up the receiver. It was Petrov again.
- Hi, Vasechkin. Are you enjoying the demo? - asked Petrov, hearing music on the other end of the line.
- Yep. Relaxing.
- I see. And how's your program? Written a lot?
At such a question, Vasechkin felt a bit uneasy...
- Well... We're writing a little bit here... - he replied vaguely.
- That's good. Keep writing, keep writing, and I've come up with something else...
And again, the conversation started on the topic of "Oh, how great that would be...", which this time lasted about an hour. Then it turned into yet another critique of some games, systems, music, graphics, demos, and after a while, discussions began about various hackers, programmers, musicians, and all sorts of other computer folk. Another hour and a half later, Vasechkin's ear began to itch from the constantly pressed phone receiver, and he said goodbye to his annoying friend. Deciding to write at least something today, even a simple procedure, Vasechkin sat down at the computer...
The clock chimed three times, informing all who could hear them that it was exactly THREE o'clock in the morning. Outside, there was silence, and only occasionally a soft howl of a dog could be heard, whining at the bright Moon. People were peacefully sleeping in their apartments, and only in one of them, the light was still on...
"Why the hell isn't it working?! Damn it!!! Everything seems to be right...", - Vasechkin once again ran the freshly written procedure and once more received an undocumented effect - not at all what he expected. His nerves were on edge. His eyelids felt heavy with lead, and his eyes spontaneously closed from time to time. Yet Vasechkin heroically strained, fighting off sleep and wishing to finally finish the wretched procedure. He made a few more attempts, but with each time, he looked at the monitor with an increasingly hazy gaze in anticipation of the next freeze. And then, during another attempt, Vasechkin's eyes closed, his head gently dropped onto the keyboard, and a loud, even snore echoed throughout the room. Vasechkin fell into a restless sleep, so necessary for him now. And this was the dream of a true programmer - even in sleep, Vasechkin continued to work on his brilliant project, overcoming all the difficulties that stood in his way...
The sun was already shining brightly, delighting all the living creatures around. A breeze flitted through the nooks and crannies, stirring the green leaves. A new day was beginning.
Contents of the publication: ZX Format #01
- IS-DOS
IskraSoft introduces IS-DOS Classic 4.0 with advanced text editing features, a disk utility, a hard drive controller for ZX Spectrum, and a program debugger.
- IS-DOS - Владимир Елисеев
Overview of IS-DOS for ZX Spectrum, highlighting its advantages over TR-DOS. Discussion on installation, usage, and file management features of IS-DOS. Introduction to system utilities and interface similar to Norton Commander.
- IS-DOS - Владимир Елисеев
The article provides a concise guide to the IS-DOS system disk, listing all essential files with explanations. Files are sorted alphabetically and grouped by directories for easy navigation. The guide focuses on a basic overview of files and commands without extensive descriptions.
- IS-DOS - Владимир Елисеев
Discussion on the UniColor standard for color settings in IS-DOS programs, its implementation, and advantages for user customization.
- IS-DOS - Владимир Елисеев
Discussion of IS-DOS window interface features. Implementation of window system in IS-DOS and its advantages. Example programs for creating windows and frames.
- IS-DOS - Владимир Елисеев
Description of the internal workings of the gmen.com program for IS-DOS, focusing on device management and menu handling with detailed source code and comments.
- Hardware - Vladimir Larkov
Discussion on modifying Scorpion ZS-256 hardware for compatibility with specific software. Describes blocking port #1FFD to run incompatible programs. Provides technical details for implementation.
- Железо - Nemo
Discussing hardware braking devices for ZX Spectrum. Focus on creation and impact of brakes on overclocked processors. Warning about potential side effects.
- Железо
Discussion of the impracticality of repairing old computers and the economic sense in replacing them with modern hardware. The article highlights challenges in DIY repairs and suggests alternative solutions. Emphasizes the benefits of upgrading to newer, more reliable components.
- Железо
Discussion of new peripheral developments for Scorpion ZS 256, including an innovative universal controller and MIDI interface. Highlights enhancements in keyboard and mouse controllers and expansion of built-in software capabilities. Offers details on professional ROM extension and turbo mode for improved performance.
- Игрушки - Ruster
A detailed walkthrough of the game Crystal Kingdom Dizzy, including solutions to puzzles and tips for progressing through the story.
- Игрушки - Павел Рындин
Description of the logic game 'Bulls and Cows', its mechanics and gameplay. Explains levels of difficulty and the goal to guess a number with minimal attempts.
- Игрушки - Вячеслав Медноногов
Discussion on the nuances of 'UFO: Enemy Unknown' game, focusing on alien species, their tactics, and gameplay strategies. Details on game mechanics and future sequel 'UFO-2: Devils of the Abyss'. Includes programming insights and development history.
- Игрушки - SParker
Overview of games and software on the Saint Petersburg market in 1995.
- Интервью
Vyacheslav Mednonogov shares his journey as a programmer, from assembling his first Spectrum-48 to developing notable games like 'UFO. Enemy Unknown'. He describes challenges and insights in game development and the rise of Russian game localization. His experiences highlight the evolution of programming and software distribution in the 1990s.
- Информация
Introduction to ZX-Format, a new electronic magazine for ZX Spectrum enthusiasts, focusing on games, programming, hardware, and community interaction.
- Конкурс
Discussion on organizing a new competition for the magazine. Readers are invited to submit their theme ideas. Selected themes will be featured in future issues.
- Конкурс
ZX Format announces a competition for the best mission created using the mission editor for the game Laser Squad. Submissions are accepted by mail or in person. Winner receives a box of 3M disks and the next issue for free.
- Отдохнём - Килат Амор
A programmer's day filled with dreams, gaming, and casual conversations. Vasetchkin balances ambition with relaxation, embodying the programmer's spirit. Reflects on the demands and enjoyment of a programmer's life.
- Mailbox - Максим Романов
Discussion on hardware and software offers in St. Petersburg by LOGROS and Create Soft, including detailed insights on Kempston Mouse interface.
- Mailbox - SParker
Compilation of cheat codes for ZX Spectrum games by Sergey Pavlov. Techniques for extra lives and immortality. Not recommended for fans of fair play.
- Mailbox
Description of submission guidelines for letters and articles to the magazine, including formatting and submission preferences.
- Премьера - Алексей Щекин
Gameplay of Lines game on ZX Spectrum, similar to Color Lines. Move balls to form lines of the same color. Scoring and controls are described.
- Программистам - Дмитрий Рудовский
Introduction to advanced BASIC programming techniques for ZX Spectrum 48, highlighting its advantages over 128 BASIC. Plans for future articles include service programs and language extensions. The article serves as a guide for experienced programmers.
- Программистам - Михаил Спицын
Introduction to assembly language on ZX Spectrum. Explanation of Z80 processor structure, registers, and basic commands. Includes example programs for learning.
- Программистам - Андрей Седов
Mission editor for Laser Squad by Andrey Sedov allows fans to create new missions. Includes user-friendly interface with minimal controls. Offers features like object editing, price adjustments, and sprite assignment.
- Various
History of Amiga computer development, its creators, and key features. Evolution from arcade games to a leading home computer. Amiga's market success and technological advancements.
- Разное
Review of upcoming ZX Spectrum software products with demos. Highlights include adventure games, RPG trials, and strategic tactics. Several well-known developers contribute to these releases.
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