Turbo Load Toolkit
The TURBO LOAD toolkit is a collection of utility programs used to convert any program to turbo speed. How successful you are depends on how well you know this computer. The toolkit and its programs were written to help beginner hackers.
The basic prerequisite for using this toolkit is a knowledge of BASIC.
The main program in the toolkit is SUPER AUTO LOADERMAKER, a semi-automatic loader-making program. You enter information about the program (address and block length, and the start address). The program processes it and produces four loader variants. In other words, it places the TURBO LOAD routine at four different locations in memory and provides a comment for each, explaining what was changed and whether the program will work with the supplied data. The user then chooses the variant with the most favourable comment and saves the finished loader to tape.
The user can also choose the memory location for the load routine. It is possible to call a subroutine from the loader (for example, to display a compressed SCREEN or an intro), after which the remaining blocks are loaded or the program is started. The loader created is 400 bytes long. After making it, select COPY in LOADERMAKER to copy the program blocks behind the loader. There are a number of COPY programs, including one supplied with programs ordered from the catalogue that have already been adapted to this system. It can convert programs recorded at turbo speed to normal speed and vice versa, without having to dismantle them and write new loaders. In the program, select the speed you are copying from and the speed you are copying to.
Load the entire program into COPY in one go, up to a length of 48,300 bytes, then copy it to tape, with the option of verifying the recording. COPY can change the load routine in the loader to normal or turbo speed.
The BASIC LIST program is used to remove all kinds of protection from BASIC programs. It also prints the true numeric values represented by numbers in the program (sometimes a listing shows one thing, while the actual value is quite different—for example, a program may be started with RANDOMIZE USR 0). There is also a program that allows a BASIC program to be loaded faster with the help of a loader, and so on. The other side of the cassette contains examples ranging from simple to complex, with explanations of how the information needed to create a loader was obtained.
Instructions and an example are provided for every program in the toolkit. There are also plenty of tips and tricks. This toolkit gives you the opportunity to get to know your computer better. While working in this field, the author mastered machine language to a considerable extent; his first steps were based on BASIC fundamentals, the SPECTRUM PRIRUČNIK, and the primitive turbo systems available at the time.
The idea for creating this toolkit came from the desire—and the struggle—to pass on my considerable experience to other young hackers, so they could skip some of the steps, the most frustrating ones, where I had to stumble along and improvise.
The author's fitting motto is:
If you're already a hacker, know this: TURBO LOAD is a true paradise for you.
If you want to become one, TURBO LOAD will help you uncover many secrets.
Prepared by:
Joško Bilić
P.Toljatija 78
71000 Sarajevo
Tel. 071/649-786
Press A to repeat; press B to continue. LOADING ZX REVIJA
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