Davy Computing's Author program is supplied on 40 track disc and comes with an example program, a function key strip and a manual. The manual includes a step by step sample run through of using Author and this combines with the example supplied on disc to give the user a quick practical demonstration of what this interesting software can do.

The creators have opted for Mode 7 pages and at first glance Author appears to be another Teletext editor but with the advantage of random access filing applied to the storage of the individual pages. This, as we shall see, is not the case. The editing facilities do remind one of other Teletext packages available on cassette with various combinations of SHIFT, CTRL, and the function keys enabling and disabling Mode 7 features such as double height and separated graphics. The usual care has to be taken when designing a page, to account for control characters which lie hidden but affect all that follows on each row of this serial graphics mode.

The aim of the package is to provide a sort of electronic book with pages made available to provide information, instructions. various sorts of questions and so on. In the terms used by the Author program, the idea is to 'BUILD' a 'COURSE'. The basic building blocks available for this course are 'FRAMES', the pages of the book. Each frame is given a name and there are certain special frames which serve specific purpose within the course. The three most used frame types are information. multi-choice and free format answer frames. Each frame is linked with another and the flow of the course controlled by the 'Frame Logic' of the program. As in any other computer program design, it is recommended that a flow chart be drawn to map out any intended course.

At the start of any run through, selections have to be made about what individual frames are to do and in which order they are accessed. it is also necessary to specify the special category frames. The 'control' frame can be returned to at any time during the running of a course by hitting function key 3. This is nominated at the beginning of building a course and you can therefore see the necessity for some form of forward planning.

From this point on it is a question of designing Individual frames to suit the content, using the very comprehensive editing facilities which make colour and teletext graphics fairly easy to implement. To test out the flow of the course you have created. there is a Frame Management facility which allows the originator to check up on the frames and their associated logic.

Further important features include a Test Mode which can be turned on and off by the parent or teacher and which gives a score (allocated by the creator) to pupil's questions and gives a total at the end of a session.

There is also a 'logging' facility which allows a teacher to retrieve the actual answers given in response to questions on the course. The logging Is turned on at the start of a session and a separate disc is required.

A typical run through starts with the logging of your name, entering the Start frame (if you don't know the name RETURN lists all frames) and away you go. The function keys are utilised once again (they are used for editing purposes) to provide fast access to the start and finish of the course and adjacent frames.

Author is an exciting piece of software. It is very simple to use at the basic level and anyone can soon learn to use the graphics and text facilities of Mode 7 to make the courses more attractive from a display point of view. There is no reason why the program should not be used for display only using information pages. The program unfortunately requires the availability of at least one disc drive but this hardware is now becoming widespread. Author consequently offers a fantastic opportunity to parents and especially teachers to use the computer as a resource in their particular field. The documentation is excellent and within a few minutes of loading the disc the Ideas will begin to flow.

Dave Reeder