Getting The Most From Your Lynx, apart from being a shaggy cat story, is not bad. After it starts out rather simply, it gets down to introducing the Basic and gives you a few ideas for programs to write, such as a compound interest evaluation routine.

Following this introductory session, there is a section on how the computer works. This uses those examples that use a light bulb to show how binary works (click on, click off). I suppose that this is the definitive method but it would be nice if somebody could come up with something a little more original. The author then gives you more about Basic - and yet more about Basic. Then comes the pretty bit with the pictures: Graphics and Sound. In the centre of this section are four pages of screen shots. These are very cute, showing the good old Jack of the Union, a bit of Moire fringing, and some pictures that are just downright clever.

Unfortunately, there are no details on how these were produced. There are then a few pages on sound.

After a few comments about add-ons, the author gets back to Basic to cover a few of the more obscure aspects, such as REPEAT UNTIL, procedures and WHILE WEND.

Then, the book gets down to getting the most from the machine, with a few hints and tips about the alternative green, moving the display up and down, and olding accidentally newed programs. An interesting section is that on loading cassette programs. Apparently, Lynx problems ten to be caused by phase inversion, the solution being to reverse the connections of the cassette lead (signal for ground). This is the one thing that I have never tried - but if it works, whoopee.

Finally, there is a brief comment on the larger versions of the machine and what they are capable of, CP/M etc.

Overall, for £5.95, the book does not really provide more than the manual that comes with the machine. It is also rather quiet about getting the most from your system. The Lynx is actually quite a flexible piece of kit with some nice aspects, if only somebody could write something that mentioned these.

Kenn Garroch