Books of programs usually aim to either provide entertaining programs at far less cost than cassette- or disk-based software or to teach programming. The really good volumes achieve both.

The 'fun' sort often survive as listings alone, and, where necessary with instructions on how to use them. The other books need explanations and ideas about the development of the programs listed.

This book fails on the first count, because although 50 programs are provided, most are not stimulating enough to justify the effort of typing them in. The games are playable and the utilities are usable, but there's little exceptional. As the author points out, "this book is not intended to be the last word in TI basic programs".

It nearly succeeds on the second count. It's possible to improve your knowledge of TI Basic by seeing how the programs were written for it. But to do well on this score it would have helped to include program explanations - there are few enough REM statements as it is, since the author didn't want too much redundant material. Understandable, but not an excuse for omitting to explain how the programs were written.

Good value for 50 programs of any kind, but like so many books it would have been better with more forethought and effort.

Piers Letcher