Did anyone hear about this book?

Paragon (1570)

04-12-2008, 03:53

Someone sells on eBay The MSX Standard by Robert Chapma. It's a bit pricey for an impulse buy, so I'm curious if it's any good.

P.S.: This is apparently author's resume from 2005.

P.P.S.: Apparently there is some young guy, called Nerlaska, who owns this book.

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

04-12-2008, 12:16

Nerlaska is the "young guy" who won the MSX Dev'06 with Monster Hunter. Try contacting him, he sometimes writes in Karoshi forums.

By nerlaska

Master (166)

02-01-2009, 10:19

CONTENTS
1.- A keyboard that can do anything - On a budget
2.- The MSX Story
3.- Buying a MSX Computer
4.- Building a System
5.- Setting up and playing games
6.- How MSX Machines Work
7.- Commanding your computer in BASIC
8.- An introduction to MSX Graphics
9.- Learning to love a Disk Drive
10.- Music on the MSX
11.- MSX And your education - Whatever your age
12.- Running your life
13.- Expert systems: The Next application?
14.- Connecting with Tomorrow's world
15.- How will MSX revolutionize Home Entertainment?
16.- Computer and Communiations for the modern family
Appendix: Regional distribution points for CP/M software

By dhau

Paragon (1570)

03-01-2009, 03:59

Not worth 35US$ for sure I got Red Book for 10 euro (~15US$?).

If you feel generous, please scan it when you have some time.

By Puffer_Ape

Resident (49)

06-01-2009, 04:52

Hey, thanks for mentioning this. I'm a strange case, I'm brand new to MSX. Sadly neither of the machines I have on the way come with manuals, and this looks like just the thing! Amazon had a couple of copies, I snagged the cheapest one, but if anyone else is interested, they're still out there.

By Puffer_Ape

Resident (49)

21-01-2009, 21:38

I got my copy, and I gotta say it's a pretty strange book. It's mostly MSX evangelism, but it also contains the sort of information that is crucial to someone who is just getting started. The sort of stuff that doesn't end up on the internet, because everyone who is into MSX already knows it. Like, how do you list the files on a disk from basic, or play notes or draw basic graphics. Interestingly enough, although many of the authors predictions miss the mark. (the MSX wasn't a huge success in US...) Some are strangely right on the money, like "telephones may contain powerful computers" and "by the mid 90's a global information network will change our lives in ways we can't imagine".

Anyway, this book isn't for most of the people here, I can only image that it would be of interest to collectors, and people who are just getting started with MSX.

By dhau

Paragon (1570)

22-01-2009, 07:28

If you ever feel very generous, please scan it and share with unwashed masses

By tfh

Prophet (3426)

22-01-2009, 08:54

Hmmm... Scanning and putting a book online is just as illegal as putting copyrighted MSX software online. Even though the book is old and unavailable, it this is copyrighted...

By pepax

Rookie (30)

22-01-2009, 09:25

Hmmm... Scanning and putting a book online is just as illegal as putting copyrighted MSX software online. Even though the book is old and unavailable, it this is copyrighted...
Oh yes.
Will you (tfh) be so kind to ask the author for permission? We'll thank you so much if you manage to get in touch with him and obtain it.

By pepax

Rookie (30)

22-01-2009, 09:37

Have you guys ever heard of these ones?
Loose Czech translation of The MSX Red Book with changes related to the MSX emulator for Sord M5 k5.web.klfree.net/images/stories/sord/msx_red_book_cz.txt
The same, but this time it's the MSX Basic k5.web.klfree.net/images/stories/sord/msx_basic.txt.
You can try Google Translate on them and see if it makes any sense. :P

By dhau

Paragon (1570)

22-01-2009, 15:42

tfh, I hope as hell you don't use any MSX emulators with any bios other then C-BIOS, because original bios is COPYRIGHTED! The owners will come and get YOU! Pray for salvation.

Seriously, it's a nice forum, but Dutch folks seem much more preoccupied with some mythical rights to some forsaken abandoned products, when the rest of the world, including authors, moved into 21 century.

I can go to HansO web site, and get hundreds of books and manuals, including the essentials like MSX2 Tech book and MSX Red Book. It's there for a decade. No one ever complained.

In normal world people don't care about stuff they can't make any profit from, mkay? Basically pirating Windows XP is bad, pirating MSX-DOS is ok. mkay?

Don't cry now, I know it's disappointing for you, but sooner or later you'd find out.