Turbo Pascal Programming Made Simple (Made Simple Computer)

Pascal has become well established as a language for students. It is one of the easiest to learn, lends itself naturally to a structured approach to programming and produces clear and readable code. Though it is little used for the production of commercial software, it provides an excellent base for learning other languages. C and C++, for example, are the languages of choice for applications, operating systems, games and other programs where speed is needed. Both are difficult to learn as a first language, but do not prove half so impenetrable if you have cut your programming teeth on Pascal. Borland's Delphi, which is currently finding favour with developers of databases and other commercial applications, is another language that would be easier to learn if you already have a grasp of Pascal.

This Made Simple book does not attempt to give a complete coverage of the language. The aim is to provide clear and concise explanations - with plenty of simple examples - of the words that create the program structures, and of the key procedures and functions.

For most of the book, the focus is on that central core of Pascal that is common to all versions of the language. The techniques and programs given in the first seven chapters should work on any computer, from PC to multi-user system, that has a Pascal compiler. Chapter 8 gives an introduction to Turbo Pascal, in its Windows version, and Turbo appears again in the summary of the language in Chapter 10.

You can only learn programming by doing it. With this in mind, there are exercises at the end of each of the first seven chapters, with answers in Chapter 9.

Mac's first steps into computing came 19 years ago when he taught himself Basic on a ZX81. He started his first book shortly afterwards, when he realised that (a) programming was fun, and (b) no-one was writing simple books on it. Since then he has programmed in, taught and/or written about 9 varieties of Basic, 3 Pascals, 2 Cs, Assembler, Cobol and Java, 5 spreadsheets, 3 databases, 4 word-processors, and 6 operating systems. He is looking forward to the time when developers stop producing new software and books don't go out of date in a couple of years. Mac can usually be found either in the kitchen or running a taxi service for his family. He lives in Southampton with 4 children, 2 cats and 40 fishes. Web page: homepages.tcp.co.uk/~macbride Mac is the author of the following Made Simple books: The Internet for Windows 95 (Second Edition) The Internet for Windows 3.1 (First Edition) The Internet for Windows 95 (First Edition) The Internet for Windows 98 The Internet (Colour Edition) First Edition the Internet (Colour Edition) Second Edition Office 95 Office 97 Office 2000 Works for Windows 3.1 Works for Windows 95 Windows 3.1 Windows 95 Windows 98 Internet Resources Microsoft Networking Explorer 3.0 Explorer 4.0 Explorer 5.0 Netscape Navigator Searching the Internet Java JavaScript Pascal UNIX Outlook 2000 Sage Accounts HTML 4.0 Mac is also the series advisor/editor.