On-Line #46 21 июля 1996

Интервью     Люди

Interview - An interview with the Moscow musician and coder - KSA.

                 INTERVIEWS


(C) OLDMAN


   An interview with the famous Moscow
computer musician and coder - KSA SOFTWARE, author MASM,
Sound Tracker Pro, Monster Commander, innumerable
musical compositions, as well as several demonstrations and 
treatments of foreign games. 

                ° ° ° °


   OLDMAN - How do you even turned on the Spectrum? If you can -
detail.


   KSA - It was in Africa ... In 1870, in a distant city
N-skeleton, standing on the bank of Mother Volga born leader of 
the world proletariat, Lenin ...



   OLDMAN - Come on, all the same, the shorter one ...


   KSA - Exactly 109 years since the birth of Lenin to the light
appeared no less famous in the Spectrum community person -
I. ..


   Already in the five years I began to show a craving for 
music, and various Technology. By the time they start school on 
my account, there were two broken tape recorder and a guitar 
razdolbanaya. But while I and could not learn at least 
something to play ... Years passed, and when I went to the 
third grade, I was determined to music school. A year later I 
left her and decided to change their occupation. I sold it and 
bought a piano ... computer! Admittedly this was not the 
Spectrum, and BK-0010-01, but then I was away in delight. 


   On "bekashke" I played a whole year and then finished with 
her like a piano, ie sold and bought a delta-V, a computer that 
is compatible with Spectrum about the same as Microsha with 
Amiga (Ie 75-80%)!



   Drive on the Delta was not, and dolman third tape
in the spring of 1992 I took a Angstrem-48k. That summer, I
translated into Russian and released his first job -
WAR IN MIDDLE EARTH. Despite the fact that I could not then
realize shipping on the disc, and there have been intro in 
BASIC, I keep this version for himself as a museum piece ... 
After three month, I issued a Russified SIM CITY and LEMMINGS 
one disk. They are engaged in proliferation Shisoft, for which 
he is, I grateful. By the way, opinions about these programs, I 
get so then ...



   But back to the question ... So, NOVEMBER 18, 1992 from
CHRISTMAS I HAVE APPEARED 128th Spectrum type GRAND
ROMMAX with keyboard and system body in one bottle! C of those
then I began a career encoder and muzak'erom I was only since 
August 94 th. And so, in brief, was the case ... 


   OLDMAN - So who are you all still consider yourself? 
Professional computer musician or coder? Maybe demomaker'om or 
gamemaker'om, because there is you and such work. 


   KSA - Yeah ... During his life on the Spectrum, I tried 
everything but at this point I consider myself a professional 
computer musician and a good coder system.



   OLDMAN - "System" in the sense that the system produce
program?


   KSA - Yes! I do not think that system programmers use
the same methods of coding ...


   OLDMAN - What are some of his masterpieces.


   KSA - Well this is, first of all, MASM, REAL DEMO, Sound
Tracker Pro, as well as almost all the music that I composed 
myself. 


   OLDMAN - There was trash?


   KSA - Hack ... This is perhaps my first demuhi where I 
dabbled as grafmeykera. 


   OLDMAN - Career encoder dream of many that you would like to 
advise a beginner? 


   KSA - I for two and a half years to invent his bike and 
invented his own learning from their mistakes ... No one I did 
not want to go the same way. 


   OLDMAN - Something kinda shady ... Which Bike??


   KSA - Normal, tricycle. When I started my way, it is not
had the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others, since 
these "other" was quite a bit: RST7 in Kharkov yes ESI in 
Polyandii ... A for those who start now have much experience, 
that no one interferes with use. Only fools (like me) learn 
from their mistakes. Clever learn from the mistakes dugih! 


   OLDMAN - You mean to say that we must learn to encode
hacking and tracing someone else's program?


   KSA - I think that at this time is the most effective
way.


   OLDMAN - Do you think the method is universal?


   KSA - If you're hinting at their studies in higher education,
then I think so - the encoder to be born! In principle, the cat 
can coach you to walk on their hind legs, but she has this 
ability to always remain only at the level of reflex. 


   OLDMAN - You forgot all about one thing: now appeared a sea 
of ​​information for those wishing to learn to program. 
Appeared in recent electronic publications (and old-timers in 
this field) vying publish articles on this topic ... 


   KSA - You yourself read these articles - they were written 
by a novice ... 


   OLDMAN - Well, I think it can be regarded as an "exchange 
experience" ... 


   KSA - if only because ... But in general, as I said, you 
need to learn from others' mistakes, but do not repeat them! Of 
course, information is needed, but the background and true. And 
then you can remember a kind word book Rodionova and Larchenko, 
as well as a three-volume INFORKOMa programming. 


   OLDMAN - So, with the coders understood ... And what do you 
advise become musicians?



   KSA - Do not stop there and only use my Sound Tracker'om 
Pro! For any additional information they may contact me 
personally. 


   OLDMAN - There are rumors that you bought a Pentium-100, and 
was about "molt" with Spektruma. 


   KSA - About Pentium'a - yes, that only I have it not one 
hundredth, a 120th, and about the care of SPECCY ... this is 
nonsense and, although now I do not, I want to take his brand 
new Pentagon-March, 5/128/YAMAHA/5, 25 "/ modem 2400. 


   OLDMAN - That is the rumor that you leave the Spectrum, to 
put it mildly, exaggerated? 


   KSA - As far as I'm concerned - yes.


   OLDMAN - Then why do these crazy spending on PC?


   KSA - As already said above, I consider myself a 
professional computer musicians and music capabilities of 
Spectrum no longer meet my requirements. Although, frankly, in 
the More free time and love to play in something sort of ...



   OLDMAN - Consequently, the PC will soon be music from the 
KSA, which, of course, will only go to him (PC) benefit?



   KSA - Do not come quickly, and has appeared! The truth is 
not KSA, and MADMINDER'a (so I klichat at IBM), at the moment: 
July 22 1996, I already wrote 9 professional tracks total mass 
of more than two megs. 


   OLDMAN - And where does all it can to listen?


   KSA - What do you listen to something right now. In general, 
my work can be found at Cinderella BBS (incidentally, it is the 
former sysop MUSICSOFT, which is now called Slightly Magic), at 
Metall Sound BBS, on Brain Coma BBS, Ice Palace BBS. True, 
FIDO-Shnogh addresses I have not yet, but soon he will be All 
the same, which will be announced later. 


   OLDMAN - And why you bought it PC, and not Amiga, a coolness 
which is now so much conversation? 


   KSA - Because the Amiga is not as popular as IBM, and I
it seems that her popularity will long be at a low level. 
Although I do not presume anything to say - time will tell. 


   OLDMAN - Let's now move smoothly to the Spectrum ... On PC
you use any type of shell heaped WINDOWS?


   KSA - We like going to move on to the Spectrum ...


   OLDMAN - I said "gently"!


   KSA - Well, then I use either Wolkov Commander'om or DOS
Navigator v1.42.


   OLDMAN - Why not WINDOWS'95?


   KSA - Because I want to take over control of the computer, 
not the computer to control me and say which key and when I 
must press. 


   OLDMAN - I asked this question, because now a lot of talk
the need to create a new file wrapper for the Spectrum,
In particular, pull his ears were quite zagnuvshiysya iS-DOS ...
What do you think about this?


   KSA - Well if I do not want it on PC, then on the Spectrum, 
which I so far dearer still, I do not want to order more! Think 
it's just silly. On the Spectrum (with the debility access 
extended memory, and so small its quantity), such a system not 
leave space for the activities of the man himself, will slow 
the stronger WINDOWS at IBM and as iS-DOS, will only hinder the 
work. On the Spectrum all should be so that no one could see 
that it is only 3.5 megahertz. 


   OLDMAN - But those who talk about the need for the OS, and 
involve radical changes of architecture of Spectrum, so that 
nothing slows down and even had a point in the OS itself ... 


   KSA - Spectrum Spectrum shall be! Without lotions and
accelerator!


   OLDMAN - What do you do at this time?


   KSA - I write music on the PC, play in three-dimensional 
games such as DUKE NUKEN 3D and TEKWAR, dreaming about how to 
write them on SPECCY ...



   OLDMAN - And finally, your plans for the future ...


   KSA - I hatched a plan in his head compressor of the new 
generation algorithm, which is maybe even have patented,

future adopt as standard, a well in late summer will welcome 
MASM v3.0 by ME only! 


   OLDMAN - Hope's third MASM'a stop at least for some time 
flow of editorial assembly, which differ from another 
appearance, and control buttons, but equally poor, ultimately, 
the functional capabilities. 


   KSA - It's hard to judge this, not having full information 
about Assembler-competitors, but I guess that MASM will pick up

already very close to truly "ideal" assembler, which was 
written in the pages of the fourth room ZX-FORMAT'a. 


   OLDMAN - Well, let's call it a day? I think readers ON-LINE
do not miss ...


   KSA - I too hope so ...

                        Dmitry (OLDMAN)
                    MDM 496-8508; 12:00 / 21:00
                     E-mail: zxnet@mastak.msk.su
                      ZXNet: 095/100.1