Step 6. Programming

Lego endorsed several ways to program your model.

The officially sanctioned software choices were 6502 Assembly (Apple, Commodore), BASIC (Apple, BBC, Commodore, IBM), COMAL-80 (Commodore), Lego Lines (Apple, BBC, Commodore, IBM), Logo II (Apple), LogoWriter Robotics (Apple, IBM), and TC Logo (Apple, IBM). I don't know which languages were used with the Philips P2000. It was probably BASIC and Lego Lines.

My preference for any 8-bit computer is BASIC:

• Most 1980s computers come with it already included, so there's a low barrier to entry.
• It's relatively simple to learn, especially for kids who already know Python.
• It's the language with which I am most experienced and comfortable using.
• Click here for instructions on programming Lego robots in BASIC on the Apple II series, BBC Micro, Commodore (PET, VIC-20, 64, 128), or ISA-equipped PC (IBM and clones).

If you don't want to use BASIC:

• 6502 assembly language is the most powerful option. It's also the hardest to learn, and it is difficult to explain to children. I am an absolute beginner at it, so I cannot offer advice on how to use it. Here is Lego's documention on getting started with assembly language.
• COMAL-80 was documented for the Commodore 64. It was invented in Denmark, so it was probably used there and in Germany. Here are the instructions, unfortunately not in English, but you can read the code itself.
• Lego Lines is the Lego company's proprietary application. It is a graphical way to show your model logic. I don't like using it, but many people do. I'll document how to use it one of these days, months, or years! :)
• Logo II is a thorough version of Logo which I don't like using. As with 6502 assembly, Lego themselves provided documention on getting started with Logo II.
• LogoWriter Robotics is a full-featured version of TC Logo combined with standard LogoWriter. It is a unicorn: nobody has documentation for it. In theory, if you combine the readily available TC Logo and standard LogoWriter manuals, then you should have all the data necessary. But first you'd have to find the software: the PC version is online, but the versions for other systems are missing. As explained by M.I.T., “LEGO TC Logo was a version of LCSI's popular LogoWriter with additional primitives added to read from sensors and to control motors and lights. Some LogoWriter features, such as color and multiple shapes for turtles were not included. There were versions for Apple II and MSDOS computers. In 1988 LogoWriter Robotics was released. It included all of the features of LogoWriter and of LEGO TC Logo in one program. People working with both environments no longer had to switch programs.”
• TC Logo is my second-favorite choice. It is a version of LCSI's LogoWriter that the Lego company simplified just for robotics. It is well-documented and fairly easy to use. Here’s an article by the developers.
• In theory, you can use any language that communicates with a parallel port. For example, Von Helmut Albrecht and Herbert Mödl documented using Interface A with C and Pascal. Their book is in German. I hope to have a translation soon. Various hobbyists including Thorsten Benter are working on reverse-engineering software from that book. Thorsten is also working on accessing 9750 through languages such as QuickBASIC. Read this Eurobricks thread for details.

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