Texas Instruments TI-99/4A - Page 180

CARTRIDGE SOFTWARE
Cartridges are the easiest type of software to
use. They can be used by young children, and
they offer convenience and speed of program
loading as primary benefits. For this reason, you
will find that most educational software for the
TI-99/4A comes in cartridges.
Cartridge software often provides detailed color
graphics and fast action (with movements that
are often faster than you will see with cassette
or disk-based software). The reason for the fast
graphics and sound is that cartridge software
uses the computer's native programming lan
guage, known as machine language. Game
programmers use machine language to create
fast-action arcade games. In contrast, many cas
sette and disk programs use Tl BASIC or Tl Logo,
programming languages that are considerably
easier to use, but not as fast in operation.
The primary disadvantage of cartridge software
is the inability of cartridges to store any informa
tion from the computer. A lesser disadvantage is
that, in some cases, cartridge software is slightly
more expensive than comparable software in
cassette form.
179