Books by John McGinnis - Retro Computing & More

Welcome! This site showcases books by John McGinnis covering retro computing systems like the Commodore 64, Commodore 128, VIC-20, and modern topics like MySQL databases. Ideal for beginners and experienced developers alike.

Start Here: The Fundamentals of Commodore 64 Programming

A practical guide for beginners learning C64 BASIC and 6502 Assembly. No prior experience needed—start programming on real or emulated 8-bit hardware right away.

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Beyond the Fundamentals: Practical Assembly Language Programming

Take your skills to the next level by building a real shooter game from scratch using Turbo Macro Pro. This book teaches you through hands-on experience with real-world assembly practices.

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Master the Commodore 128: Graphics, Sound, and More

Explore the advanced capabilities of the Commodore 128. From graphics and sound to disk operations and joystick programming, this book unlocks the potential of BASIC V7 and the VICE emulator.

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Programming the VIC-20: From BASIC to 6502 Assembly

Learn to program the VIC-20 with a beginner-friendly approach that also dives into custom graphics, sound, and even assembly language for advanced users.

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Mastering MySQL: Practical Database Management

A hands-on guide for developers and database administrators to efficiently manage and optimize MySQL databases.

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