Popular Computing Weekly was, as the title suggests, a weekly publication that covered the popular computers at the time in the U.K. where it was published. The October 23-29 issue includes:

Software

• Forecasting – A program for the Amstrad CPC that helps business sales.

• K-Switch – A utility for the Atari ST that will allow you to load two programs in memory and switch between them.

Hardware

• Sega Master System – The Sega Master System as just becoming available in the U.K. This article covers the system and the initial games to be available. While consoles would play a role i the downfall of 8-bit computers, the NES had a bigger impact than the Master System.

Games

• Adventure Corner – A look at some of the fanzines available for adventure gamers.

• Adventure Helpline – Readers ask for help on Zork 1 (Commodore Plus/4), Spiderman (Commodore 16), House of Doom (Spectrum), Finders Keepers (MSX), Macbeth (Commodore 64), Hampstead (BBC B), Shadow of the Unknown (Spectrum), Seabase Delta (Spectrum), See-Kaa of Assiah (Spectrum), The Pawn (Atari ST), and Zhul (Sinclair QL).

• Arcade Action – Tips for Knight Type (Commodore 64), Light Force (Spectrum), and more. Plus a list of the top 20 games with Paperboy coming in at the top.

• Reviews – Reviews of The Great Escape (Spectrum), Galvan (Amstrad CPC, Spectrum), Twice Shy (Spectrum), Dragon’s Lair (Spectrum), Rogue (Atari ST), and Camelot Warriors (Amstrad CPC).

Programming

• BBC – A type-in program that creates screens similar to games like Jet Pac and Atac-Atac.

• Atari ST – A machine language program for the Atari ST that will count the words in a document.

• Spectrum – A type-in utility that can be used to slow the execution of games or other programs.

• Amstrad CPC – Part two of a type-in program to help you predict racehorse winners.

• Commodore 64 – Part two of a type-in program that provides various disk utilities.

• Bytes and Pieces – Short type-in programs to use italics on the Spectrum, dump hi-res screens on the Oric 1/Atmos, access shadow RAM on the Atari 130XE

• Peek and Poke – Questions answered from readers about word processing software for the PCW8256, Commodore 64 power supply issues, using an Amstrad monitor with a Commodore 64, Dragon 32 video connections, and more.

Regulars

• News Desk – Game consoles challenge 8-bit computer sales; Amstrad PC reliability issues, new computer from Saga, new Memotech Business 2 computer, person jailed for exporting computer equipment to the Soviet Union, Cobol for the PC from Micro Focus, and more.

• Letters – Letters from readers about making full use of the Spectrum 128, the Einstein 256, power supply options for the Amstrad, screen dumps from Koala Painter, the MTX 512, and more.

• Soundcheck – A look at music software for the beginner, intermediate, and expert musician.

• Communications – A look at the Musictel network of BBSes.

• New Releases – A brief look at new releases for the Amstrad CPC, Amstrad PCW, Atari, Atari ST, BBC/Electron, Commodore 64, Sinclair QL, and Spectrum.

• Ziggurat – Pondering where all the women users are…

…and more!