• Category Archives Atari 8-bit
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  • Atari Connection (Spring 1981)

    Source: Atari Connection – Spring 1981

    The Atari Connection was a magazine/newsletter published by Atari’s computer division covering their home computers. It was published quarterly from 1981 through 1984 so it would have primarily covered the Atari 400, Atari 800 as well as the XL series. The premiere issue from Spring 1981 includes:

    • New Products – Covering new products related to the Atari 400/800. New products covered in this issue include Stock Analysis, a series of three programs for analyzing stocks; Bond Analysis, same thing but only two programs and for Bonds; Stock Charting; Mortgage & Loan Analysis; Atari Mailing List; An Invitation to Programming, the first cassette of a three part series that seems to use a combination of voice and data; Touch Typing, to teach you typing skills; Biorhythm, there were versions of this for every computer; States & Capitals and European Countries & Capitals; Energy Czar, play the role of a U.S. government official managing energy policy; Kingdom, a strategy game in which you run your own Kingdom; Space Invaders; Black Jack; Atari Graph It; Statistics I; Atari Assembler Editor; Atari 822 Thermal Printer; CX70 Light Pen; and the Atari 830 Acoustic Modem (not actually new but there are some new services you can use it with).
    • Personal Use – A look at some of the things you can do with an Atari 830 Acoustic Modem or TeleLink I cartridge and online services such as CompuServe. Plus, a type-in program that asks you some questions and helps you to estimate your electric bill.
    • Entertainment – An overview of Player-Missile graphics…basically Atari’s implementation of Sprites…including some type in program examples.
    • Education – This month’s education column looks at economic simulations (Kingdom and Energy Czar), as well as Video Easel which is patterned after the game “Life” by mathematician John Conway.

    • Kidbits – A look at the personal computer as the next great technological leap forward. Plus, a computer themed crossword puzzle and some simple type-in programs for creating a circle and practicing math.
    • Business/Professional – Using Atari computers to keep track of inventory and performing accounting functions. Plus, a type-in program for computing the effective interest rate in arrears.
    • Questions & Answers – Questions answered about Atari’s built-in attract mode/screens saver, cleaning disk drive heads, using a monitor instead of a TV, obtaining technical documentation for Atari computers and the OS, and more.
    • Computer Talk – All about Atari’s character set and how it works…and avoiding unwanted hearts.
    • Getting Acquainted – More resource for Atari computer users including a list of other magazines, user groups and the Atari Program Exchange.

    …and more!


  • Antic (September 1983)

    Source: Antic – September 1983

    Antic, along with ANALOG, was one of the most popular Atari 8-bit computer magazines, at least in North America. The September 1983 issue includes:

    Features

    • Atari in the Classroom – An article on the Atari software and hardware used in classrooms. While all computer makers tried to get their machines into classrooms, Atari didn’t have all that much success. Commodore had some success, especially in Canada, but it was Apple that always seemed to dominate…at least in the North American market.
    • Video Games Visit Harvard Yard – An article on a conference about video games at Harvard in which experts discussed their effects on adults and children. It turns out the news was mostly good.
    • Computers In Education – The rising mediocrity in the classroom and a discussion about whether or not computers in the classroom would help or hurt.
    • Object Code to String – How to mix assembly code in with your BASIC programs.
    • Pattern Maker – A type-in program that lets you create artwork and then apply various effects to it (mirror, ink blot, etc.)
    • Antic Pix Books – An overview of various Atari related books, including several on programming your Atari computer.

    Departments

    • Inside Atari: Atari Institute – Some news on Atari grants for education.
    • Starting Line: Player/Missile Tutorial – A guide on how to use player/missile graphics on Atari computers. This was Atari’s implementation of sprites.
    • Pilot Your Atari: Atari LOGO Looking Good – An article on Atari’s version of LOGO. This language was used extensively in education…for a relatively short period of time.
    • Dragonsmoke: Fantasy Rolls – A type-in program that generates random names for you to use for your role-playing adventures.
    • In the Public Domain: Hookey! – This type-in game’s “plot” involves a kid playing on a rock pile instead of attending class. However, the game is very Qbert like.
    • Games Department: Artistry in Electronic Gaming – This article describes the success Electronic Arts has had emulating the music industry by marketing the “stars” or creators of the game and emphasizing packaging and artwork.
    • Tape Topics: Card File For Cassettes – A type-in program that gives you a low overhead database that can be used with cassette. No disk required.
    • Forth Factory: Forth Assembler – An assembler written in Forth with an emphasis on graphics capabilities.
    • Assembly Language: Binary Autoload – A type-in program that lets you create a disk menu to autoload your games or other programs.
    • I/O Board – Letters from readers about missing programs, Player/Missile graphics, the Atari 1200XL, the Rana Systems 1000 Disk Drive and more.
    • Help! – Help with type-in programs, questions about the discontinuation of the Atari 400 and Atari 800 and more.
    • MicroScreens – Art done with Atari computers submitted by readers.
    • New Products – New products mentioned this month include The Factory (educational program), Lifespan (game), Fantasy Plaza (home shopping software), The Preschool Library (educational), The Aerobics Joystick (game controller), RamCram Plus 48K (memory expansion for the Atari 400) and more.
    • Product Reviews – Items reviewed include:
      • Micro Mainframe MF-1681 Disk Drive – A double density 5.25″ disk drive for Atari 8-bit computers. A second drive can be added in the same case.
      • Fundamental Word Focus – A set of ten programs related to word analysis skills for 1st through 9th graders.
      • Krell’s College Board – Software designed to prepare you for the College Board Scholastic Aptitude Test.
      • Monkey Math – An educational math program for younger kids.
      • Elementary Biology – An educational program with a target age group of between 9-14.
      • The Bank Street Writer – A very popular word processor for 8-bit computers.
      • Matchboxes – A computerized version of Concentration.
    • GOTO Directory – A list of Atari dealers and authorized service centers.

    …and more!


  • B Key 400 Keyboard (Atari 400)

    Source: Compute! – Issue Number 35 – April 1983



    The Atari 400 and Atari 800 were Atari’s first computers. They were similar in capability to the Commodore 64 which came out a little latar. Ultimately, they were not as popular as the Commodore 64 but that was due more to price than capability. Atari’s 8-bit computers were far more expensive than the Commodore 64. By the time they were able to match prices with Commodore, it was really too late.

    Partly because of their expense, there were initially two models of the Atari 8-bit. The Atari 800 and the Atari 400. They were software compatible with each other but there were some subtle and not so subtle differences between the cheaper 400 and the more expensive 800. Other than price, the main differences were less RAM in the Atari 400 and a membrane keyboard. A membrane keyboard is tolerable if you are just going to play games but if you are going to be doing any substantial typing…programming, word processing, whatever…then it is completely impractical.

    One type of upgrade that was common for a while for the Atari 400 were keyboard upgrades. These replaced the membrane keyboard with something closer to a ‘real’ keyboard that could actually be used for touch typing. These upgrades weren’t cheap for the time but I guess an Atari 400 plus keyboard upgrade was cheaper than an Atari 800 and if you already had a 400 anyway, it was substantially cheaper than buying a whole new computer. Even the much cheaper VIC-20 had a real keyboard but I guess the thing to keep in mind is that the Atari 400 was out several years before the VIC-20 and technology was moving fast and prices were falling faster.

    The ad above is for one of several keyboard upgrades available for the Atari 400. This one is called the “B Key 400” and was produced by Inhome Software. This appears to have been a company based in Canada and the ad also mentions memory upgrades for the Atari 400. The ad itself is from the April 1983 issue of Compute!. Later in 1983 the Atari 800XL (replacement for the Atari 800) and Atari 600XL (replacement for the Atari 400) would be released, both with real keyboards and at lower price points so such upgrades were probably not practical for very long after this.

    I owned both an Atari 800 and Atari 400 briefly in the late 1990s. My Atari 400 just had the original membrane keyboard so I don’t know how good these replacements really were. Like most things, I imagine some were better than others.