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  • Compute! (September 1987)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Compute! was one of the most popular multi-format computer magazines of the 1980s. In 1987 it was covering the Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, PC, Amiga, and maybe others. The September 1987 issue includes:

    Features

    • Computers in the Classroom: Ten Years and Counting – A look back at the history of computers in the classroom and what lies ahead.
    • Computer Learning Month: An Enthusiastic Start – October 1987 was to be the first computer learnig month featuring a wide variety of contests, meetings, and other events across the country highlighting computers in education.
    • Monte Carlo – A type-in solitaire card game in BASIC for the Commodore 64, IBM PC, Apple II, Amiga, Atari ST, and Atari 8-bit computers.
    • I Didn’t Know You Could Do That with a Computer! – A look at what computers can do and the software available to do it that goes beyond typical wordprocessing and spreadsheet tasks. Software is mentioned here for genealogy, career management, designing houses, gaming, health and fitness, and more.

    Reviews

    • ProWrite for the Amiga – A word processing application with graphics capabilities.
    • Tornado Notes – A memory resident note taking program for the IBM PC.
    • Warship – A naval combat strategy game from SSI for the Commodore 64, Apple II, and Atari 8-bit.
    • PHM Pegasus – A game in which you command a NATO hydrofoil for the Apple II and Commodore 64.
    • Create a Calendar – A calendar creation program from Epyx for the Commodore 64, Apple II, and IBM PC.

    Columns and Departments

    • The Editor’s Notes – Results of a recent survey indicate that the most popular programming languages among programmers are BASIC, Fortran, C, and Pascal.
    • Readers’ Feedback – Letters from readers about text color on the PC, printing with a serial printer using SpeedScript on the Commodore 64, creating an adventure game on the Atari 800XL, programming reference books for the Atari ST, and more.
    • The Beginner’s Page: Interactive Programming – Creating programs in BASIC that rely on user input.
    • The World Inside the Computer: Music, Video, and FOR-NEXT Loops – A look at the classroom of the future.
    • Microscope: The Micros Market Gets Serious – The disappearing distinction betweeh “home computers” and “business computers”.
    • Telecomputing Today: Just When You Though It Was Safe – The FCC adds surcharges for phone line computer use, Worldport display prototype of 2400bps pocket sized modem, Tymnet increases prices, and more.
    • Computers and Society: The Classroom Computer – A Tool For Teachers – Computers as a tool for teachers.
    • INSIGHT: Atari – Machine Langauge Graphics – A tutorial for creating graphics using machine language on Atari 8-bit machines.
    • ST Outlook: One Last Bug – A look at one of the worst BASIC bugs of all time.
    • IBM Personal Computing: Create a Blues Symphony – A look at The Music Feature, a high quality music synthesizer on a full-lenth expansion card for the IBM PC XT, AT, and PS/2 Model 30.
    • AmigaView: The Great Amiga Reboot – Commodore releases the new and lower cost Amiga 500.

    The Journal

    • Smart Alec – A machine language program for the Commodore 64 that simulates human thinking.
    • QuickChange: Easy Color Setting for the IBM PC/jr – A program for the PC and PCjr that allows you to easily customize border, background, and forground colors.
    • Atari BASIC Search and Destroy – A type-in program for the Atari 8-bit that will allow you to search a BASIC program for any string of characters.
    • Audio Recorder for Apple II – A type-in program for the Apple II that will allow you to add digitally recorded sound and music to your own programs.
    • Amiga SuperMenus – A type-in program that enhances Amiga BASIC’s MENU command.
    • Atari XL/XE Hidden RAM – A way to access the 8K of RAM under BASIC ROMs on Atari XL and XE computers.
    • Amiga and 64 Ramdisk Files – Examples for creating RAMdisks on the Amiga and the Commodore 64 with 1764 RAM expansion module.
    • Applesoft Line Lister – A short type-in utility that simplifies BASIC program listings on the Apple II.
    • 64+ – A type-in utility for the Commodore 64 that adds new commands that make editing and programming easier.

    …and more!


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  • Compute!’s Gazette (April 1988)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Compute!’s Gazette was a spin-off of Compute! and, along with RUN, was one of the most popular Commodore 64/128 magazines in the U.S. The April 1988 issue includes:

    Features

    • Report from the 1988 Winter Consumer Electronics Show – While game consoles were making a huge comeback, there was still plenty of new games for the Commodore 64 from companies like Activision, Epyx, Mindscape, Accolade, Broderbund, Cinemaware, Data East and others. Some games on display included Star Rank Boxing II, The Train, Power At Sea, Card Sharks, Rampage, Arcade Construction Kit, The Three Stooges, Rocket Ranger, The President Is Missing, NAVCOM 6: The Gulf Defense, Ikari Warriors, Victory Road, Speed Buggy, Karnov, The Hunt For Red October, Red Storm Rising, Spirit of War, Global Commander, Strike Fleet, The Games: Winter Edition, L.A. Crackdown, Sporting News Baseball, Impossible Mission II, 4×4 Offroad Racing, Death Sword, Dive Bomber, Zorkquest, Land of Legends, The Faery Tale Adventure, Fire Power, Sons of Liberty, Panzer Strike, Questron II, and lots more.
    • Close Up: The Commodore 128D – The Commodore 128D replaced the Commodore and included a detachable keyboard, built-in 1571 floppy drive, and increased video RAM.
    • Super CP/M Software for the 128, Part 2: Programmer’s Toolbox – The second and final part of a series providing a round-up of CP/M tools for the Commodore 128, including programming languages.

    Reviews

    • Paperboy and Gauntlet – Both of these arcade conversions were excellent on the Commodore 64.
    • Echelon – Other than than the dumb “LipStik” headset that came with this game that provided the ability to fire your weapon with your voice, this was an excellent space sim/mystery game.
    • Halls of Montezuma – A strategy game featuring historic battles in which the Marines were involved.
    • The Sentry – A unique sci-fi strategy game from Firebird.

    Games

    • 3-D Speedway – A type-in racing game for the Commodore 64.
    • Spy Defense – A type-in action game for the Commodore 64 in which you must rescue spies from aliens.

    Programming

      • BASIC for Beginners: Number Drills – Random numbers and string comparison.
    • Machine Language Programming: File Handling – Includes a sample machine language program for reading and writing files.
    • Power BASIC: Power POKE – A short program that alters the syntax of the POKE command to be more efficient and easier to read.
    • Key Clicker – A type-in program that can add different keyclick sounds to your Commodore 64 or 128.
    • Mirrors – A type-in program that produces a kaleidoscopic display in hi-res mode on the Commodore 64.
    • Speed File for the 64 – A type-in full-featured database program for the Commodore 64.
    • Phantom LIST – A short machine language program that lists BASIC programs from disk to screen without modifying memory.
    • DGraph: Hi-Res Commands for BASIC – A type-in BASIC extension that adds commands for generating graphs.
    • Smart VAL – A short type-in machine language program that extends the VAL command by adding the ability to evaluate complex mathematical expressions.
    • Ramdisk 128 – A type-in program for adding a ramdisk to your Commodore 128.
    • Four for the 64 – Short programs for adding enhanced machine language capabilities to BASIC programs on the C64.

    Departments

    • The Editor’s Notes – Introducing the “Letters to the Editor” column and a GEOS programming contest.
    • Letters to the Editor – Letters from readers about Commodore 128 specific software, structured vs. unstructured programming, VIC-20s for education, and more.
    • Gazette Feedback – Feedback from readers about organizing a users group, baud vs. bps, freezing BASIC programs, and more.
    • The GEOS Column: GeoPublish – A Close Look – A look at geoPublish, a desktop publishing program for GEOS. This column was even created using geoPublish.
    • Horizons: Faster and Faster – Ways to improve the speed of your BASIC programs.
    • Computing for Families: What Type of Person Likes Computers? – A look at the different reasons people like computers.

    …and more!


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