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  • PC Magazine (May 28, 1985)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: PC Magazine – May 28, 1985

    Not only were 1980s issues of PC Magazine quite large (this one is around 375 pages), for a while it was also published every other week. The May 28, 1985 issue includes:

    Cover Stories

    • Plug-ins: The Inside Story – Some of the best add-in devices including hard drives and half-height floppy drives, and backup devices such as tape drives (these weren’t officially supported by IBM until the XT and PCjr came along).
    • Installing Megabytes in Minutes – A comparison of some of the hard drives available for the PC, including the Mountain Computer XT Internal, Micro Design IS 10, Falcon Technology PC Extender, Everex Everdisk, Quadram QuadDisk (12 MB), Sigma Designs HHK-02000, Kamerman Labs Megaflight, Micro Design IS 30, and Quadram QuadDisk (72 MB).
    • Portability Meets Privacy – A comparison of available removeable-cartridge hard disk systems including the Genie XL 10P, Quadram QuadDisk, IDEAssociates IDEAdisk, and Tecmar PC-Mate. These all coast in the neighborhood of $2000 for a storage capacity of 5 to 10MB per cartridge.
    • Double Your Driving Pleasure – A comparison of half-height floppy drives for the PC including the Panasonic JU-455, Control Data 9428, TEAC FD-55B-01-U, and QUME QumeTrak 142.
    • An Up-Front Approach to Backup – A comparison of internal tape drives for the PC including the Everex EXCELL 4500, Micro Design MT 10, Mountain Computer FSI60-AT, Sigma Designs STK-45, and Tecmar QIC-60-AT.
    • New Frontiers for Add-in Technology – A look at some technologies so new that IBM does not officially support them (but that didn’t mean you couldn’t use them…if you had the money). These include quad-density floppy drives such as the Tandon TM64-4, embedded servo drives such as the TeamMate 1103, and CD-ROM technology.

    Features

    • OmniTel’s Encore Performance – A look at the Encore 1200B Hayes compatible internal modem (1200bps for only $449).
    • Get Smart with MaxThink – MaxThink is a “thought processor”, a category of software designed to sort out the pros and cons and other factors for making choices.
    • 2001: Futuristic Accounting? – 2001 from FIS is an accouting package designe for small businesses.
    • Macro Dynamos for the PC – A comparison of two pieces of software for creating macros: ProKey 3.0 and SmartKey 4.1.
    • Fine-Tuning Your Sales Technique – A review of The Sales Manager, software for tracking clients, expenses, commissions, and more.
    • Perfect Components: All in the Family – The Perfect series is an integrated software package with the advantage that you can buy only the components you need.

    Pro Columns

    • Finding Anything Anywhere – A type-in BASIC program for searching text in files on your disk.
    • Keeping the Wolves at Bay – A look at a bankruptcy-reorganization program from Arthur Anderson & Co. called The Reorganization Model.
    • Banking on Your Computer – Online banking has been around longer than you might think. In 1985, you could access your accounts via dial-up to systems such as PRONTO.
    • Restoring Matrix Commands to BASIC – The original Dartmouth BASIC including matrix functionality but this was cut when BASIC was created for PCs. Matrix 100 is a BASIC software package that adds back these BASIC matrix commands.
    • Enter at Your Own Risk – A review of The Computer-Assisted Investment Handbook which includes 50 type-in investment programs.
    • The Organized Writer – ThinkTank is software designed to help in planning the structure of writing projects.

    Departments

    • PC News – IBM enters the “phone-computer” market; IBM cuts prices and releases new XT models; AT&T’s STARLAN; Ericcsson releases 15-pound portable computer for $2995; Kodak makes offer for Verbatim; electronic mail privacy issues; Japan’s new PC JX (sort of a Japanese version of the PCjr), and much more.
    • The Mouse That Roared – Editors at PC Magazine experiment with using a mouse.
    • Letters to PC – Letters from readers about Professional BASIC, user software rights, sending files by modem vs. LAN, BBS lists, and more.
    • Complementary Comments – A look at new printers from IBM (Wheelprinter and Quietwriter Printer), the advantages of using non-IBM hard drives with the IBM AT, and a look at IBM’s new Enhanced Graphics Adapter.
    • User-To-User – Using the IBM’s low resolution graphics mode (160 x 100).
    • New On The Market – A look at new PC related items on the market including the EIT-PS Personal Scanner, Modemphone, new half-height removable cartridge drives, PcOS 100 dot matrix printer, Star Cal II (database of celestial events through 1990), and more.
    • Taming a Wild Language – A review of the book Assembly Language Safari on the IBM PC: First Explorations by John Socha.

    …and more!


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  • PC World (January 1987)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: PC World – January 1987

    If you had a PC (meaning an IBM PC or compatible) or were thinking of getting one in the 1980s or 1990s, then PC World would probably have been a magazine you would have wanted. The January 1987 issue includes:

    Getting Started

    • PC to PC – A guide to using a modem and terminal software to communicate between PCs.

    Community

    • PC Users Unite! – A guide to PC user groups.

    Review

    • Compaq Deskpro 386: Dare to Be Great – At the time, this was probably one of the best computers you could by, though it wasn’t cheap with a starting price of $6499. Compaq was the first major PC maker to use the 386 chip, beating IBM to the punch.
    • Fast-Talking Modems – A look at a couple of modems that use proprietary protocols to achieve speeds of 12000bps. They are very expensive though with a cost of up to $2395 and not compatible with other modems above 9600bps.
    • Mainframe Copycats – A look at five different terminal programs that emulate VT100 on the PC. These include Persoft SmarTerm 240 Version 1.1, KEA Systems Zstempc-VT100 Version 2.6, Polygon poly-COM/240 Version 1.12, Coefficient Systems Vterm III Version 1.4, and General Micro Systems PC4010 Version 2.0. VT100 emulation would become common across all terminal software.
    • PCs Teach the VAX New Tricks – A look at Datability’s Remote Access Vacility which is software that goes beyond basic terminal functions when used to access a VAX system from a PC.
    • A Bold New Fact – A look at the AST TurboLaser printer which has the ability to emulate a variety of other printers.
    • Alpha/three: Simple, Powerful, Compatible – A review of the Alpha/three DBMS which is compatible with and cheaper (if somewhat slower) than dBASE.

    Hands On

    • The Tailored Tabloid – Using Microsoft Access scripting to create personalized newspapers.
    • 1-2-3 Budget Tune-Up – A look at a 1-2-3 based app for incorporating sales and cost figures into your budget forecasts.

    Departments

    • David Bunnell – A look at some of the most influential people in the PC World. Some of the names here include John Sculley, Bill Gates, Gary Kildall, Michael Dell, and Trip Hawkins among others.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about legal attempts to prevent renting software, tape backup systems, offshore support, The Mist (game from Mindscape), PCs in Czechoslovakia, and more.
    • Harry Miler – A look at the evolution of desktop publishing.
    • PC World View – Bill Gross talks about HAL (Human Access Language), a English language front end for 1-2-3; results of a survey of PC users; Ashton-Tate seeks to become world’s leading source of software; and more.
    • Product Outlook – A look at recent and upcoming products including RapidFile, Wang LapTop, Crosstalk Mark 4, HAL, Ontio 259, and more.
    • From the Software Shelf – First impressions of recent software releases including WordPerfect Library, The Norton Commander, Webster’s New World Writer, BitCom, and more.
    • From the Hardware Shelf – First impressions of recent hardware releases including the Multitech Accel 900 286 based computer, the Sharp PC-7000 “portable” computer, the Core XT26 (26 MB hard drive), Orchid TurboEGA video accelerator, and more.
    • Password: Communicate – A guide to choosing the right 9600bps modem for your application; comparing time and cost on various online services with 300bps vs. 1200bps modems; phone companies having issues with automatic redial; and more.
    • The Help Screen – Questions answered about dealing with the lack of an 8-bit communications protocol when sending documents with 8-bit characters, serial port configuration, and recording computer images to a VCR.
    • *.* – A BASIC program for generating banners, quicksort routines, and more.
    • Kevin Strehlo – Addressing concerns about the IBM PC standard fragmenting.

    …and more!


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  • PC Magazine (March 20th, 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: PC Magazine – March 20th, 1984

    PC Magazine was one of the two biggest magazines dedicated to IBM PCs and compatibles from the early 1980s into the 2000s (the other being PC World). The March 20, 1984 issue of PC Magazine includes:

    Cover Stories

    • Getting Your C-Legs – An introduction to programming in C with some simple program examples.
    • The MWC-86 C Compiler – A C compiler for the PC offering enhancements such as new data types, structure passing, nested comments, and longer identifiers.
    • The Whitesmiths C Native Compiler – A professional C compiler with idiosyncracies.
    • New Improved Lattice C – Version 2.0 of this compiler adds more memory, functions to the C library, and faster procedures.
    • C Into The Future – An interview with Tom Plum about the future of the C programming language.

    Features

    • PC Program Editors: The Next Generation – IDE’s weren’t really a thing yet but this article looks at the next genreation of editors including SPF/PC 1.6, micro/SPF 2.0, Professional Editor, and TED 1.2.
    • The Decision Makers – A look at two program, Decision and Decision-Analyst, designed to help make business decisions such as who to hire and what office equipment to buy.
    • PC-Powered Manufacturing – A look at MAX, a PC powered manufacturing system.
    • Packet Switching Puts You In Touch – An overview of packet switching networks and their advantage over other types of networks.
    • PC’s Powerful Cousin: The IBM CS9000 – A computer designed for the laboratory featuring a 68000 processor and an OS called CSOS.
    • When One PC Is Not Enough – A look at PC GT, an expansion card for the PC that turns it into a multi-user system.
    • Assembly Language: The Nature of DOS – An excerpt from “Assembly Language Primer for the IBM PC”.
    • An Illustrated History of The Chip, Part 2 – An excerpt from the book “State of the Art: A Photographic History of the Integrated Circuit”.
    • Office Writing: Word Processing for Business – A look at two word processors for business use, OfficeWriter and Form Writer Version 1.1.
    • A Gallery of Computer Art – A look at the Tech Graphics 2, a $50,000 machine (including various peripherals) for creating computer based art.
    • Taking The PC To The Cleaners – How laundries are making use of personal computers.
    • Checking Inns With The PC – Ramada Inn installs 635 PC’s, each equipped with 128K RAM, monochrome monitor, two 320K drives, printer, and Hayes 1200B modem, along with a centralized mainframe system for reservations.
    • MIT Goes On The 5-Year Plan – MIT is paying millions for PCs to help design bridges.
    • Waking Up To Computer Education – Wake County, North Carolina installs 135 IBM PCs across middle schools to help with computer literacy.
    • Beating The System – A look at an inexpensive kit that allows you to use a single expansion slot for two cards.
    • Exploring A Nonmanual Alternative – A look at IBM’s “Exploring the IBM Personal Computer”, a program designed as an alternative to manuals.

    Pro Columns

    • Getting Organized On Your PC – Using a database along with a word processor to help organize notes for writing.
    • Exploring Electronic Estimating – How PCs are being used to help contractors calculate estimates to outbid their competitors.
    • MUMPS Fever – MUMPS was originally a programming language for medical applications on mainframes. This article looks at some microcomputer version.
    • Two Boards In One – A look at Amdek’s Multiple Interface Adapter, a PC display card.
    • Educating The Individual – How the computers are making instruction more individual.
    • MUMPS: A Cure For Swollen Programs – A new medical oriented programming language, now available for PCs, offers more efficient programming.
    • Going By The Board – The keys to being a good BBS sysop.

    Departments

    • PC News – IBM introduces PC/IX, a UNIX OS for PC; PC Bartendr, a bartending app with 101 alcoholic beverage recipes; Commodore cuts prices; Atari launches AtariSoft software label; and much more.
    • Pitfalls Of Corporate Copying – Illegal “sharing” of programs within corporations and the trouble with copy protection.
    • Letters To PC – Letters from readers about the Palantir word processor, Word Proof, computer furniture, MicroAstrology, Telex, Memex, assigning strings to keys, and more.
    • Phantom Ruling From The IRS – IRS may deny tax-exempt status to PC user groups.
    • Unearthing The PCjr’s Secrets – A look through the PCjr’s technical manual with Peter Norton.
    • The PC Compatibility Test – A guide to figuring out how compatible your computer is to the IBM PC.
    • Greed And Egyptian Adventures – A look at two new adventure games including Infidel from Infocom and Ulysses and the Golden Fleece from Sierra On-Line.
    • Help For Experts And Novices – A review of the book “dBase II in English I”, a book that is supposed to make dBASE II easier to learn.
    • New On The Market – The Sweet-P Six Shooter (a multiple-pen plotter), ENVAX 600 (an intelligent communications processor), DTC Style Writer (a daisy wheel printer), DXY-800 Plotter, SNA Encryptor 305 (a data encryption board for communicating between a PC and an IBM mainframe), HP Digital Wand (bar code reader), PLP-8 Matrix Printers (a series of 80 and 132 columnt dot-matrix printers), QumeTrak 142 (320K 5.25″ floppy drive), and much more.
    • User-To-User – A way to keep track of files on floppies in DOS 2.0, a BASICA bug, a simple way to view and delete unwanted text files, and more.
    • PC Tutor – An automated way to use DISKCOPY, using single and double precision numbers, power converters, friction feed with the Epson MX-80 F/T printer, and more.
    • Software Licensing Questions – How the courts might distinguish between licensed and sold software.

    …and more!


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