• Tag Archives Atari 800

  • Compute! (September 1985)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Compute! was probably the best magazine for the average computer user in the early to mid 1980s and perhaps beyond. At least if you had an interest in more than one platform. Compute! covered all of the popular home computers of the time and there were a bunch in 1985 including the Commodore 64, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, PC, TI-99/4A, the brand new Amiga and Atari ST, and probably others. The September 1985 issue includes:

    Features

    • The Amiga: An In-Depth Review – A detailed look at the new Amiga (Amiga 1000) from Commodore. It was due to be released in August.
    • The Electronic University – While it took a while for online education to really take off, it is far from new. This article tells the story of one family who is using their Commodore SX-64 to earn online degrees.
    • The Last Warrior – A type-in arcade style action game for hte PC, Commodore 64, Atari 400/800, and Apple II.

    Reviews

    • Rescue on Fractalus! and Ballblazer – Reviews of these two classic Lucasfilm games for Atari 8-bit computers.
    • Below the Root – An adventure game for the Commodore 64 based on the Green Sky Trilogy of books.
    • Companion – A word processing program for the TI-99/4A.
    • Jr-Draw for PCjr – An art program designed for the PCjr that can optionally use a light pen.

    Columns and Departments

    • The Editor’s Notes – A discussion of the Amiga, BASIC, machine language, and the C programming language.
    • Readers’ Feedback – Letters from readers about relational operators, Atari tape to disk transfer, adding beeps to key presses on the Commodore 64, unlocking IBM PC BASIC programs, and more.
    • HOTWARE: Software Best Sellers – Best selling software this month includes Flight Simulator II (Entertainment), Math Blaster! (Education), and Print Shop (Home Management).
    • The Beginner’s Page: Forget Your Algebra – It turns out you don’t need an extensive math background to program a computer.
    • Computers and Society: Compilers, Interpreters, and Flow: Conclusion – How different compilers and interpreters affect program flow and complexity.
    • Telecomputing Today – SIG Wars – Special Interest Group sysops switch between services while those services claim ownership of all messages and uploaded files in a SIG.
    • The World Inside the Computer: A Robot Toddler – A look at the Herojr personal robot.
    • IBM Personal Computing: The Mysterious Editors – A look at the editors that IBM provides with its PCs including BASIC, DEBUG, and EDLIN.
    • Programming the TI: The OPEN Statement – Some examples of using the OPEN statement on the TI-99/4A.
    • INSIGHT: Atari – Using Serial Input/Output – A look at how printing and disk access works via SIO.

    The Journal

    • Commodore 64 Memory Manager – A type-in program for the Commodore 64 that allows you to load multiple BASIC programs into memory at once and switch between them.
    • Saving Time and Memory: An Atari Variable Utility – A set of type-in utilities for the Atari 8-bit that allows you to list, rename, and abbreviate variable names in BASIC programs.
    • Commodore 64 Disk Commander – A type-in utility for the Commodore 64 that makes disk access more convenient.
    • Apple Fractals – A type-in program for generating fractals on the Apple II.
    • Chess for IBM PC & PCjr – A type-in chess program for the PC and PCjr based on an earlier published version for other machines.
    • Commodore Bootstrapping – A tutorial and demo for how to load programs that are divided into multiple parts on the Commodore 64, VIC-20, C16, PET/CBM, and Plus/4.
    • Atari Animation with P/M Graphics, Part 1 – The first part of an animation tutorial for the Atari 8-bit using Atari’s Player/Missile graphics.
    • All About IBM Batch Files, Part 1 – The first part of a tutorial for using DOS batch files.
    • Jump Search – A demonstration of binary search on the Atari 400/800, Apple II, IBM PC, Commodore 64, TI-99/4A, and Color Computer.
    • 128 Sound and Music, Part 2 – This part explores the Commodore 128’s FILTER, SOUND, and PLAY commands.
    • Easy Apple Screen Editing – A type-in screen editor for the Apple II.


    …and more!


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  • Antic (August 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Antic was one of the two major Atari 8-bit magazines in the U.S. (the other being ANALOG). Antic also had some coverage of the Atari ST though 1984 was before that. The August 1984 issue includes:

    Features

    • It’s Mere Horseplay – A type-in program for handicapping horse races.
    • Add IBM Or CP/M Capability To Your System – A look at the ATR8000, a versatile expansion for Atari 8-bit computers that adds the ability to connect standard disk drives and printers and depending on the variant, can also add CP/M or IBM PC compatability.
    • Do More With DOS 2 – Using DOS 2.0 to increase disk storage with the Atari 1050 disk drive.
    • Disk Drive Survey – A look at some of the disk drives available for the Atari 8-bit, including the TRAK AT-D2, RANA 1000, INDUS GT, Atari 1050, ASTRA 1620, and Atari 810.
    • Lucasfilm And Atari – Early Lucasfilm games came out first on the Atari 8-bit. These include Ballblazer and Rescue on Fractalus which are discussed here.
    • Embark On The Road To Adventure – A look at adventure games including Infocom’s Enchanter, Infidel, and Planetfall.
    • Logic According To Boole – Using Boolean logic in your programs.
    • Escape From Fragile Floppies – A look at the AMDC I and AMDC II, single and dual 3-inch floppy drive systems for the Atari 8-bit.
    • The Care And Feeding Of Floppy Disks – A guide to taking care of your floppy disks.

    Departments

    • Inside Atari – Atari’s sponsorship of the women’s Olympic volleyball team.
    • Education – A type-in memory game that gives you what is basically a computer version of Simon.
    • Communications – A look at password protected BBS’s. In the early days, you didn’t necessarily need a login and password to access a PC. Though obviously, having a unique account has its advantages and would become the norm.
    • Game of the Month – A type-in action/adventure game called Creepy Caverns. It looks a little like Gateway to Apshai.
    • Toolbox – A type-in tool for creating a variable cross-reference list for your programs. It gives you a list of variables and line numbers on which they appear.
    • Product Reviews – Reviews of the Aprom and Six Pack, Panzer-Jagd (Avalon Hill), Exodus: Ultima III (Origin), Safetyline (Maximus), Spare Change (Broderbund), BASIC Building Blocks, 810 Turbo, Dragonriders of Pern (Epyx), and Success With Math (CBS Software).
    • New Products – A brief look at new and upcoming products including Bruce Lee (Datasoft), C-221M and C-2215 disk drives, Pack It/Chain It, Relax (Synapse), Diskette Head Cleaning Kit, and more.

    …and more!


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  • ANALOG Computing (July 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: ANALOG Computing – Issue Number 20 – July 1984

    ANALOG was one of the most popular Atari 8-bit computer magazines in the U.S. It was published from 1981 to 1989. It had all the typical stuff you would expect in 8-bit computer magazine of the 1980s including reviews, type-in programs, and more. The July 1984 issue includes:

    Features

    • The Winners (ANALOG’s Favorite Games) – ANALOG editors pick their all time favorite games. Some of these games include Star Raiders, MiG Alley Ace, Breakout, Boulder Dash, Archon, Miner 2049er, Missile Command, Pac-Man, Gateway to Apshai, Donkey Kong, Pole Position, Choplifter, M.U.L.E., Agent USA, Shamus, Wizard of Wor, and others.
    • Buzz-zap! – A type-in maze game in which you control a bee who must avoid killer strawberries and other obstacles to make it back to the hive.
    • Bacterion! – This type-in game is described as a sort of sequel to Robotron though it plays more like Asteroids.
    • What Is It? – A type-in educational game for younger kids in which they must type the name of the object that appears on screen.
    • AlterDOS – A type-in program that modifies DOS to recognize files other than AUTORUN.SYS as the autorun file on a disk.
    • Auto Line Numbering+ – This type-in program will assist you in writing your own programs by autonumbering them and performing other tasks.
    • ConTEXT – This type-in program will convert Letter Perfect word processing files into a more standard format that can be used with other programs on the Atari.
    • Stars 3-D in Action! – Action! is a programming language and IDE provided on cartridge and available only for Atari 8-bit computers. This type-in program is rewrite of a previously published type-in program in ANALOG rewritten here in Action!.
    • Bounce in Action! – An Action! version of a previously published type-in program in which you place obstacles to change the direction of a bouncing ball. This version has higher resolution and more colors than the original.
    • Scredit – A type-in program for helping you to design smooth scrolling screens.

    Product Reviews

    • Boulder Dash – A review of the classic Boulder Dash by First Star Software.
    • Universe – A rather ambitious (for its time) sci-fi adventure game that shipped on four disks and cost $89.95.
    • Seven Cities of Gold – An action/adventure/strategy game from Electronic Arts in which you play the role of a sixteenth century Spanish conquistador.
    • Movie Maker – This software allows you to create animated movies 30 to 60 seconds long.

    Columns

    • Reader Comment – Readers write in about modem usage.
    • Griffin’s Lair – Reviews of educational software with an emphasis on typing skills this month, including Mastertype, Type Attack, Typo, and Touch Typing.
    • Our Game – Game development in which the readers participate.
    • BASIC Training – Useful BASIC tips for those writing games including using vector routines and ways to speed up games.
    • Boot Camp – An ongoing assembly language tutorial. This edition covers multiplying numbers.

    …and more!


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