• Tag Archives C64

  • Ahoy! (July 1984)

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    Ahoy!, July 1984


    Ahoy! was one of several popular Commodore specific magazines from the 1980s. It covered various computers depending on the time period but in 1984 it was primarily the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 that were featured. Interestingly, Ahoy! used the same cover scheme through most (if not all) of its life. There were always nine “monitors” on the cover and in each one was something to do with what was in the magazine. The July 1984 issue includes:

    Departments

    • A View from the Bridge – An overview of this month’s issue which includes a disk drive review, Database buyer’s guide, user group feature and more.
    • Scuttlebutt – News and new products including the Cardco LQ/1 dot matrix printer for $649.95, LQ/3 for $449.95, the daisy wheel LQ/2 for $349.95, the Amdek 5025 dot matrix printer ($799), 5040 ($1675), and 5055 ($1990), a 64K memory expansion for the Commodore 64 from LETCO ($139.95) and much more including lots of new games.
    • Flotsam – Letters from readers including corrections and additions related to previous articles, a question about using the Commodore 64 for a home business, and more.
    • Book Review – A review of ‘The Working Commodore 64’ by David Lawrence.
    • Commodares – Programming challenges submitted by readers including unscrambling words, counting letters, etc.
    • Reviews – Reviews of various Commodore 64 and VIC-20 software.
      • IFR (Flight Simulator) – A flight simulator for both the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 by Academy Software.
      • Early Games for Young Children (Commodore 64) – A package of educational programs for preschoolers.
      • The Game Show (Commodore 64) – A computerized version of the TV game show Password.
      • The Voyage of the Mayflower (Commodore 64) – A strategy game in which you must lead the Mayflower to the New World.
      • C.A.R.S. (Commodore 64, VIC-20) – Short for Car Analysis Reporting System, this program helps you keep track of car related maintenance and expenses.
      • Mouthpiece (Commodore 64) – A more full-featured terminal program than had typically been available for the C64 up to that point.
      • The Insta-Family (Commodore 64) – A rather primitive ‘office suite’ for the Commodore 64.
      • Superbase 64 (Commodore 64) – A well reviewed database management system for the Commodore 64. I remember having this but didn’t use it for a whole lot.
      • Falconian Invaders/Lazer Cycles/Maze Man/Ultrex Quadro Maze/Tyler’s Dungeons (Commodore 64) – A series of low budget games for the C64.
      • Kidwriter (Commodore 64) – A unique program for kids ages 6-10 that allows them to create storybooks with graphics and text.

    Features

    • Creating Your Own Games – Some tips on creating your own games from Orson Scott Card.
    • Starting or Joining a Users Group – Long before the Internet was readily accessible, if you wanted to learn more about your computer, get public domain software, etc. then a users group was one of the best ways to do it.
    • Database buyer’s Guide – An overview of database software for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 along with their features. There were quite a wide variety of choices including: Inquire Pac (C64), Data Base Manager (VIC-20, C64), Data Manager I (C64), Datalog (C64), Datman (C64), Delphi’s Oracle (C64), Filing Assistant (C64), Flex File (C64), Info-Manager (C64), Inventory (VIC-20, C64), Insta-File (C64), M’File (C64), Magpie (C64), Mail Now (C64), Mail Pro (C64), Mini Jini (VIC-20, C64), Omnifile (VIC-20, C64), Powerfile (C64), Rabbit Base (VIC-20), Record Keeper (C64), Research Assistant (VIC-20, C64), SDB-64 (C64), Simplifile (VIC-20), Superbase 64 (C64), TOTL. Infomaster (C64), TOTL. Label (VIC-20, C64), and Your Filing System (VIC-20, C64).
    • Training Your Cursor – How to move the cursor around programatically. Includes examples.
    • The MSD Dual Disk Drive: In-depth Report – This was a dual disk drive system for the Commodore 64 that was more expensive than two individual drives. However, one advantage was that since these drives shared a controller, copying data from disk to disk could be done without passing through the C64 itself making for much faster copying.
    • The Rupert Report – All about files and sequential files in particular. Examples are given for creating and writing to SEQ files.
    • Educational Software Guide, Part V – Part 5 of a guide designed for parents presenting an overview of available educational software. This part summarizes a variety of reading, drawing, and other educational programs.

    Programs

    • What’s My Job? – This type-in program will guess your job after you answer a series of questions.
    • Checklist – This type-in program lets you create checklists with items to be checked off.
    • Renumbering Utility – Renumbers your BASIC programs. Useful after you have created a program like 10 Print “test”, 20 GOTO 10, and then realize you need at least 11 steps in between…
    • Brisk – A type-in program that gives you a card game that can be played vs. the computer.
    • Math Defender – This type-in program is kind of like Missile Command except that you must enter the correct answer to shoot down the incoming math problem. There are both C64 and VIC-20 versions here.

    …and more!


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  • The Guide to Computer Living – September 1986

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    The Guide to Computer Living – September 1986






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  • Commodore The MicroComputer Magazine, June 1983

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Commodore: The MicroComputer Magazine, June 1983

    In 1983, Commodore published two magazines. Commodore the MicroComputer Magazine was the productivity oriented title and in 1983 it was covering the Commodore 64, VIC-20 and PET line of computers.

    The June 1983 issue includes:

    Features

    • Understanding PILOT – This article gives an overview of PILOT, a programming language that was used for a while in education settings.
    • Programming With COMAL – COMAL was an early structured programming language and pretty old even then but still used. This article gives an overview with an emphasis on how it is better than BASIC.
    • Random Thoughts – Part 1 of a series on random numbers. This series starts off by explaining what random and pseudorandom numbers are and showing how you can generate them in BASIC.
    • Starting With Bits and Pieces – Part 1 of a series on binary. This part shows how the binary number system is related to decimal and hexadecimal including how to convert between them.
    • Exterminating 101 or Debugging Can Be Fun – A guide to debugging in BASIC, including syntax errors, procedural errors, analytical errors and using STOP and PRINT statements for debugging.

    Departments

    • Letters – Letters from readers about finding prime numbers, Word Machine, and more.
    • Editor’s Notes – An editorial on reducing programming frustration. It includes mention of the debugging article in this magazine, user groups and more.
    • Commodore News – Commodore headquarters moves from Wayne to West Chester, Pennsylvania (about 10 miles away); Commodore forms new software division; Commodore starts shipping “B” series business computers – 8 different models are listed, all based on a 6509 processor, some also include an 8088, some offer an optional 8088 and all offer an optional Z80…all also come with 128KB or 256KB of RAM.
    • The Arts
      • The Harmonizer – Type-in program for creating music on the Commodore 64.
      • Advanced Bit-Mapped Graphics for the Commodore 64 – Part 1 of a series. This is a tutorial and sample programs for manipulating graphics on the Commodore 64, including how to manipulate specific pixels, how to clear the screen, how to draw lines, how to link machine language graphics routines from BASIC, and more.
    • Education
      • The Chem-puter Laboratory – Georgia State University is using Commodore PETs to help teach college chemistry classes.
      • Six Months with a 64 – A fourth grade teacher relates here experience with a Commodore 64 in the classroom.
      • Multi-Purpose CBMs Keep Student Interest High – An Illinois high school creates a computer laboratory with Commodore 8032 computers for typing classes, programming classes, and agricultural classes.
      • You and Your Computer Part 5 – Color Me Purple – Using color control keys and the POKE command to program in color on the Commodore 64.
      • Parent Computer Power – Parents help teach computer skills on Commodore 4032s at Michigan elementary school.
      • Microcomputers: Truly Child’s Play – Kinder-Care Learning Centers use Commodore PETs with voice to teach kids computer skills.

    • The Home: The Commodore 64 Trip Planner – Overview of a freely available program for the Commodore 64 that helps you plan trips by taking in inputs such as fuel stops, food stops, distance, etc.
    • Programmer’s Tips
      • No List/No Save – A method for protecting your software from users. It prevents listing and saving your programs.
      • Dollars and Cents Make Sense – A program for the Commodore 64 that will justify currency output so that the decimal always lines up.
    • Technical: Getting the Most Out of (And Into) Your Disk Drive – Part 2 of a three part series. Formatting disks, finding free space, writing to disk, disk data structure, and more.
    • User Departments
      • VIC 20
        • Tricky VIC Dynamic Bookkeeping – A bookkeeping program for the unexpanded VIC-20.
      • Commodore 64
        • Detecting Function Keys on the 64 – Using function keys in your own programs.
        • User Defined Function Keys – A program that let you make function keys print anything you want.
        • Commodore 64 Screen Dump – A program to dump the current screen to a 1525 printer.
        • Program, Save Yourself! – A type-in utility that makes it easier to save programs you are writing in an easier way.
      • PET/CBM
        • Machine Language Monitor in the Upgrade PET – An overview of the differences in the Machine Language Monitor in upgraded PETs.
        • The Beep Wedge for the PET – A program to make your PET sound like the computers on TV.
        • Where Are We? – Several ways to determine where in memory a program is executing.
    • User Groups – User group listing and a list of a few Bulletin Boards.
    • New Products – Federal Individual Tax Preparation Program (Commodore 64), Mailing List (VIC-20), Numeric Keypad (VIC-20), Math Escape (VIC-20), Sea Word (VIC-20), Birthday Card (VIC-20), Story Time (VIC-20), Utility File (VIC-20), Micron Eye vision system (Commodore 64), Datalog (Commodore 64), BUSSter A64 Digital Input Module, and more.

    …and more!


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