Source: Compute! – Issue Number 105 – February 1989

Compute! was a multiformat computer magazine that covered a wide variety of platforms. In 1989 that included at least the PC (DOS), Commodore 64, Apple II, Amiga, Macintosh and Atari ST. The February 1989 issue includes:

Features

• Money, Money, Money – An overview of six personal financial management packages including Andrew Tobias’ Managing Your Money (Apple II, IBM PC, Macintosh), Dollars and Sense (Apple II, IBM PC, Macintosh), MoneyCounts 5.0 (IBM PC), On Balance (Apple II), Smart Money (Apple II, Apple IIgs, IBM PC), and Sylvia Porter’s Your Personal Financial Planner (Apple II, Commodore 64, Commodore 128, IBM PC).

• Order From Chaos: Money and Your Spreadsheet – A guide to building a spreadsheet template to keep track of your money.

• Used but Not Abused – A guide to buying a used computer…and selling yours.

Reviews

• Fast Looks – Brief overviews of new software including DeskPaint 2.0 (Macintosh), Map Skills (Apple II), and Grand Prix Circuit

• Pool of Radiance – The first of the Gold Box AD&D games and one of my favorite games at the time.

• Fantavision – An animation package for the Amiga, Apple II, Apple IIgs, and IBM PC.

• Tutor-Tech – Kind of like HyperCard but for the Apple II instead of the Macintosh.

• Red Storm Rising – An excellent fast attack sub simulator in a hypothetical World War III scenario. Based on Tom Clancy’s book of the same name. Reviewed here for the Commodore 64.

• The Games: Summer Edition – Epyx was great at making these multi-sport sims. The Games: Summer Edition based on the 1988 Summer Olympics was no exception. Reviewed here for the Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and PC.

Columns

• Editorial License – An editorial on how computers cost too much. Some examples given include an Apple IIgs system for over $3000, A PC compatible for $1500, and an Amiga or Atari ST for $800-$1000.

• News & Notes – The latest computer news, including plans to bring videotex service to the U.S. (not sure this ever actually happened or went very far if it did), a new Leisure Suit Larry game, Jack Nicklaus’ Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf, the latest World of Commodore show, magneto-optical disk drives, and more.

• Gameplay – A look at improvements on old game concepts including Blockbuster (a newer version of Breakout), Better Dead than Alien (a newer version of Space Invaders), and more.

• Impact – Using your computer to do your taxes.

• Discoveries – Using CompuServe and other online services, including BBSes in education including to help teach English to Japanese students, improve reading and writing skills in high school students, and more.

• Levitations – An overview of COMDEX in Las Vegas.

• Letters – Letters from readers about CFL football games, TAPS (an artillery targeting sim with involvement from Tom Clancy), RAM problems with PETs, and more.

• New Products! – A brief look at new products include Simon & Schuster’s Computer Study Guide for the SAT (Commodore 64, Apple II, IBM PC), Tetra Quest (Amiga, Atari ST), Serve & Volley and Grand Prix Circuit from Accolade, a new version of Autoduel for the Amiga, and more.

Compute! Specific

• MS-DOS – Command line vs. GUI; a look at The Norton Commander. Plus, The Invisible Link, a program that lets you download in the background and more.

• 64 & 128 – GEOS 2.0, Dungeon Master’s Assistant Volume I: Encounters from SSI, Final Assault from Epyx, Times of Lore from Origin, and Fast Break, a 3-on-3 basketball game from Accolade.

• Apple II – Del Yocam leaving Apple; Apple raises prices of Apple II and IIgs systems; rumors of an enhanced Apple IIgs, and more.

• Amiga – The Amiga is featured at several recent computer shows including World of Commodore, COMDEX and CES; Zoetrope special effects software; SysFont font software; and more.

• Macintosh – Arkanoid; an upcoming Ad-Lib game; upgrades for the Mac; and more.

• Atari ST – Easy-Tools desk accessory which adds functions to the Easy-Draw page layout program; Wholly Macro! software for creating macros by recording keystrokes; and more.