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  • Compute! (April 1983)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Computer & Video Game Magazines – Compute! – Issue Number 35 – April 1983

    Compute! was one of the most popular multi-format computer magazines of the 1980s. It covered mostly the popular 8-bit home computers of the time including the VIC-20, Commodore 64, TRS-80 Color Computer, Apple II, Atari 400/800, TI-99/4A, etc. Compute! also produced the very popular Commodore specific Compute!’s Gazette and a number of other computer specific publications. At more than 288 pages, the April 1983 issue of Compute! had a LOT in it, including:

    Features

    • Selecting The Right Word Processor – An overview of what a word processor is and what features you should look for. Some of these features include things like Block Move, Headers/Footers and Page-Numbering among other things. There are no actual product reviews in this article.
    • Air Defense – A type in program for a game similar to Missile Command. It is in BASIC and was designed to work with the VIC-20, Atari 400/800, TRS-80 Color Computer, Apple II, TI-99/4A, and PET/CBM.
    • VIC Editype: A Text Editing And Storage Program – A type-in program for the VIC-20. VIC Editype is basically a mini word processing program. Word processing seems to be the theme in this month’s issue.
    • Scriptor: An Atari Word Processor – A somewhat more advanced type-in word processor for the Atari 400/800 written in both BASIC and machine language.
    • Retirement Planner – This type-in program asks you a few questions and then helps you determine how much you should save/invest for retirement each year. There are versions here for the VIC-20, Apple II, Atari 400/800, TI-99/4A, and TRS-80 Color Computer.

    Education and Recreation

    • Typing Teacher – A type-in program to (ironically) teach you typing. Basically it measures your character speed and word speed by presenting random characters for you to type. There are versions here for the Atari 400/800, VIC-20, TI-99/4A and Apple II.
    • Chutes for Atari – A type in program for the Atari 400/800 that uses 3D graphics or what passed for them then. It reminds me of a very, very primitive Star Fox.
    • Cash Flow Manager – This article consists of instructions to create a monthly cash report and forecast spreadsheet that can be printed in VisiCalc.
    • TI-99 Match-Em – A type-in program for the TI-99/4A for a matching game. This is one of those games where you have to select a square to see what is under it and then guess (or remember) where its match is. Milton Bradley produced a board game version creatively titled “Memory” that was a popular kids game in the 1980s but there have been endless variations.
    • Atari Math Fun – A type-in educational math program for the Atari 400/800. It provides six categories and six skill levels. Honestly doesn’t sound like much fun to me.

    Reviews

    • VIC-20/C64 World Processor: The Quick Brown Fox – A very simple and easy to use word processor for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 that came in cartridge format.
    • Atari Data Perfect – A database program for the Atari 400/800 described as the most powerful yet for that computer. It was compatible with Letter Perfect (a word processor) making it easy to generate form letters and various record formats.
    • VIC Practi-Calc – Essentially a much cheaper version of VisiCalc but for the VIC-20 and with fewer features.
    • Paperclip Word Processor For PET/CBM – The PET/CBM were more business oriented but this was a popular word processor that was ported to several other computers.
    • Silicon Office for PET – A combination of two applications, a word processing program and a database program. This was a relational database but with its own programming language.
    • Turbocharger For Apple – A program for speeding up DOS commands for the Apple II. It also added the capability of date stamping files.
    • Pathfinder for Atari – A game with a rather bizarre concept. You make your way through a multi-screen maze collecting nuclear waste which gives you energy. Another entity is trying to do the same thing. You must beat him while avoiding his mine-laying friend and phantoms.
    • ZX-81 Home Computer Package For Sinclair/Timex – A package of four programs for the ZX-81/TS-1000. It includes titles that are mostly self explanatory including Etch-A-Screen, Music Composer, Checkbook Balancer and Billboard (scrolls messages across the screen).

    Columns and Departments

    • The Editor’s Notes – This month’s editorial discusses the rapidly falling prices of computers.
    • Readers’ Feedback – Questions and comments from readers about using a TV as a monitor, incompatibilities with Atari’s “Revision B” of their OS, and translating programs to the TI-99/4A among other things.
    • The Beginner’s Page – A column for computer beginners, this month starting a series discussing the various categories of software (music and graphics are covered here).
    • Computers And Society – The best and worst of the Winter CES. The worst was the introduction of x-rated software including games for the Atari 2600, the best (at least according to this article) were games with unique goals. One example given is Choplifter in which you get points for rescuing people as opposed to blowing things up.
    • Questions Beginners Ask – Questions answered about typing in programs and the differences between a TV and a monitor among other topics.
    • Micros With The Handicapped: Developing A Communications Program – Yes, “handicapped” was the politically correct term then even if it isn’t now. Anyway, this is part 4 of a continuing series with type-in programs included for making communication easier.
    • Machine Language: Numeric Input, Part II – The second part of a Jim Butterfield article on inputing decimal numbers with machine language programs.
    • The World Inside the Computer: Children, Computers, And Values – An article that contemplates a child becoming friends with a computer.
    • Friends of the Turtle – Sounds like some kind of secret organization, but no, this is just an article on programming in PILOT, a Logo derivative, on the Atari. Recursion in particular is discussed.
    • Programming the TI: Secondary Education – An article about the secondary education software available for the TI-99/4A.
    • Insight: Atari – Atari 8-bit computer discussion including news about Atari COBOL and a few programming tricks.
    • Extrapolations – A type-in program that lets Apple II users load BASIC programs for PET/CBM computers from tape.

    The Journal

    • Dr. Video – A type-in program for adding additional capabilities to the screen editing abilities of the PET/CBM including the ability to clear the screen above or below the cursor and sending the cursor “home” (to the bottom left of the screen).
    • Atari Filefixer – A type-in program that serves as a tool for editing data files for machine language programs. At least that’s what I think it is for.
    • Using the Atari Word Processor With An Epson Printer – This article describes how to add Epson MX-80 compatibility to the Atari World Processor.
    • Commodore 64 Video – A Guided Tour, Part III – Part 3 of a Jim Butterfield series on the Commodore 64’s video capabilities. This one discusses creating and moving sprites.
    • Update On Sinclair/Times Sound – An update and fixes to a previously published sound program for the Timex 1000/Sinclair ZX-81.
    • Computer Literacy And The Three R’s On The Sinclair/Timex – A series of small type-in programs for the Timex/Sinclair that teach some simple computer literacy and math.
    • Center The VIC Screen – Apparently the VIC-20 screen would sometimes not be centered when displayed on a TV. This small program helps you to center the screen and can be added to your own programs.
    • Applesoft Printer Control – This is a type-in program for making the selection printer mode (typeface, etc.) simpler.
    • Video 80: 80 Columns For The Atari – By default, the Atari 8-bit computers could only display 40 columns of text. This is a type-in program that works as a software solution to increase that to 80. This doesn’t actually increase resolution so the quality won’t be as good as a hardware solution but it was still quite useful.
    • VICword – A type-in program that gives you shortcuts for 52 BASIC commands. For example, it lets you hold down SHIFT and press ‘L’ to type LOAD instead of having to type the whole command.
    • CRAB (Cross Reference For Atari BASIC) – A very short type-in utility that will print a list of all the variable used in a given BASIC program and on which line numbers they appear on.
    • Programming Characters On An Expanded VIC-20 – Defining and using a custom character set on the VIC-20. Memory expansion is needed.
    • Magic Commodore BASIC – BASIC programming tricks for the PET/CBM, VIC-20 and Commodore 64, including invisible lines, backward line numbers, highlighting REM statements and more.
    • Rainbow Atari Graphics – Various techniques for using colors in games on Atari 8-bit computers.
    • VIC Automatic BASIC – A type-in program for creating text animation and prompts that can be used in your own programs.
    • Tester – A simple program for the TRS-80 that can be used for testing. Essentially, it asks a series of questions and gives multiple choice answers then grades you. It can easily modified with your own questions.
    • Estimating TI-99 Memory – Memory was highly constrained in old 8-bit computers and it was easy to run out of it. This article gives you some techniques to estimate the array sizes you can use.
    • Commodore Structure-BASIC – A program for simulating structured programming on Commodore computers.
    • Hexedit: A BASIC Hex Editor For The VIC – A type-in program that lets you do hexadecimal-decimal conversion and to create machine language programs on your VIC-20.
    • PET Searcher – A type-in program for searching random access files for a string on your PET/CBM computer.
    • The Atari Return Key Mode – A program that lets you write self modifying code on your Atari 8-bit computer.
    • Apple II Bar Charts – A type-in program that serves as a tool for creating bar charts on the Apple II. Up to 30 bars can be created in one chart. It also provides options for printing.
    • Major & Minor: VIC Music Theory – A music type-in program for the VIC-20. It is an educational program that teaches keys, signatures and scales.
    • Atari Digitizer – A type-in program for drawing with your joystick on Atari 8-bit computers.

    …and LOTS more!


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  • MacLife (March 2010)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: MacLife – Issue Number 38 – March 2010

    MacLife was the successor to MacAddict but in my opinion, MacAddict was the much better magazine. It was like Maximum PC but for Macs. MacLife on the other hand is just kind of…boring. But then that is really what Macs have become. From their switch to Power PC through their switch to Intel they kept things pretty interesting with design changes, operating system upgrades, etc. Since then, it seems very little has changed and the things that are changing are questionable. Is ever thinner and lighter really worth it if you have to have a dongle for everything you connect? Is the switch to the M1 over Intel really going to make things better? Is a computer shaped like a beer can really the best approach? In recent years has Mac OS really been getting better or does it just seem more bloated? And so on…

    This issue of MacLife comes 5 years after the last PowerPC Mac was made and all new Macs were Intel based. PowerPC was still supported. OS Support had recently been dropped as the latest OS out at the time (Snow Leopard) had dropped support for the Power PC. I still think Leopard and Snow Leopard were the peak of OS X.

    Anyway, this issue of MacLife from March 2010 includes:

    Features

    • Macs, Home Automation and You – An article about automating your home with your Mac and/or other apple devices. It seems that Amazon and Google have really taken over this space.
    • Modernism Meets Its Mac – Using your Mac or iPhone for interior decorating using, for example, Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.
    • Photoshop, This Is Your Life! – A history of Photoshop as it celebrates its 20th anniversary. Version 1.0 was released in 1990 and required an 8 MHz processor, 2 MB of RAM and fit on one 3.5″ floppy disk.

    Departments

    • Online At MacLife.com – An overview of the latest articles on MacLife’s home on the web, including tips and tricks for Snow Leopard, the 100 greatest iPhone apps of 2009 and more.
    • Consider – MacLife’s editorial section, this month with an overview of changes to their review ratings scale.
    • Share – Letters from readers, this month featuring comments on Internet ownership and Snow Leopard incompatibilities among other topics.
    • Start – News (from CES 2010 this month) including info about Google’s new phone (the Nexus), Intel’s Core i5 mobile processor, Dlink’s Boxee Box, and more.
    • Win – An external MacBook battery from HyperMac given out as a prize plus a new contest featuring an Elgato EyeTV One (a digital over the air TV antenna for your Mac).

    Create

    • Ask – Questions answered about how to watermark images, how to keep bookmarks in sync between different web browsers, parental controls on an iPod Touch, batch renaming image files and more.
    • Sync Your Android Phone to Your Mac – How to sync your android phone with your Mac. A Motorola Droid was the phone used in their example.
    • Master 5 Utilities in 5 Minutes – Quick mini-tutorials on how to use 5 common Mac utilities (on Leopard) including Activity Monitor, Console, Disk Utility, Network Utility and ColorSync Utility.

    Reviews

    • Canon EOS 7D – A review of Canon’s latest mid-range DSLR, featuring 18MP images at a $1,699 price tag…plus the cost of lenses.
    • Python Blur and Boa Flow XL – Reviews of two different laptop backpacks by Booq.
    • CarMD 2100 Handheld Tester – A diagnostic tool for your car that works with your Mac. Oddly, it includes a subscription based service that limits the number of cars you can test and the number of tests you can do per month.
    • Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000 – A bluetooth keyboard from Microsoft that works with Macs (but is not designed specifically for them). i guess its better than the Bluetoot Mobile Keyboard 5000?
    • MacSpeech Dictate – $199 dictation software for your Mac. Speech recognition is something that seems to have continued to progress rapidly since then.
    • Path Finder – An alternative file manager for your Mac. It offers not available at the time on Mac’s Finder including multiple tabs, batch operations and more.
    • G Drive – An external 7200RPM hard drive available in sizes from 500TB to 2TB and featuring USB 2.0, FireWire and eSATA ports.
    • Zeo Personal Sleep Coach – A sleep monitor that requires you to wear a headband when you sleep. This is in no way related to Macs that I can see other than if you want to upload your data you have to transfer it to a computer via an SD card.

    Listen

    • Spin – A DJ controller featuring two “turntables” that are really jog wheels for accomplishing the same thing digitally.
    • Squeezebox Radio – A radio streaming device from Logitech that can stream music from your Mac or the Internet.
    • Yurbuds – Silicon covers for your earbuds that supposedly improve comfort and sound quality.
    • Sonos Zoneplayer S5 – Another streaming device for streaming music locally or from the Internet. It can be controlled with your iPhone.
    • Cy-fi Wireless Sports Speaker – A wireless speaker for your iPod or iPhone. It works by connecting a wireless transmitter to the base of your iPod and is designed so that it can easily mount on your bike.

    Play

    • The Secrets of da Vinci – A point and click puzzle/adventure game for your Mac.
    • Bullet Candy Perfect – An arcade shooter reminiscent of Geometry Wars. It had a “pay what you like” price where you could pay whatever you felt the game was worth (with a $1 minimum).
    • The Abbey – Another point and click adventure game, this one featuring monks in a murder mystery. Apparently there is also a PC version called “Murder in the Abbey”.

    …and more!


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  • MacAddict (June 1999)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: MacAddict – Issue Number 34 – June 1999

    There can be do doubt that the late 1990s/early 2000s were the best of times for Apple’s Macintosh line. Before that, the company was nearly dead. But Steve Jobs had come back and performed a miracle with a line of very distinctive computers that were in some ways ahead of their time. I admit, I was no fan and they look far better through the eyes of nostalgia. The iBook and iMac line of the time were underpowered and overpriced and while getting rid of floppies and legacy interfaces was forward looking, it could also be inconvenient. But it’s still a little sad that Apple has retained none of the whimsy factor from this time. I think a modern retro styled iMac or iBook would be immensely popular today…if they could make them relatively inexpensive. MacAddict was essentially the Macintosh version of Boot (now Maximum PC). It covered Macs with an almost religious fervor. It was an excellent magazine if you were a Mac lover. The June 1999 issue includes:

    Highlights

    • We Got Game – The Mac gaming market is about to explode with a slew of hot Mac titles, new-to-the-Mac developers, and simultaneous platform releases! In our preseason exclusive report, we give you the stats on all the major industry players and fill you in on their secret game plans.
    • The Great Graphics Cliche Giveaway – We’re such a sneaky bunch! This month we tricked three professional artists into revealing their trademark illustration secrets, then turned around and printed them as step-by-step how-tos complete with screen shots! What else would you expect from a former Prison Guy?
    • XXIII Reasons You Should Care About Mac OS X Server – OS X Server – why should you give a rat’s behind about it? We brief you on Mac OS X Server’s selling points, show you how it differs from Mac OS X, and dish all the dirt you need t know about the latest addition to Apple’s system software family.
    • Oh #%@*!!!!! What to Do When Undo Just Won’t Do – Oops! Why me? D’oh, not again! Whether you just launched the wrong app, lost all your bookmarks, or trashed vital extensions, we can help you right your wrongs. We’ve got more than 30 quick fixes for your most bonehead boo-boos, so dry your tears, quit shouting, and for goodness’ sake stop shaking that monitor!

    How To

    • Build Interactive QuickTime Movies – Think you need Macromedia Flash to make cool interactive animations and rollovers for a Web site? Think again, bucko! Couple QuickTime with Totally Hip Software’s LiveStage and you’re ready to, um, roll.

    Every Month

    • Editor’s Note – It;’s been a hell of an issue – we’ll tell you all about it.
    • Letters – Funny? Serious? Funny? Serious? You just can’t decide, can you?
    • Get Info – We perform a little exploratory surgery on the open source movement, voyage into space with Motorola, hail an iCab, and figure out how to turn off all those annoying “helpful” features.
    • Scrapbook – What’s the well-dressed Mac addict reading these days? Peruse our snapshot of an Apple-obsessive bookshelf and pick out some summer reading.
    • Reviews – Does Virtual Game Station steam up PlayStation games on your Mac? Will Klingon Honor Guard make your blood boil hotter than a dishonored Klingon’s? We answer all these questions and more as we pass judgement on 14 products, including Adobe After Effects 4.0, Kai’s Power Tools 5.0, Dreamweaver 2.0, and MacLinkPlus Deluxe 10.003.
    • Ask Us – Some say Owen W. Linzmayer has gone insane. Other’s say he’s just overworked. Either way, he’s got the answers to your questions! This month he resolves your printer problems and upgrade issues, and even puts an end to your Power Mac identity crisis.
    • Shut Down – We poke fun at everyone, even ourselves! Ouch, that hurt!

    …and more!


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