• Tag Archives Run

  • RUN: The Commodore 64/128 User’s Guide (April 1990)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    RUN was perhaps my favorite computer magazine. It was dedicated to Commodore 8-bit computers which primarily meant the Commodore 64 and 128. Things were definitely winding down commercially for the Commodore 64 in 1990 but a few major games were still coming out and RUN would be published for a couple more years. The April 1990 issue includes:

    Features

    • Bach to the Future – A look at software and hardware for creating music with your Commodore. Products here include The Music Studio, The SID Symphony Stereo Cartridge, Music Construction Set, Enhanced Sidplayer, and more.
    • 128 BASIC Enhancers – A type-in program to add four new commands to BASIC on the Commodore 128.
    • Doing The Alphabet Shuffle – A type-in sliding letter game in which you must get the letters in order as quickly as possible.
    • Alien Strike – A type in game that is similar to games like Space Invaders and Galaga.
    • Basic Dater – A type-in utility for the Commodore 64 and Commodore 128 that automatically tags your BASIC programs with the date and time they are saved.
    • Connex – A type-in Tetris-like game for the Commodore 128.

    Departments

    • RUNning Ruminations – A report from the Consumer Electronics Show. Fifty new games were planned for the Commodore 64 in 1990. At the time, it was still the second largest computer game market behind DOS.
    • Magic – Short type-in programs for creating a bouncing title, generating multicolored lights along the boarder of the screen, creating colorful text, and more.
    • News and New Products – Upcomig games (and other stuff) include Ghostbusters II, Beyond Dark Castle, Grave Yardage, Face Off, Power Drift, Batman: The Movie, The Untouchables, Pro Tennis Tour, Iron Lord – The Crusader of Justice, Pipe Drea, My Grand Piano, Bowling Alley, School Bus Driver, I Can Remember, Firehouse Rescue, Perfect Fit, Castlevania, Double Dribble, Blades of Steel, Super C, The Muscle Cars, Heat Wave Offshore Superboat Racing, and more.
    • Mail RUN – Letters from readers about Personal Ancestor File for the C-128, software for the Commodore 128 mouse, the Sears SR-2000 printer, and more.
    • Software Gallery – Reviews of Aussie Games (Australian themed sports), Empire (a strategy game), Space Rogue (start your career in space as a merchant marine – I always wanted this one), Life Force (the classic side-scrolling shooter), Time To Die (a mystery adventure game), Thud Ridge (an apparently terrible combat flight game), Superman (a comic book adventure), Dark Side, Zero Gravity, License To Kill (based on the James Bond Movie), and Heroes of the Lance (this action game is not nearly as good as the Gold Box RPG series).
    • Gold Mine – Game tips for Arkanoid, Batman, BattleTech, Caveman Ugh-Lympics, Curse of the Azure Bonds, Double Dragon, Double Dragon II, Grand Prix Circuit, Hillsfar, Impossible Mission II, Test Drive II, Sim City, Times of Lore, Wasteland, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and more.
    • 128 Mode – A guide to the Commodore 128’s Directory command.
    • geoWatch – A look at hardware useful for enhancing your GEOS experience including various printers, GEORAM 512, the Right Time cartridge, JiffyDOS, CMD’s RAMLink, and more.
    • Commodore Clinic – Questions answered a Commodore 128 glitch, 1571 disk drive problems, 1571 disk drive alignment, sharing a printer, and more.

    …and more!


    📂This entry was posted in Commodore 64 Computer Arcana 📎and tagged

  • RUN (October 1986)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: RUN – issue Number 34 – October 1986

    RUN wasn’t the first Commodore related magazine I ever bought but it was the last. I was buying and reading it sometime in 1989 until it died off at the end of 1992. I think I started picking it up after Commodore Magazine stopped being published and some of the Commodore 64 coverage they used to have was incorporated into RUN. The October 1986 issue includes:

    Features

    • Big Software For Small Business – A look at some of the business related software available for the Commodore 128. Software covered here includes Vizawrite and Vizastar (word processing and database), Business Pro-Pak (statistics software that works in CP/M mode), Chartpak 128 (creates charts and graphics), The Consultant (database), Data Manager 128 (database/report writing/label-making), dfile128 (database), Fleet System 3 (word processor), Ghost Writer 128 (word processor), Jane 2.0 (word processor, spreadsheet, and database), Microsoft Multiplan (budgeting software), Paperback Writer/Planner/Filer 128 (word processing/database/spreadsheet), PaperClip II (word processor), Partner 128 (cartridge-based desktop accessory package), Swiftcalc 128 (spreadsheet), WordPro 128 (word processor), Word Writer 128 (word processor), Superbase 128 (database), and CMS General Accounting System (accounting).
    • Software to Improve Your Business Picture – A look at available Computer Aided Design packages including Flexidraw, CADPAK, CAD-3D, CAD GEM, GEOS (specifically GeoPaint), and CADPIC 64.
    • Computer Creativity – A sort of case study of someone who uses a Commodore 64 for his art related business. Hardware used includes a Commodore 64, 1541 disk drive, Cardco CSD-1 disk drive, 1702 color monitor and Okimate-10 color printer. Software includes Word Writer, Sylvia Porter’s Your Financial Planner, Movie Maker, KoalaPainter, and Design Lab.
    • Commodore Power – Another case study in the use of Commodore computers. In this case, a power plant in Fort Pierce, Florida is using Commodore 64s for word processing, recording in plant meter readings, and generating summaries, calculations and reports for plant activities. Software used includes Multiplan, VizaStar, Superbase64, Speedscript and The Print Shop. The VIC-20 is also being used as a data collection instrument that reads gas and watt meters then generates various calculations.
    • 64 Personal Ledger – A type-in book keeping program for the Commodore 64 to help with things like home business or club finances.
    • High-Resolution Revolution – A type-in hi-res drawing application for the Commodore 64.
    • As The Word Turns – The latest revision of a type-in program that creates word searches.
    • Making a Pointer – A type-in program designed to incorporate into your own programs that creates a joystick controlled pointer.
    • Jim Butterfield: The Guru of Commodore Computing – An interview with Jim Butterfield, someone who probably had more technical knowledge regarding the Commodore 64 than anyone else.
    • Double Vision – A type-in drawing program for the Commodore 64.

    Departments

    • RUNning Ruminations – A summary of the results of a recent reader survey.
    • Magic – Short programs that perform various “magic”. Included this month are some tips for using function keys, a program that highlights REM statements, a graph paper generator, sound effects when printing, a simple hi-res sketch program, a tip to append programs, a two-line Basic 4.5 quick loader, and more.
    • Mega-Magic – Like Magic above but slightly longer programs. This month are some routines for scrolling text in various directions.
    • Software Gallery – Reviews of The Music Studio (music composer from Activision), Gato (World War II submarine sim), Your Financial Planner (finance program for the C128), Fleet System 3 (C128 word processor), Infiltrator (action game from Mindscape), Jet (combat flights sim), Personal Inventory/Personal Account/Time Manager (CP/M based software for the C128), Solo Flight (flight sim from MicroProse), GBA Championship Basketball: Two-on-Two (basketball game from Activision), Super Boulder Dash (arcade sequel from Electronic Arts), and more.
    • Basically Speaking – A technique in BASIC for loading one program from another.
    • Telecomputing Workshop – Questions answered about modems and online services for the Plus/4, recommendations for modems and terminal programs, terminal software for the Commodore 128, and PunterNet.
    • Q-Link Happenings – Q-Link was a Commodore specific online service. Eventually, it became AOL. Updates noted here include improved Free Software Library, new casino games, music news and more.
    • The Resource Center – A initiative at a Massachusetts public library to provide computer access (via a Commodore 64) and freeware library.
    • Commodore Clinic – Questions answered about using a computer specifically for telecommunications, daisy wheel printers and graphics, IBM-PC and Commodore 128 interoperability, 1541 and 1571 compatibility, Adventure Construction Set with a 1571 drive, configuring printers with Easy Calc and more.
    • Mail RUN – Letters from readers about astronomy software, Ultra Hi-Res, Fontmaster II, GEOS hardware compatibility, finding a Commodore 64C, Paperback Writer 128, and more.
    • New Products RUNdown – A brief look at new products including real-estate software, Cyber-Farmer 64 (accounting system), Cobol-64, a CP/M user’s guide for the C128, Mind Game (from Datasoft), the Diconix 150 portable ink jet printer, dfile, Bodylink, BobsTerm Pro-128, The Intelligent Talking Terminal, Rings of Ziflin, Hallmark Color Mail, and more.
    • Coming Attractions – Coming next month, The Power of Spreadsheets, Printer Interfaces Explained, CP/M Software, Math Challenge, and more.


    📂This entry was posted in Commodore 64 Computer Arcana 📎and tagged