Articles in the "Magazines" Category

Commander 80

“Commander 80” was a column that ran irregularly in 80 Microcomputing magazine from the May 1982 to the May 1983 issues. It was written by Jake Commander, TRS-80 author, technical consultant to 80 Microcomputing, and a very frequent contributor to the magazine. Despite the fact that there were only nine “Commander 80” columns, it remains one of the best remembered columns from the magazine.

Jake Commander described “Commander 80” as “a regular pot-pourri of TRS-80 facts, ideas, and opinions” in his first column:

This is the first of a series of columns I’ll be doing every month for 80 Microcomputing, covering topics ranging all the way from software and hardware to my general opinions on whatever takes my fancy. This is an opportunity I’ve waited for — to be able to sound off and air some of my views.

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Feedback Loop

“Feedback Loop” was a popular column in 80 Microcomputing magazine. It began in the June/July 1982 issue and ran until the magazine ended in 1988. “Feedback Loop” answered reader letters about “any questions or problems dealing with any area of TRS-80 microcomputing”. It was one of the best sources of TRS-80 information available at the time.

“Feedback Loop” was written by Terry Kepner for most of its run. It replaced “The Exclusive Oracle”, a similar column written by Dennis Báthory-Kitsz that also answered reader questions.

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TRS-80 Computing

TRS-80 Computing, also known as S-80 Computing, was an early newsletter for the TRS-80. It was published by Computer Information Exchange (also known as CIE) from 1978 to 1980. It cost $1.50 per issue or $15.00 for twelve issues. Although not very many issues of TRS-80 Computing were published, it was a highly regarded TRS-80 newsletter, described by Recreational Computing as “a top-rated publication.”

Computer Information Exchange was an educational nonprofit corporation that was based in San Luis Rey, California and founded by Bill McLaughlin. It sold a variety of low-cost TRS-80 software on cassette, mostly of an educational nature. Their most popular product was People’s Pascal, an implementation of the Tiny Pascal compiler that was created by Kin-Man Chung and Herbert Yuen. Computer Information Exchange sold two versions of People’s Pascal:

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TRS-80 Strings

“TRS‑80 Strings,” later known as “Tandy Gram,” was a column in Creative Computing magazine that focused on TRS-80 computers. It was written by Stephen B. Gray for most of its run and first appeared in the November/December 1978 issue.

Stephen B. Gray was best known for founding the Amateur Computer Society in 1966, a group for “anyone interested in building and operating a digital computer that will at least perform automatic multiplication and division.” Gray was also the publisher of the newsletter for the Amateur Computer Society (better known as the ACS Newsletter) that claimed to be (and probably was) “the first hobby-computer publication in the world.” The ACS Newsletter published 40 issues from August 1966 to December 1976.

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The MISOSYS Quarterly

The MISOSYS Quarterly, better known as TMQ, was the official newsletter for MISOSYS, a software company based in Sterling, Virginia. It was published by Roy Soltoff, the “system designer of TRSDOS 6.0” and co-founder of Logical Systems (the creators of LDOS and LS-DOS). The MISOSYS Quarterly was far more than just a company newsletter, and was one of the best technical resources for the TRS-80 Model III and Model 4. Along with TRSTimes and Computer News 80, it was one of the last print publications for the TRS-80.

The MISOSYS Quarterly had similarities to an earlier MISOSYS newsletter, Notes from MISOSYS. But The MISOSYS Quarterly was far more ambitious, with outside advertising, articles by external authors, and information about non-MISOSYS products.

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Creative Computing

Creative Computing was a very popular early computer magazine and was one of the few to predate microcomputers themselves. It was created by David Ahl and published its first issue in October 1974. David Ahl once described Creative Computing as “the first personal computing magazine.” Although it was created to promote educational computing, it became one of the best magazines for hobbyists.

While working at Digital Equipment Corporation, David Ahl edited EDU, a newsletter aimed at educational users of Digital Equipment’s computers. (This was also when he first published his book 101 BASIC Computer Games). EDU became quite successful as the use of computers in education expanded. But Ahl envisioned a more generic magazine for educational users of all computers, not just those sold by Digital Equipment. When Ahl left Digital Equipment in July 1974, he developed this idea into Creative Computing

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The 80 Micro Young Programmer's Contest

For three years starting in 1982, the TRS-80 magazine 80 Micro held a contest to encourage young people to program. It was known as the “80 Micro Young Programmer’s Contest.” Anyone under the age of 18 could submit a program for a chance at winning prizes. 80 Micro published the winning contest entries in the February issue each year.

The entries, which numbered over 200 the first two years, were judged by the 80 Micro editorial staff based on five categories: programming elegance, documentation, originality, error-trapping, and usefulness. Most of the winning entries were written for the TRS-80 Model I and III, but there were also several for the Color Computer, and even one each for the Model II, Model 4, and Model 100.

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Kilobaud Microcomputing

Kilobaud Microcomputing was a hobbyist computing magazine that began in 1977. It was created by Wayne Green, who was known for publishing the magazines 73, BYTE, and later 80 Microcomputing. Kilobaud Microcomputing was aimed more at the beginning computer hobbyist than other similar magazines. It is perhaps best known for spinning off 80 Microcomputing, the most popular TRS-80 magazine.

The magazine was originally named Kilobaud when it began in 1977. That changed to Kilobaud Microcomputing by the January 1979 issue. The word “Kilobaud” on the cover became smaller and disappeared entirely in 1982. The magazine was then called Microcomputing until it ended in 1984.

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80 Remarks

“80 Remarks” was a column that ran in 80 Microcomputing from the first issue in January 1980 until September 1983. It was written by Wayne Green, the publisher and founder of 80 Microcomputing. The column name was shortened to just “Remarks” in October 1982.

Wayne Green published several magazines at the time and wrote a different column in each. His column was “Never Say Die” in 73, “Publisher’s Remarks” in Kilobaud Microcomputing, “Off Color” in Hot CoCo, “Hot Cider” in inCider, and “80 Remarks” in 80 Microcomputing.

Wayne Green set the tone for “80 Remarks” with his first column:

First, I want to make it clear that this magazine is not connected with Radio Shack or Tandy. I call ‘em as I see ‘em and don’t pull the punches. Where Radio Shack deserves credit, they’ll get it. Where I think they are screwing up, I’ll be blunt about that. I don’t ask that you like me–that’s your problem, not mine. I like you and I will be working for your best interests… and so will the magazine.

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Ask Tandy

“Ask Tandy” was a column that appeared in 80 Micro from the November 1984 to the September 1985 issues. It was described as “a column in which the Tandy people in Ft. Worth answer your questions about their products and services.” “Ask Tandy” was an official source of TRS-80 information from the notoriously secretive Radio Shack.

Because 80 Micro was the most popular magazine (by far) for Radio Shack TRS-80 users, cooperation from Radio Shack might have seemed like an obvious idea. But the relationship between Radio Shack and 80 Micro had always been strained, particularly while Wayne Green was still publisher.

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