Commodore Microcomputers – September/October 1984

Commodore Microcomputers was an official Commodore publication that covered all of Commodore's computers. In the September/October 1984 issue that included the Commodore 64, VIC-20, as well as the CBM, PET and SuperPET lines. The contents of this issue includes:

Features

• The Quest for Enhanced Productivity: Commodore Meets the Challenge - This article covers the various productivity software produced by Commodore. This includes the built-in software suite of the Plus/4, a spreadsheet program (Easy Calc), a financial package called Easy Finance, automatic spell correcting software called Easy Spell, home accounting software (Silent Butler), a business accounting software package (General Ledger), and graph creating software called B/Graph.

• Easy Script is Easy - A beginner's guide to Easy Script, Commodore's word processing software for the Commodore 64.

• Four Word Processors for the Commodore 64 - A comparison of four word process for the Commodore 64, including Bank Street Writer, Cut and Paste, Word Manager, and Super-Text

• Databases - An overview of the various database software available for Commodore computers and their features.

• Spreadsheets: Number Processing with Multiplan and Practicalc - An overview of two spreadsheet programs available for the Commodore 64, Multiplan and Practicalc.

• Productivity Software for Commodore Computers: A Complete List - It says 'complete' and I would take their word for it. A brief overview of dozens of spreadsheet, database, finance and word processing programs for various Commodore computers.

Using Your Computer

• Business - An article about using Commodore computers to help run a small city.

• Education - An overview of four educational software programs including a program teaching division (Frenzy), a geometry program (Flip Flop), a program providing addition and multiplication practice (Gulp), and a program teaching directionality (Arrow Graphics).

• Travel - An article discussing the perils, pitfalls and challenges of international travel with a computer.

Understanding Your Computer

• Programmer's Tips
  • Random Thoughts, Part 7: Fun and Games - Discussing the use of random number in gaming and in audio/video demos.
  • Cassette Files for PET/CBM - A program for creating files on cassettes written for the Commodore 8032.
  • Two High-Res Screen Dumps for the 64 - Two different programs (for different printers) to print out graphics saved with LOGO, KoalaPad or saved with standard Kernel routines.
  • Kaleidoscope for the PET and Commodore 64 - This type-in program generates a constantly changing kaleidoscope display on your Commodore 64 or PET.
• Technical Tips
  • Prime Numbers - A program for estimating the number of prime numbers between 1 and 1000.
  • Adding a Hex Keypad to Your PET/CBM - Instructions for constructing a Hex based keypad for your Commodore.
  • Inverse Trigonometric Functions - A program using inverse trigonometric functions to calculate distance.

• 64 Users Only
  • Screen Box Data Display Routines - Code to add input and output data boxes to your own programs.
  • Memory Loader/Saver for the Commodore 64 - A program for saving different sections of Commodore 64 memory to disk.
  • Appending Machine Code Routines to Your BASIC Programs for the 64 - A program for easily adding machine code subroutines to your BASIC Commodore 64 programs.

• PET/CBM Users Only: Line Formatting - A tool for making your program listings easier to read.

• SuperPET Users Only: SuperPET Potpourri - Using loops and other programming tips for the SuperPET.

Reviews

• Hardware: HesModem I - Review of a 300 baud modem for the Commodore 64 and VIC 20.

• Software
  • Database Manager - Review of a rather generically named database management program for the Commodore 64.
  • Tool 64 - A tool for programming that adds more BASIC commands as well as various editing and debugging utilities.
  • Write Now! - Review of a simple word processing program for the Commodore 64.

Departments

• Letters - Letters about cryptography and VIC 20s used in hospitals among other topics.

• Editor's Notes - Coverage of the June 1984 Consumer Electronics Show.

• Industry News - An article about the expected massive growth in software (sales not size though both had massive growth).

• User Groups - A list of Commodore related user groups throughout the country.

• That Does Not Compute - Correcting mistakes in past issues.

• Advertisers' Index