steem

Monday, November 18, 2024

Vintage Photos - Oestreicher (1325-1328)

See the previous post in this series here.

I had the opportunity to pick up a huge batch of slides a while back. These pictures span from as early as the late 1940s to as late as the early 1990s. These came to me second hand but the original source was a combination of estate sales and Goodwill. There are many thousands of these slides. I will be scanning some from time to time and posting them here for posterity.

Getting your pictures processed as slides used to be pretty common but it was a phenomenon I missed out on. However, my Grandfather had a few dozen slides from the late 1950s that I acquired after he died. That along with having some negatives I wanted to scan is what prompted me to buy a flatbed scanner that could handle slides and negatives, an Epson V600. It can scan up to four slides at a time with various post-processing options and does a decent enough job.

This set continues a large batch of slides that originally came from an estate sale and appear to have belonged to a locally well known photographer (or perhaps a friend or family member) from the Spokane Washington area and later Northern Idaho named Leo Oestreicher. He was known for his portrait and landscape photography and especially for post cards. His career started in the 1930s and he died in 1990. These slides contain a lot of landscape and portrait photos but also a lot of photos from day to day life and various vacations around the world. Here's an article on him from 1997 which is the only info I have found on him: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/jan/04/photos-of-a-lifetime-museum-acquisition-of-leo/

Many of these slides had the date they were processed stamped or printed on them. I've found that in cases where I could verify the date, that this date has typically been the same month the photos were taken. In other words, I expect that in MOST cases these photos were taken relatively near the processing date.

Click the link below to also see versions processed with color restoration and Digital ICE which is a hardware based dust and scratch remover, a feature of the Epson V600 scanner I am using. There are also versions processed with the simpler dust removal option along with color restoration.

All of the photos in this set are unlabeled and undated but are likely from the late 1950s or early 1960s. All of these are versions of the images processed with color correction and Digital ICE. Without that they consisted of barely discernible shades of red. I'm not sure what is going on in the first photo but I know it looks too cold to be in a tent. I believe the second photo is from Alaska as the building to the left looks like part of University of Alaska at Fairbanks. The third and fourth feature bees and are definitely in a geographically different location, either in Florida or somewhere else in the Southeast.










The entire collection that has been scanned and uploaded so far can also be found here.

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Byte (August 1985)

Byte (August 1985)

Friday, November 8, 2024

Compute!’s Gazette (December 1984)

Compute!’s Gazette (December 1984)

Compute!'s Gazette was the most successful spinoff of the more general Compute! magazine. It covered 8-bit Commodore computers. For most of its life that really meant the Commodore 64 and 128 but in 1984 it was mostly the VIC-20 and Commodore 64. The December 1984 issue includes:

Features

  • What if...? - A feature on simulation games. Games covered here include Ringside Seat (a boxing sim), various Avalon Hill battle simulations, SSI's Rails West! (puts you in the role of a railroad baron), various chess games, and more.

  • Electronic Trivia - Trivial Pursuit had been released a few years earlier and had become very popular leading greater popularity of computer based trivia games. This article covers some of them including Trivia Arcade, Trivia Fever, Computrivia, Facttactics, Fax, Master Trivia, Trivia Trek, and Trivial Compute.

  • Inside View - An interview with Byron Preiss and Ronald Martinez, software designers for Trillium who create games such as Fahrenheit 451, Rendezvous with Rome, and Dragonworld.

Reviews

  • Microfiler - A cartridge based database system for the Commodore 64.

  • NATO Commander - A strategy game from MicroProse for the Commodore 64 that pits NATO forces against Warsaw Pact forces.

  • Road to Moscow - A strategy game for the Commodore 64 that recreates the Russian/German part of World War II.

Games

  • Cosmic Combat - A type-in Space Invaders style game with versions for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.

  • 3-D Labrynth - A 3D maze game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 in which you must escape the maze (with an optional time limit).


Table of Contents from the December 1984 issue of Compute!'s Gazette

Education/Home Applications

  • Computing For Families: An Adventure in Telecommunications - A look at SkiWriter II, a combination word processor and telecommunications program.

  • Word Guess - A type-in hangman style game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20.

  • Letter Attack - An educational type-in game for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 that teaches typing.

Programming

  • BASIC Magic: A Christmas Assortment - A Christmas themed BASIC tutorial for both the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. Basically a sort of electronic Christmas card with sound.

  • Machine Language for Beginners - This tutorial guides you through creating a customized directory command for the Commodore 64.

  • Hints & Tips - A guide to controlling the keyboard buffer on the VIC-20 and Commodore 64.

  • Auto Line - A type-in program that will automatically number the lines in a BASIC program.

Departments

  • The Editor's Notes - A summary of recent happenings at Commodore as well as a look ahead to the year to come.

  • Gazette Feedback - Letters from readers about reducing disk drive chatter when using copy protected disks, typing in programs on the VIC-20, programming the SID, cooling the 1540 and 1541 disk drives, and more.

  • Simple Answers to Common Questions - Questions answered about converting Atari BASIC programs to the Commodore 64 and transferring files between the Commodore 64 and IBM PC via and RS-232C interface,
  • Horizons 64 - A guide to drawing on the Commodore 64 including a look at programs like Tech Sketch and Peripheral Vision as well as options for controllers including a mouse, light pen and KoalaPad among others.


Back cover of the December 1984 issue of Compute!'s Gazette

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/11/08/computes-gazette-december-1984/

Monday, November 4, 2024

PC World (July 1985)

PC World (July 1985)

PC World was one of two PC magazines that really dominated in the 1980s and 1990s (the other being PC Magazine). The July 1985 issue includes:

Community

  • The DOS Drivers - DOS 3.10 had just recently been released and this article takes a look at Microsoft's future plans for DOS including new networking features and more.

  • PC World Advanced Users Quiz - If you know things such as what the default disk drive is, which CPU the PC AT uses, and what a bootstrap loader is then you might be a PC expert.

Review

  • Inside Modems - A look at internal 1200bps modems for the PC. Models reviewed here include the Qubic PC212A 1200, Cermetek Info-Mate 212PC, Microcom Era 2, Bizcomp Intellimodem XL, IDEA-Comm 1200, Novation Smart-Cat Plus, AST Reach!, and Hayes 1200B. Prices range from $149 to $549, however, lower priced models often had difficulty interoperating with other brands at high speeds.
  • Corona at the Speed of Light - A review of the Corona LP-300 laser printer.

  • Better and True BASICs - A look at two new BASIC implementations, including TrueBASIC and True BASIC.


Table of Contents from the July 1985 issue of PC World

PCjr World

  • The PCjr Survival Kit - IBM announced and end to the production of the PCjr in March 1985. This article provides advice for finding PCjr software, peripherals, service and support.

State of the Art

  • Advanced Screening - A look at the latest in flat screen technology including LCDs, plasma, EL, and flat CRT technology.

Hands On

  • Fraternizing With Framework - A detailed look at Framework, widely considered to be the first all-in-one office suite for the PC.

  • Transfer of Power - A look at creating menuing systems with Keyworks.


Table of Contents from the July 1985 issue of PC World (continued)

Departments

  • David Bunnell -How to become an advanced PC user.

  • REMark - The rise and fall of the PC's founder, Don Estridge. He was responsible for bringing IBM into the consumer world with the PC but also responsible for disasters such as the PCjr.

  • John C. Dvorak - Large companies vs. small in the PC world.

  • Letters - Letters from readers about IBM advertising, parking hard drives in portable computers, accounting software, data management, and more.


Back cover of the July 1985 issue of PC World

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/11/04/pc-world-july-1985/

Friday, October 25, 2024

Computer Shopper (November 1990)

Computer Shopper (November 1990)

This issue of Computer shopper weighs in at nearly 900 pages. How many people have even seen a magazine with 900 pages? For a while, Computer Shopper was regularly publishing these telephone book sized issues. While there were tons of ads, there was tons of great content too. It's amazing how consolidated the computer market has become since the heyday of Computer Shopper. The November 1990 issue includes:

Features

  • 80386SX Systems: Limo or Lemon - The difference between the 386 (or 386DX as it would become) and the 386SX was that the DX was fully 32-bit while the SX was 32-bit internally and 16-bit externally. This meant that theoretically that the DX could access more memory (up to 4GB vs. 16MB for the SX) and that memory access was much faster. The memory limit difference made little difference as few people ever put as much as even 16MB in a 386. The memory access speed was a much bigger deal. Clock for clock, the 386 DX was about 33% faster than a 286. The 386 SX was actually slightly slower at the same clock speed than a 286. 386SX systems were cheaper though and this article compares four systems including the CompuAdd 320s, Swan 386SX, Sunnytech STI 386SX-16, and MicroLab 386/168. All systems came with 40 MB hard drive and memory ranging from 1 MB to 4 MB. Prices ranged from about about $1700 to about $2900.

  • Exploding the Myth of the Mail-Order Market - There was a time when the mail order market for computers was a risky endeavor. However, even by 1990, there were many reliable vendors.

  • Mail-Order Buying: All About Delays - One person's experience with endless delays when purchasing a variety of products via mail order.

  • Tightrope Walking - Concerns with buying a computer from little-known manufacturers.

Buyer's Guide

  • 24-Pin Dot Matrix Printers: Still Kicking After All These Years - For a long time, dot-matrix printers were the only affordable printer options for the average person. Eventually ink jet would come along and replace them but it took a while. In the dot-matrix world, there were 9-pin and 24-pin printers with 24-bin being the better quality (and more expensive) option.

  • 24-Pin Printers: Technology Overview - A look at how 24-pin dot matrix printers work, or really dot matrix printers in general.

  • Comparison Charts - A comparison of 50 different 24-pin dot matrix printers. Prices range from $449 to $3595.

Software

  • State of the Apps: Presentation Graphics - An overview of presentation software including Applause II from Ashton-Tate (DOS), Lotus' Freelance Plus (DOS), PowerPoint 2.01 from Microsoft (Macintosh), and Aldus Persuasion (Macintosh).

  • Games - Reviews of Ishido: The Way of Stones (DOS, Amiga, Macintosh), Hoyle's Book of Games II: Solitaire (DOS, Amiga), Blue Angels Formation Flight Simulation (DOS, Amiga, Commodore 64), and Railroad Tycoon (DOS).

  • New Stuff - A look at some new products including the ATFAX 9600 ($249 9600bps fax/modem board), Pocket Modem (2400bps modem), Envision It (a $399 tracing, shape recognition and raster-to-vector conversion program for DOS), RapidTax (tax software for DOS), and more.


Table of Contents from the November 1990 issue of Computer Shopper

IBM

  • Charles Bermant - Commentary on how the current age would be the most chronicled in history due to the personal computer.

  • IBM News - Gilbert Hyatt to be awarded to patent on the microprocessor; Intex updates products for new version of Lotus 1-2-3; QuarkXPress 3.0 shipping for $795; and more.

  • Northgate OmniKey Ultra - A PC, XT, AT, and PS/2 compatible keyboard for $149.

  • Spear 80386SX: A Well-To-Do Commoner - A customized 16 MHz 386SX based machine for $3390.

  • Home on the Range with Cote Computers 386/20 - A 20MHz 386DX based system with 4MB of RAM, 64K cache, 200 watt power supply, 40MB Quantum IDE hard drive, ATI Wonder Super VGA with 512K, and more for $3077.

  • Micro Express Regal 386LX Lunchbox: Raison D'etre? - A portable 16 MHz 386SX based machine with a 40MB Conner IDE hard drive, Teac 3.5-inch 1.44MB floppy drive, 1MB RAM, and a super EGA 640x400 gas plasma screen for $2599.

  • Canon's LBP-8 Mark III Laser Printer: A New Standard Emerges - The latest laser printer from Canon for $2995.

  • What Can You Get for $5,000 - For $4897 from CompuAdd you get a 25 MHz 386 based computer with 2MB RAM, 1.2MB 2.5-inch disk drive, 1.44MB 3.5-inch disk drive, and a 150Mb ESDI hard drive among other things.

  • IBM's LaserPrinter E: Turning New Ground - A $1495 laser printer from IBM that can be upgraded to support postscript ($499 with 17 fonts, $899 with 39 fonts) and faster speeds ($1099 to go to 10-ppm from 5-ppm), and more.

  • Ampro's Little Board/386: The World's Smallest Computer - A 20-MHz 386 based machine that is only 5.75x8 inches for $1695. It also is expandable via mini-modules to add things like modems, networking, etc.

  • Big League Teleprompting on Your IBM PC with Econo-Prompt - $40 teleprompting software for DOS. Included in the article is a design for a teleprompting box you can build yourself.

  • QEdit Text Editors: Small Size, High Quality - A look at two versions of this simple text editor. QEdit Advanced 2.1 and QEdit TSR 1.1.

  • PopDrop Plus: RAM-Cram Manager - A TSR manager that lets you load and unload TSRs from active memory as you need them.

  • Off-Track? The PC-Trac Trackball - A review of this somewhat flawed trackball controller for PCs. I know a guy where I work that still prefers to use a trackball to a mouse.


Table of Contents from the November 1990 issue of Computer Shopper (continued)

Macintosh

  • Steven Bobker - The dearth of serial ports on the Mac and ways to add more.

  • Mac News - New Macs reach retail shelves including the Macintosh Classic, Mac IIsi, and Mac LC; Northgate exists Mac keyboard market; dBASE IV 1.1 released; and more.

  • MathCAD And Theorist: Two Math Problem-Solvers - A look at two math software packages for the Mac.

  • atOnce! for the Macintosh - Accounting software designed for small businesses.

  • Abaton 300/GS: Almost the Supreme Scanner - A monochrome flatbed scanner for $1595.

  • MacRIP and Freedom of Press: PostScript Without the Price Tag - Freedom of Press offers 35 fonts for PostScript printing on more than 50 different printers. MacRIP is similar but comes with fewer fonts (17) and more limitations (like lack of color printing for most fonts).

  • Rodime Cobra Hard Drives: Take a Bite Out of Your Storage Requirements - The Cobra series of drives is available in a variety of capacities including 45, 70, 100, 210, 330, and 650MB. The 100MB external model is looked at here ($1949).

Unix

  • Saul Lubkin - A look at the kinds of changes that had to be made to port Norton Utilities to Unix.

  • Unix News - Report titled "Technical Guide to Unix Engineering Workstations" released which compares 119 workstations; Sun positions SPARCstation as direct competitor to high end PCs; and more.

Amiga

  • Peggy Herrington - A look at the new Amiga CDTV.

  • Amiga News - Delays with NewTek's video Toaster for the Amiga 2000/2500 and more.

  • The Art Department: Amiga Graphics Go Pro - A image-conversion and processing utility for the Amiga.

Misc.

  • Feedback Forum - Letters from readers about IBM vs. clones, discontinuation of Apple II coverage, the PC3 portable computer, and more.

  • Ask Dr. John - Questions answered about upgrading from the Epson FX-80 to an HP LaserJet, getting two computers to communicate via LapLink, printing special characters, and more.

  • Coming Events - A list of upcoming computer shows/fairs. There are 17 listed here for November and early December. i don't think these sorts of things even exist anymore.


Back cover of the November 1990 issue of Computer Shopper
Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/10/25/computer-shopper-november-1990/

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Info (October 1991)

Info (October 1991)

At this point, the name of the magazine was .info for Amiga Users though it went through slightly different variations over the years. It used to cover the Commodore 64 but was Amiga only by this time. One of the unique aspects of this magazine was that it was produced using only Commodore equipment. The October 1991 issue includes:

ProVisions

  • Video - A guide to setting up an Amiga based video studio. Includes coverage of encoders, genlocks, monitors, digitizing and scanning, video tape editing controllers, single-frame controllers, and more.

  • Graphics - A look at a HAM mode paint program called Spectracolor. This was basically a new version of Photon Paint.

  • MultiMedia - A look at some software available for the CDTV including World Vista, Timeline of Science and Innovation, and Illustrated Works of Shakespeare.

.info technical support

  • UNIX: Is It For You? - The first in a two part series on UNIX for the Amiga.

  • ARexx and the Happy Haikuer - Using ARexx to generate Haikus on the Amiga.

  • Memory Alignment and BPTRS - Machine language math programming on the Amiga and all about the special pointers (BPTR and BSTR) that AmigaDOS uses.


Table of Contents from the October 1991 issue of Info

Columns

  • Public Domain - Several public domain collections are covered here including Cranware #161 (includes StarChart), Chiron Astronomical Pak (a five disk package including various astronomical programs), Barbara's Choice #9257 (Star Trek sounds and more), MGH #198 (Madelbrot designs and more), and MGHSoft Music Demos (a collection of more than 100 demo disks).

  • Hardware - This month is focused on Amiga 500 expansion. Covered products include Xetec's FastTrak system (a SCSI adapter with up to 8 MB of expansion RAM), GVP's A500-HD+ (includes memory expansion and hard drive options), and the DataFlyer 500 (SCSI hard drive adapter). All of these are tested here with a 52MB Quantum hard drive.

  • CyberPlay - A look at some of the latest Amiga games including Moonbase, Fast Eddie's Pool & Billiards, The Amazing Spiderman, The Cardinal of the Kremlin, Team Yankee, MegaTraveller I: The Zhodani Conspiracy, King's Bounty, Brigade Commander, and King's Quest.

Departments

  • .info Monitor - An optimistic view of what the CDTV could become.

  • Mail - Mail from readers about emulation on the Amiga 500, choosing the Amiga over the Atari ST, and more.

  • New Products - A look at new Amiga related products including Activa Software's Real3D modelling/raytracing/animation package, Mail-O-Dex Professional address book software, the A2410 1024x1024 display card for the A3000UX, the KB-Talker PC/AT keyboard to Amiga adapter, Distant Suns 4.0 astronomical program, the SupraModem 9600 (9600bps for only $699.96!), Comeau C++, and more.


Back cover of the October 1991 issue of Info

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/10/23/info-october-1991/

Saturday, October 19, 2024

Computer Gaming World (December 1987)

Computer Gaming World (December 1987)

Computer Gaming World was really the best computer gaming magazine available for most of its life. In its earlier days it covered multiple platforms but eventually became a PC only magazine. The December 1987 issue includes:

Features

  • Plundered Hearts - A run-through of Plundered Hearts, an adventure game from Infocom which is sort of a spoof on pirate romance.

  • The Electronic Gridiron - A survey of the various computerized football games available at the time. Games covered here include 4th & Inches, GFL Championship Football, Gridiron, Football, Head Coach, Mac Pro Football, Super Bowl Sunday, 3-in-1 Football, Instant Replay, Computer Quarterback, and NFL Challenge.

  • 1987 CGW Game of the Year Awards - The 1987 Computer Gaming World Game of the Year awards were presented at DragonCon where there was also discussion of the future of computer gaming and a gaming tournament. Award winners include The Bard's Tale II (Electronic Arts), Starflight (Electronic Arts), Leather Goddesses of Phobos (Infocom), Trinity (Infocom), Might and Magic (New World Computing), Hardball (Accolade), Marble Madness (Electronic Arts), Earl Weaver Baseball (Electronic Arts), Sinbad and the Throne of the Falcon (Cinemaware), Gunship (Microprose), Defender of the Crown (Cinemaware), Under Fire! (Avalon Hill), Balance of Power (Mindscape), BattleCruiser (SSI), Gettysburg (SSI), Battlefront (SSG), and the overall winner, Ultima IV (Origin).

  • Project: Stealth Fighter - A review of this combat flight simulator for the Commodore 64/128.

  • Beyond Zork - Review of this classic adventure game from Infocom for a variety of systems. This was one of the last games in the long running Zork series of interactive fiction games.


Table of Contents from the December 1987 issue of Computer Gaming World

Departments

  • Editorial - An overview of recent changes to the magazine including both content and layout changes as CGW moved to an IBM AT and desktop publishing.

  • Taking A Peek - Previews of new and upcoming games including Thunderchopper (Apple II, Commodore 64), Wings of Fury (Apple II), California Dreams (Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amiga), Vegas Gambler (Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amiga, Apple IIgs, DOS), Shirley Muldowney's Top Fuel Challenge (Commodore 64), Dark Lord (Apple II, Commodore 64), Force 7 (Commodore 64), Tomahawk (Atari, Commodore 64), Street Sports Basketball (Apple II, Commodore 64, DOS), Heartland (Commodore 64), Silicon Dreams (Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, DOS), Solar Star (Atari), Plutos (Amiga), Terrorpods (Amiga, Atari ST), 3D Helicopter Simulator (Dos), Thexder (DOS), Connect (DOS), and Halls of Montezuma (Apple II, Commodore 64).


Back cover of the December 1987 issue of Computer Gaming World

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/10/19/computer-gaming-world-december-1987/

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

PC World (September 1997)

PC World (September 1997)

As can be seen by the page count at nearly 400 pages, the late 1990s were probably near the height of popularity for PC World. This is probably true of most computer related magazines (PC ones anyway). The September 1997 issue of PC World includes:

Cover Story

  • Windows 98: A Convenience You Can Live With...Or Without - A first look at Windows 98. At the time, it wasn't seen as a major upgrade over Windows 95.

Features

  • Inside Office 97 - Tips for the new Office 97 including how to mix and matchi Office 97 and Office 95 files, removing unneeded components, and much more.

  • Bigger Is Better - At the time, you basically had a choice between 15-inch, 17-inch and 21-inch CRT monitors. 15-inch monitors were for bargain hunters while 21-inch monitors were extremely expensive. 17-inch was the sweet spot and this round-up includes a variety of 17-inch monitors including the IBM P70, Liyama VisonMaster Pro 17, Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 87TXM, ViewSonic PT775, Samsung SyncMaster 700b, Princeton Graphics Systems E075, Dell UltraScan 1000HS, Compaq V70, Hansol Multitech 17PX and Sony CPD-220VS. Prices ranged from $638 to $899.

  • What a Pain! The First Six Months of Owning a PC - An article that follows the adventures (and misadventures) of 25 new PC buyers.


Table of Contents from the September 1997 issue of PC World

Special Report

  • Servers With Room To Grow - A look at low cost workgroup servers. At the top of the list is the Digital Prioris MX 6200 SMP. It includes a Pentium Pro-200 (expandable to dual processors), up to 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage with up to 36 GB (4 x 9 GB) for $5300. Others looked at here include the Compaq ProLiant 800, HP NetServer LD Pro 6/180, HP NetServer LH Pro 6/200, and HP NetServer E 40 6/200.

  • Eight Ways to Work Across The Web - A look at various software that helps you to collaborate with others over the web.

Top of the News

  • 56-kbps Illusions: High Speed Access Not as Advertised - At this point in time, there were two competing 56K modem standards, one from U.S. Robotics and one from Rockwell/Lucent, and not all ISPs supported both...or either.

  • The NetPC Arrives: Back to the Future for User Control - The NetPC concept was for typically lower end PCs in a small form factor with limited upgrade potential and sometimes missing floppy and optical drives or missing local storage altogether...but were easier for businesses to manage.
  • USB Gives You a Rough Ride - The early days of USB on Windows 95 was not a great experience. Hot swapping frequently caused problems as did driver support.


Table of Contents from the September 1997 issue of PC World (continued)

New Products

  • Digital 6166K AMD K6 system, USA Flex 6x86MX-PR200 Cyrix 6x86MX system - A look at two machines with non-Intel Pentium MMX class processors. While these systems tended to be cheaper than their Pentium counterparts and even sometimes faster for certain tasks, they tended to be slower (sometimes much slower) for FPU intensive tasks including multimedia and games.

  • CSA-6700 USB add-in card - A $59 add-in card that provides your system with two USB ports.

  • Gateway 2000 G6-266XL PC - Featuring a Pentium II-266 CPU, 64MB of RAM, 9 GB SCSI hard drive, 21-inch monitor, 64-bit 3-D graphics card, and a 56K modem for $5128 this was a very high end but expensive PC. A couple of months later I would get a Gateway machine with a 300 MHz Pentium II and 32 GB of RAM for less than $3000.

  • Toshiba PDR-2 digital camera - A 640x480 digital camera designed to work with a PC Card slot for $499.

  • Reunion online BBS/chat rooms - Software that allows you to host chats and browsable bulletin boards on your PC.

Top 100

  • Power Desktops - At the top of the list this month is the Dell Dimension XPS H266. My favorite on the list is in 3rd place, the Gateway 2000 G6-233. It features a Pentium II 233 MHz processor, 3.2 GB hard drive, 64 MB RAM, STB Virge 4MB 3D PCI video card, 16x CD-ROM drive and more for $2899. I would own a slightly later revision with a 333 MHz CPU.

  • Budget Desktops - At the top of this list is the Dell Dimension XPS M166s featuring a Pentium 166MMX processor, 32 MB RAM, Matrox Millennium II video card and 12x CD-ROM drive for $2199.

  • Notebooks - At the top of the power list is the WinBook FX featuring a Pentium 166MMX CPU for $3999. At the top of the budget list is the Compaq Armada 15200M featuring a Pentium 133 CPU for $2199.

  • 17-inch Monitors - The top monitor this month is the liyama VisionMaster Pro 17 for $698.


Table of Contents from the September 1997 issue of PC World (continued)

Here's How

  • Answer Line - How to reinstall Windows 95, upgrade telnet, and piggyback modems for faster speeds.

  • Windows Tips - Speed up Windows 95 load time, 'send to folder" functionality for Windows 3.1, Windows 95 safe mode, and more.

  • Internet Tips - Using web auction sites, protecting passwords and privacy, and more.

At Home

  • Home Products - A look at the Panasonic EggCam, Corel Family Tree Suite genealogy software, and more.

  • Top 5 Home PCs - At the top of this list is the Dell Dimension XPS M233s featuring a Pentium MMX-233, 32MB of SDRAM, and more for $2379.

Departments

  • Up Front - Advice on whether or not to upgrade to Windows 98.

  • Letters - Letters from readers on 56K modems, AOL, the PC98 initiative, Adobe Illustrator, and more.


Back cover of the September 1997 issue of PC World

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/10/15/pc-world-september-1997/

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Commodore Microcomputers (November/December 1984)

Commodore Microcomputers (November/December 1984)

Commodore had a number of official publications over the years. Well, really there were two, and then one, and they went through a couple of different name changes. In 1984, Commodore Microcomputers was covering at least the Commodore 64, VIC-20, and Plus/4 (which had a very short commercial life). The November/December 1984 issue includes:

Departments

  • Industry News - A look at the 1984 Summer Consumer Electronics Show. This year was dominated by software and hardware for the Commodore 64.

Understanding Your Computer

  • Technical Tips - A list of disk and DOS wedge commands for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. Plus a memory map for the Plus/4 and C-16.

  • Telecommunications - All about BBS systems including what they are, who runs them, what you can do on them, and much more.

Reviews

  • Music Construction Set - An excellent music composition program from Electronic Arts for the Commodore 64.

  • Studio 64 and Add Mus'in - This software package allows you to easily add sound and music to your own BASIC programs.


Table of Contents from the November/December 1984 issue of Commodore Microcomputers

Features

  • Physics of Sound: how Computers Make Music - A look into the technical details on how computers are able to generate music.

  • MIDI: A Marriage of Convenience - MIDI, which stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, was still relatively new at the time. It is the standard by which instruments can communicate with computers.

  • Ryo Kawasaki: Sonic Innovator - A musician who also developed software for the Commodore 64 including Kawasaki Synthesizer and Kawasaki Rhythm Rocker.

Using your Computer

  • Business - How the Commodore 64 became the star of a cable TV show called The Program Critic Computer Show.

  • Education: Special Supplement - A complete list of the educational software available for the Commodore 64 (no doubt out of date by the time it was printed), contact information for educational software vendors, and much more about the Commodore 64 in the education market.


Back cover of the November/December 1984 issue of Commodore Microcomputers

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/10/03/commodore-microcomputers-november-december-1984/

Sunday, September 29, 2024

MacAddict (April 1998)

MacAddict (April 1998)

I was never really a Mac person but if I had been, this is the magazine I would have read. It reminds me of boot/Maximum PC on the PC side. Also, Macs make great retro machines offering the most accessible architecture alternative to x86 with their 68000 and later PowerPC processors. The April 1998 issue of MacAddict includes:

Highlights

  • The Microsoft Office Makeover - A look at Microsoft 98 which was a major update to the suite for the Macintosh platform.

  • When Worlds Kaleidoscope - a guide to Kaleidoscope, a utility that let you customize the Mac OS desktop in a variety of ways.


Table of Contents from the April 1998 issue of MacAddict

How To

  • Publicize Your Web Site - Using bots to help publicize your web site. These days you just have to obey the Google gods of SEO.

  • Know It All About Type and Creator Codes - Type and creator codes are specific file properties used on the Mac that responsible for determining things like default applications, icons, etc.


Table of Contents from the April 1998 issue of MacAddict (continued)

Every Month

  • Editor's Note - An introduction to a new editor and changes to the magazine.

  • Letters - Letters from readers about the "It's a Wonderful Mac" movie included with a previous issue (on disc), Apple decor, and more.

  • Get Info - A look at Apple's finances, Rhapsody applications, recent 3D graphics and animations packages (some of which are ports from the Amiga) such as Lightwave 3D, Cinema XL, and others.

  • Cravings - A look at new gadgets (software and hardware) including the bluVenom anti-theft device, Orb 2.1 GB disk system, TK11 145 piece Deluxe Tool Kit from Curtis, Surf Express web caching software, Ray Gun audio editor, and more.


Back Cover of the April 1998 issue of MacAddict

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/09/29/macaddict-april-1998/

Friday, September 27, 2024

Computer Shopper (January 1987)

Computer Shopper (January 1987)

In 1987, Computer Shopper still hadn't peaked yet and the page count was not as high as it would become. This issue still has over 400 pages though. I've mostly thought of Computer Shopper as a PC oriented magazine and for the most part it was. However, during the 1980s especially, it covered a wide variety of machines, even those that were by this time out of date and no longer old (like the TI-99/4a, Timex/Sinclair, etc.). The January 1987 issue includes:

Articles

  • Hyundai Bets Its Blue Chip On Retail Distribution - Hyundai's plans to export PC clones to the U.S. Market via Blue Chip Electronics of Chandler, Arizona. Apparently, Blue Chip retail stores primarily sold Commodore and Atari systems up until this point. However, as far as I can recall, Hyundai was not particularly successful in the computer market. The Blue Chip XT with a monochrome monitor could be had for about $800.

  • What's new in 1987: A look Ahead - Computer Shopper's list of top things coming in 1987 include cheaper laser printers, cheaper RAM, cheaper hard drives, CD-ROM and WORM drives, and the arrival of 386-based computers.

IBM MS-DOS

  • NEC MultiSpeed: The Fastest Laptop Yet - The NEC MultiSpeed is based on the V30 CPU that runs at 4.77 MHz and 9.54 MHz. It includes 512K of RAM, two 720K 3.5" disk drives, and a detachable 80 column by 25 line black and white LCD for $1995.

  • 80386 Computers Star At Comdex - While Compaq's 386 based PC had been out several months at this point, many other manufacturers introduced their 386 clones at the 1987 COMDEX.

  • Timeslips - A time and billing system for the PC. While web based, the system I have to use today isn't really all that different in terms of functionality.

  • How To Build An AT - A guide to building your own PC-AT compatible machine for less than $2000 (as opposed to the $7000 cost of an IBM PC AT).

  • INT.EXE - Listing Your Interrupt Vectors - A program written in Microsoft C Version 4.0 that lists interrupt info on your PC.

  • Prodesign II CAD System - A review of this CAD package for PC. Hardware requirements include a PC with at least 512K of RAM, two floppy drives (or hard drive), and a printer or plotter.

  • Surprise 286! - An expansion board for PC XT compatibles that basically upgrades the CPU to a 7.2 MHz 286. It includes 8K of cache memory and a socket for a 287 math co-processor.

  • Niceprint Hail A New Classic! - Niceprint is software that adds new capability to your dot matrix printer such as additional fonts, more control (e.g. you can do sideways printing), and more.

  • Latest PC-Write (2.7) - The latest version of the PC-Write word processor is trad-off of more features but more complexity.

  • Carousel! Software to Multiply Memory 10 Times - Carousel! is essentially a DOS virtual memory system for PC XTs and ATs.

  • Megatel's Quark: PC On A Half Shell - A small single-board computer that includes a 10-MHz 8088 CPU, 512K of RAM, and other typical features of a PC XT.

  • Stamps World Program - Software to help you manage your stamp collection.

  • Too Much Computerized AUTOmation? - A look at new monitors that automatically detect the graphics signal (monochrome, CGA, EGA, etc.) and sets the right display mode. Unfortunately, at this time, there was a lot of software incompatibility.

  • Innovention's SideClock - A clock/calendar expansion for your PC that snaps onto an expansion slot but still allows you to use that slot for other purposes.

  • Before DOS - Recollections - A look back at the pre-DOS world of computers (mostly CP/M). At this point in time, DOS was only about 5 years old.

  • Menu Relief for IBM/Compatibles - A look at a program called Menu Ease which allows you to create custom menus for starting your DOS based programs.


Table of Contents from the January 1987 issue of Computer Shopper

Tandy

  • TRSCROSS Disk/File Transfer Utility - A DOS based utility that lets you read and write TRS-80 format disks.

  • CoCo 3 - Alive On Arrival - A brief look at the then brand new CoCo 3 from Tandy/Radio Shack.

  • CoCo 3 - Another Opinion - Another look at the CoCo 3 looking at things such as compatibility with the CoCo 2 hardware and software and the new features specific to the Coco 3.

Apple

  • Ask The Guru - Quick looks at Passport (a program for converting Apple II files on the Macintosh), the LaserWriter Plus and other laser printers, Apple IIgs compatibility problems, and more.

  • Colossus Chess IV Popular Computer Chess Program - A look at this chess program for the Apple II and Commodore 64.

  • The Ditgital Talking Clock - A program written in Applesoft BASIC that will make your Practical Peripherals ProClock (or other ProDOS compatible clock) talk.

Macintosh

  • MacUniverse - Question about Apple's parts policy, a look at a terrible spell checker called Spellnow, and more.

  • New SCIS External Hard DRives - Rodime releases new Rodime 20 Plus and 45 Plus external hard drives for $1295 (20 MB) and $$1695 (45 MB) respectively.

Commodore

  • PC2COM: An IBM to Commodore Interface Standard - The second part in a series on building an inexpensive parallel adapter to allow communications between a PC and Commodore 64 equipment.

  • Some Commodore Buys For 1986 - Some of the best recent hardware and software for the Commodore 64/128 including the Model 1670 1200 Baud Modem, Commodore Model 1700 and 1750 RAM Expansion cartridges, MIDI Magic, BASIC 128 from Abacus, X-10 Powerhouse, and more.

  • Just Another Day In Mudanesville - A look at Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

Amiga

  • The Amiga Workbench - A look at recent games and other software for the Amiga including The Pawn, Chessmaster 2000, MaxiPlan, and more.

  • The Amiga: A Computer For The Right Hemisphere - How the Amiga's graphics and sound capabilities make it a right brain computer.

  • Logistix and Superbase Personal - Logistix is a spreadsheet program comparable to Lotus 1-2-3 while Superbase is a database program (a variation of which I had on my Commodore 64).

  • Organize - Database - Another database program for the Amiga.

Atari

  • Applying The Atari - Questions answered about modifying some Atari BASIC assembly routines, getting your printer to print in cursive, and more.

Atari ST

  • Hacking The ST - A tutorial for using the Setscreen call and switching the display area.

  • Degas Elite From Batteries Included - A review of this paint program for the Atari ST.

  • CP/M For The Atari ST - An emulator that allows you to run CP/M programs on your Atari ST.

  • Atari ST vs. Amiga Round 2: The ST Is Superior - Part of an ongoing debate about the Atari ST vs. The Amiga. I mean, I think it is safe to say that the Amiga was superior in almost every way except perhaps when it came to MIDI, and depending on the exact time period, price.

Sanyo

  • Market Trend Analyzer - A Microsoft BASIC program to analyze market trends for the Sanyo 55X or IBM PC (or presumably any compatible).

  • Sanyo/IBM WordFun! Is Fun - A combination of two word games designed for the IBM PC but also works on the Sanyo MBC 550.

Texas Instruments

  • TI Forum - New EPROM available for the Foundation 128K memory expansion card that allows it to work with Myarc Extended BASIC II software; A type-in game called CINVADERS; a look back at the TI-99/2; and more.

Heath/Zenith

  • Expanding Your Heath/Zenith PC-Compatible - A guide to adding a software speed selector tot he PC-Sprint turbo board for both the PC and H/Z-150.

  • Mouse Menus for Hard Disk Use - The process of installing a hard drive, controller and indicator light, and changing the cluster size on the Heath/Zenith 150 PC plus. Then what the name of article mentions, setting up a mouse controlled menu to launch programs from the hard drive.

Timex/Sinclair

  • Sinclair Survival Column - A guide to SuperBASIC on the Sinclair QL.

Miscellaneous

  • UNIX Operating System Case Study - This article starts with a history of UNIX and continues with a guide to UNIX that includes standard features, process creation, file system, process termination, I/O system and more.
  • Modula-2 - A guide to the Modula-2 programming language.

  • XENIX To AT&T Unix System V Release 3 - IBM reaches agreement with AT&T to use the features from Unix System V Release 3 in Xenix.

  • Stan Veit's History - Computer Camelot - The story of the Computer Mart of New York which when it opened it had 500 square ft. of space and included an inventory of five Sphere computers (mostly in kit form), five IMSAI computers, some 19-inch video monitors, one used Teletype ASR 33 and various computer books and magazine.

  • Toshiba's PageLaser 12 - A laser printer from Toshiba that is 50% faster than most similar printers for $3499.

  • Kodak Unveils 14-inch Optical Disk Technology - This large (larger than a music record) optical disk format could hold up to 6.8 GB of data.


Back cover of January 1987 issue of Computer Shopper

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/09/27/computer-shopper-january-1987/

Vintage Photos - Oestreicher (1321-1324)

See the previous post in this series here.

I had the opportunity to pick up a huge batch of slides a while back. These pictures span from as early as the late 1940s to as late as the early 1990s. These came to me second hand but the original source was a combination of estate sales and Goodwill. There are many thousands of these slides. I will be scanning some from time to time and posting them here for posterity.

Getting your pictures processed as slides used to be pretty common but it was a phenomenon I missed out on. However, my Grandfather had a few dozen slides from the late 1950s that I acquired after he died. That along with having some negatives I wanted to scan is what prompted me to buy a flatbed scanner that could handle slides and negatives, an Epson V600. It can scan up to four slides at a time with various post-processing options and does a decent enough job.

This set continues a large batch of slides that originally came from an estate sale and appear to have belonged to a locally well known photographer (or perhaps a friend or family member) from the Spokane Washington area and later Northern Idaho named Leo Oestreicher. He was known for his portrait and landscape photography and especially for post cards. His career started in the 1930s and he died in 1990. These slides contain a lot of landscape and portrait photos but also a lot of photos from day to day life and various vacations around the world. Here's an article on him from 1997 which is the only info I have found on him: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/jan/04/photos-of-a-lifetime-museum-acquisition-of-leo/

Many of these slides had the date they were processed stamped or printed on them. I've found that in cases where I could verify the date, that this date has typically been the same month the photos were taken. In other words, I expect that in MOST cases these photos were taken relatively near the processing date.

Click the link below to also see versions processed with color restoration and Digital ICE which is a hardware based dust and scratch remover, a feature of the Epson V600 scanner I am using. There are also versions processed with the simpler dust removal option along with color restoration.

These are all likely from the late 1950s with the second photo being labeled 1957. There have been other slides labeled "Mom & Will" and "White Pines" in a previous set and were probably taken at the same places and times. The cars seen in most of these photos certainly help to date them. These slides were in pretty rough shape and all of these are versions of the images processed with color correction and Digital ICE.


Mom & Will


Mom & Grandma - 1957


White Pines




The entire collection that has been scanned and uploaded so far can also be found here.

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Maximum PC (December 2001)

Maximum PC (December 2001)

Maximum PC was by far my favorite computer magazine. It also survived longer than most with publication only ceasing a couple of years ago. When it was first introduced (in 1998 I believe) it was called boot. It was a magazine for enthusiasts and it reminded me a bit of MacAddict which was a similar sort of thing for Mac users. The December 2001 issue includes:

Regulars

  • In/Out - Letters from readers about Hot Tamales (the candy), teen stereotypes, overclocking videocards, the G550, Windows XP, online privacy, gaming as a driver of the PC industry, and more.

  • Quick Start - How September 11th changed PC gaming; IBM's CPU of the Future, the dual core POWER4; Windows XP optimization tips; Intel's plans for a 20 GHz chip; new Treo phones; wireless print server device that turns HP printers into wireless printers; mobile Pentium 4 to be introduced at 1.5 GHz and use DDR RAM; and more.

  • Head2Head - A detailed comparison of the Pentium 4 2GHz and Athlon XP 1800+.

  • Watchdog - IBM 75GXP hard drives seem to experience a high rate of failure; MaxGate stops responding to customers; some vendors refuse to support existing hardware with Windows XP drivers; Compaq recalls notebook power adapters; and more.


Table of Contents from of the December 2001 issue of Maximum PC

Reviews

  • Dell Dimension 8200 desktop system - A highly rated $3000 system from Dell that includes a 2GHz Pentium 4, 256 MB RDRAM, nVidia GeForce3 Ti 500, and more.

  • Falcon Northwest Mach V system - A nearly $4000 gaming machine featuring an Athlon XP 1800+, 512 MB DDR RAM, nVidia GeForce3 Ti 500 64MB DDR, and more.

  • TDK veloCD 16/10/40 external CD-RW drive - If you needed an external CD writer then this one was a good one to have.

  • VisionTek Xtacy 6964 videocard - A highly rated video card using the GeForce3 Ti 500 chipset.

  • OCZ Titan 3 videocard - Also highly rated but using the original GeForce 3 chipset.

  • ATI Radeon 7500 videocard - A great card if you were looking for something on a budget.

  • Sony DSC-S85 4.1 megapixel digi-cam - Digital snapshot cameras aren't as popular as they once were but at the time they were far superior to phone cameras which barely existed.

  • Olympus C-4040 4.1 megapixel digi-cam - Both this camera and the Sony model above were pretty average examples of what was available.


Table of Contents from the December 2001 issue of Maximum PC (continued)

Features

  • Gear of the Year - Some winners include the AMD Athlon XP 1800+ (CPU), Cooler Master ATC-101 (case), nVidia GeForce 3 (3D accelerator), Tyan Tiger MP S2460 (motherboard), Plextor PlexWriter 24/10/40 (CD-RW Drive), Pioneer DVR-A03 Recordable DVD/CD Combo (DVD Recorder), Creative Labs Nomad II MG (MP3 Player), Sony Clie PEG-N760C (PDA), Falcon Northwest Mach V (desktop system), Dell Inspiron i8000 (desktop replacement notebook), Sony F520 (monitor), May Payne (game of the year), and lots more.

  • Rigs of the Year - A look at 15 machines custom built by readers with case mods.


Back cover of the December 2001 issue of Maximum PC

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/09/19/maximum-pc-december-2001/

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

GamePro (June 1996)

GamePro (June 1996)

GamePro was one of the most popular gaming magazines of the 1990s. I didn't pick up GamePro very often because there were other magazines I preferred (e.g. Electronic Gaming Monthly) and I didn't have unlimited funds for magazines. GamePro always felt like it had a slightly younger target audience but it was still a solid magazine. The June 1996 issue includes:

FeatureS

  • GamePro Readers' Choice Awards - The best games and systems of the year as determined by readers. Some of the highlights include Myst (Saturn) for best strategy game, Chrono Trigger (SNES) for best role-playing game, Zoop for best puzzle game, PlayStation for best overall system, Ultimate Mortal Kombat for best arcade game, Road Rash 3 (Genesis) for best 16-bit racing sim, Donkey Kong Land (Game Boy) for best handheld game, Destruction Derby (PlayStation) for best next-gen racing game, and Doom (PlayStation) for best next-gen corridor shooter (I guess "first person shooter" wasn't as universal of a term as it would become?). There are a bunch of other categories with each category having several entries.

  • Electronic Entertainment Expo Sneak Previews - Better known as E3, this used to be an important event in the gaming industry. Some new things shown (most still under development at the time) include Star Wars: Shadow of the Empire (Nintendo 64), Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64), Turok Dinosaur Hunter (Nintendo 64), Shredfest (PlayStation, Saturn), Tigershark (PlayStation, PC CD), Pandemonium (PlayStation), Bogey: Dead 6 (PlayStation), Jumping Flash 2 (PlayStation), Dark Forces (PlayStation), Rebel Assault II (PlayStation), Bubsy 3D (PlayStation, Saturn), Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (Saturn), Tomb Raider (Saturn), Gun Griffon (Saturn), X-Perts (Genesis), Vectorman 2 (Genesis), and lots more.

  • War Gods: First Look from the ACME Show - A first look at the War Gods arcade game. This was a new 3D fighter from Midway.


Table of Contents from the June 1996 issue of GamePro

SWATPro Strategy Section

  • Resident Evil PlayStation ProStrategy Guide - A detailed strategy guide for the game that popularized the survival horror genre.

  • Super Mario RPG Super NES ProStrategy Guide - A strategy guide for Super Mario RPG. These guides aren't something you want to use unless you are really stuck. Otherwise, I think they spoil the game.

  • SWATPro - Hints, tips, cheats and more for Bases Loaded '96 (PlayStation), NHL All-Star Hockey (Saturn), Earthworm Jim: Special Edition (Sega CD), Return Fire (3DO), PO'ed (PlayStation), Doom (3DO), ViewPoint (PlayStation), Last Gladiators: Digital Pinball (Saturn), Raiden Project (PlayStation), Shinobi Legends (Saturn), Sega Rally Championship (Saturn), Darius Gaiden (Saturn), Toy Story (Super NES), and more.

  • Lunar II: Eternal Blue (Sega CD) - A guide to reaching both endings in this RPG. I always wanted this (and its predecessor) for the TG-16 CD-ROM but for some reason never got around to playing them.


Table of Contents from the June 1996 issue of GamePro (continued)

Departments

  • Letter from the GamePros - A look at some of the latest changes to the magazine.

  • The Mail - Letters from readers about "palette swap" characters in games, NBA in the Zone, AC adapters for the Sega Nomad, and more.

  • GamePro Gallery - Video game related artwork from readers.

  • Buyers Beware - Questions answered about the shareware version of Duke Nukem 3D, the price of Killer Instinct 2, Squaresoft, XBand keyboard repair, playing old games on new systems, and more.

  • ProNews - Angry mom gets Primal Rage removed from store shelves; Sega, Sony and Nintendo cut console prices; PlayStation sales go over the 1 million mark; new VR baseball game; and more.

  • GamePro Online - Some of the GamePro content you can find on America Online, various web sites, and more.


Back cover from the June 1996 issue of GamePro
...and more!

Read more: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress/index.php/2024/09/17/gamepro-june-1996/