Byte (August 1982)

If you were looking for technical coverage of a variety of computers in the 1980s then Byte was the magazine for you. The August 1982 issue of Byte includes:

Byte (August 1982)

Super NES Buyer's Guide (May 1993)

Super NES Buyer's Guide was a relatively short-lived Super Nintendo specific magazine published by the same people who published EGM. It was very much a Super Nintendo specific version of EGM. However, you didn't get very many pages for the price and at least some of the material was reused from EGM. The first issue was included free with an issue of EGM. The May 1993 issue includes:

• Feedback - Letters about Super Star Wars, video game mascots, sports games, mail order sales, release dates, batteries in games and more.

• SNES Hi-Tech - The Super Scope's lack of sensitivity to the color red, and Nintendo lists all the reasons you shouldn't play import games and plans encoding games to prevent simple adapters from working.

• Future Play - Coverage of future releases in the U.S. and Japan including R-Type III, G-2, Alien 3, Doremon, Septentrion, Super Air Diver, Y's IV: Mask of the Sun, Art of Fighting, Neugier, Battle Royal, Bio-Metal, Air Management 2, Fatal Fury 2, Tekkaman Blade, Great Battle 3, Kamen Riders-SD, Super Godzilla, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Ren & Stimpy, Crash Dummies, Special Tee Shot, and Superman.

• SNES Tricks - "Tricks of the Trade" section including detailed instruction for how to find the black hole in StarFox, passwords for Tiny Toon Adventures, a stage select for Super Valis IV, secret options for Street Combat, a password to max out your abilities in Best of the Best, car customization for Test Drive 2, how to get 75 lives in Death Valley Rally, and more.

• SNES Review Crew - Reviews of The Lost Vikings, Family Dog, Mechwarrior (more fun on the PC if you ask me), Troddlers, and Dream Probe.

• Game Over - This section would show the ending of games. This month Firepower 2000 is featured.

• Special Feature - A detailed preview of Alien vs. Predator by Activision. There were a lot of unrelated games with this name. This one is a beat 'em up though it is not related to the arcade version by Capcom. There was also a first person shooter game with this name for the Jaguar. All of these were released around the same time period (1994).

• Super Reviews - More detailed reviews of games including Bubsy, StarFox (the first to use the SuperFX chip), Tuff E Nuff (yet another fighting game), Saber Run (never played this one but it reminds me of Strider on the NES a bit, and Mario is Missing (an educational game for kids).

• Super Previews - Previews, only more super... Games featured include Taz-Mania (you play the role of the Tazmanian Devil but this one plays like a racing game), Alien vs. Predator (the Special Feature above), Brawl Brothers (another mediocre fighting game), Rocky Rodent (an obscure side-scrolling adventure game by Irem), Rock & Roll Racing (an excellent racing game featuring a heavy metal sound track and originally developed as a sequel to RPM Racing. and with roots in Racing Destruction Set and R.C. Pro-Am.), Black Bass (seriously, just go fishing), Dracula (based on the movie), Super Baseball 2020 (a futuristic baseball game despite being a bit anachronistic now), P.T.O. (a World War II naval sim/strategy game), Caribbean Kawasaki Challenge (a motorcycle and jet ski racing game), and Wolfchild (a horror themed side-scrolling adventure).

...and more!

Digital Archaeology: Codex (Floppy Disk) #8 (part 2)

Continuing the exploration of the contents of this floppy disk (see the first part here). This disk is from a batch I picked up at a thrift store a number of years ago. As I have been digging through these disks, it has become obvious that at least some of them were once owned by someone named Connie A. Buys who used to run the "Close Encounters" Special Interest Group (SIG) on Delphi in the mid 1980s.

My understanding is that a SIG, as it relates to Delphi, consisted of forums, live chat and files to download centered around a particular topic or theme. In this case, "Close Encounters" was about relationships and sex, particularly as it related to the online world of the day. Everything was text based from whatever terminal program you used to dial in to Delphi's servers. Many of these disks have forum messages, e-mails and chat session logs. All of this is pre-internet stuff and I don't know if there are any archives in existence today of what was on Delphi in the 1980s. In any case, much of this stuff would have been private at the time and some of it is quite personal.

I'm splitting up the contents of this disk (descriptively labeled "File Disk") since it contains a number of documents, some of which are pretty long. The second document I'm posting (DM1001B.DOC) is a series of e-mails, some of which are, um, love letters and some of which are administrative in nature about running the SIG. All are from October 1st, 1985.

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DM1001B.DOC

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 #58          1-OCT-1985 00:08:51                                   
 From:   BOS1A::RODM        
 To:     CABUYS,RODM        
 Subj:   curious!
 
 My Beloved Darling Connie,
  
 I am simply dying of curiousity about something and I hope you don't
 mind my asking and more importantly I hope you don't mind answering.
  
 I was on-line and typing to John Sunday night and he asked if we were
 still together and my reply was "no! All gone! [sigh]" and
 IMMEDIATELY he typed back "brb sending mail" and I would have put
 money on it that he that very instant sent mail to YOU!!
  
 He would disappoint me I THINK if he didn't - SO what I am asking is
 did you get mail from John that was originated at approx. 11 PM
 Sunday!!!
  
 I am NOT asking WHAT it was but just from his behavior I have to
 believe that he was sending it to you!! PLEASE! answer my curiousity!
  
 NOSEY AREN'T I !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
 Love,
  
 Rod
  
 P. S. The entire system [DELPHI] crashed before I could finish
 talking to him!
 
 
 #59          1-OCT-1985 01:23:46                                 
 From:   BOS1A::RODM        
 To:     CABUYS,RODM        
 Subj:   !
 
 My Dearest Delicous Darling Connie,
  
 I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
                                                                   
                                                                    
 Love,                                                              
                                                                    
 Rod                                                                
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
 
 
 #60          1-OCT-1985 01:33:03                                  
 From:   BOS1A::RODM        
 To:     CABUYS,RODM        
 Subj:   !!
 
  RODM>> its past your bedtime - so LET'S go to bed!!!        
 
 My Dearest Delicous Darling Connie,
  
 I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
                                                                   
                                                                    
 Love,                                                              
                                                                    
 Rod                                                                
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
 
 
 #61          1-OCT-1985 01:35:17                                  
 From:   BOS1A::RODM        
 To:     CABUYS,RODM        
 Subj:   real
 
 My Beloved Darling,
 
 I wish I could find some way of telling you just how very much I love
 you!
 
 Talk to you soon!
 
 
 Love, 
 
 Rod

 #3           1-OCT-1985 19:01:20                                     
 From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
 To:     RODM,CABUYS      
 Subj:   flags in Close Encounters sig
 
 
 Sweetheart,
 
 I'm going to set up some flags on your account in Insiders as
 follows:
 
 "A" flag - allows you to edit and delete Forum messages and display
 complete entry log

 "E" flag - allows you to edit announcements and experiment with
 Forms.
 
 "D" flag - allows you to access the database maintenance features.
 
 "V" flag - vendor flag in Shopping.
 
 I will also be forwarding to you some messages from Insiders Sig
 regarding the Forms program.
 
 Experiement as you wish with these flags - however please do keep me
 informed via dmail of any changes you do make.  And by all means
 *don't* let this new toy run your bill up and out of sight!
 
 I'll notify John that I've set up these flags for you but would
 prefer that you not make it public knowledge to others for now.
 
 I love you very, very much!
 
 -Connie
 
 
 #4           1-OCT-1985 19:03:06                                     
 From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
 To:     JOHNMYSELF,CABUYS      
 Subj:   flags
 
 I've set flags A,E,D, and V for Rodm.
 
 I'm not sure yet but I may be setting A & D for Joey if he's
 agreeable.  Will let you know when I do.
 
 I love you!
 
 -Connie
 
 
 #9           1-OCT-1985 21:07:58                                     
 From:   BOS1A::JOHNMYSELF  
 To:     BOS1A::CABUYS,JOHNMYSELF  
 Subj:   RE: flags
 
 I remember a e and d but what is v?
 
 
 #10          1-OCT-1985 22:48:48                                     
 From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
 To:     BOS1A::JOHNMYSELF,CABUYS      
 Subj:   RE: flags
 
 V has to do with Vendors for the shopping area, dear.
 
 Tho I'm not sure *exactly* what it has to do! [sigh]
 

Compute! (October 1983)

Compute! was perhaps the first magazine for home computer users. Not just hobbyists building or putting together their own computers but those wanting to by computers and use commercial software. It concentrated on 6502 based computers in its early days but eventually covered most popular home computers. The October 1983 issue includes:

Compute! (October 1983)