Byte (December 1983)

Byte (December 1983)

I used to think that no magazine, certainly no computer magazine, could compare to the size that Computer Shopper reached. However, there are some early magazines that give it a run for its money. For instance, the December 1983 issue of Byte comes in somewhere around a mind boggling 660 pages. Most novels aren't nearly that large. While there were of course a lot of ads, there was also a lot of contents, some of which includes:

Columns

• Keep Power-Line Pollution Out of Your Computer - A guide to building a powerline transient and noise suppressor.


• BYTE West Coast: Microsoft Windows - While Windows didn't really take off until version 3.0, the earliest versions still offered among the cheapest ways to use a GUI and mouse. Originally, Windows only required two 320K floppy disk drives and 192KB of RAM on an IBM PC.

Themes

• An Introduction to Integrated Software - The concept of integrated software existed long before the modern office suite. This article discusses three levels of integration: concurrency, shared technology and functional integration.


• Presentation and Form in User-Interface Architecture - The dichotomy of needing simpler user interfaces even as software gets more complex.


• Why is Software So Hard to Use? - In summary, creating easy to use software requires significant extra effort.


• Walt Disney and User-Oriented Software - How effective communication is the key to making great software.


• Making Life Easier for Professional and Novice Programmers - The evolution of programming tools and how visual tools will make programming easier.


• Simplify, Simplify, Simplify - How software design should emphasize logical design over technology.


• Integrating Voice in the Office World - How voice recognition and "voice as data" was expected to simplify the user interface in the business world.


• The Starburst User Interface - A look at Micropro's Starburst, a software package for implementing efficient menu designs.

_{Table of Contents from the December 1983 issue of Byte}

Review

• The Texas Instruments Professional Computer - While sharing similar hardware to an IBM PC, the TI Professional Computer was not compatible. A strategy described as "brave" here but not one that would ultimately lead to success.


• The ATR8000 - The ATR8000 was a peripheral for Atari 8-bit computers that could add CP/M and DOS compatibility.


• The Hercules Graphics Card - A graphics card for the IBM PC that added monochrome graphical capabilities. This would become a standard.

_{Table of Contents from the December 1983 issue of Byte (continued)}

Features

• Color Graphics from Any Computer - An article about recording color computer images on film including code examples.


• Mainframe to Micro: Adapting a Financial-Modeling Language - While the emphasis is on a financial modeling language, this article covers various issues with moving from mainframes to micro-computers.


• POKEing Around in the IBM PC, Part 2: Subroutines for the BIOS Interface and Screen-Display Disk Storage - The second of a two-part series on accessing IBM PC BIOS routines from BASIC programs.


• The CMOS 6502 - A new version of the 6502 processor that is more power efficient and includes new instructions.

Nucleus

• Editorial: Christmas in Chapter XI - It was a volatile time in the computer industry and this editorial points out that one of the things you should consider when buying computer hardware is whether or not the company you were buying from would likely still be in business in a year.


• MICROBYTES - IBM announces two versions of PCjr to be delivered in 1984; IBM announces color printer; National Semiconductor ships samples of new 32032 microprocessor; Wester Design Center begins test production of 65816 CPU; Wang introduces digitizing image scanner; Shugart introduce $6000 optical drive with 1 gigabyte of storage (non-erasable)...disks cost $150 each; and more.


• Letters - Letters from readers about the HP-75 portable computer, the Epson HX-20 (an early laptop), Unix, the TRS-80 Model 12 and Model 16, and more.


• BYTE's Bits - IBM PC announces the PCjr, what would ultimately be a failed attempt at creating a low cost "home computer", plus the new IBM XT/370 and IBM 3270.

_{Back cover of the December 1983 issue of Byte}

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