Compute!’s Gazette (January 1989)

Source: Compute!’s Gazette – Issue Number 67 – January 1989

Compute!’s Gazette was a spin-off of the main Compute! magazine. Whereas Compute! covered many computers, Gazette was dedicated to the Commodore 8-bit line (mostly the Commodore 64). It was one of the most popular Commodore 64 magazines, at least in the U.S. The January 1989 issue includes:

Features

A Guided Tour of Major Online Services – A look at the major online services of the time and their usage with a Commodore 64/128. Services covered include CompuServe, Delphi, Dow Jones News/Retrieval, GEnie, PlayNET, QuantumLink, People/Link, and The Source.

How to Get Published (and Make Money) – A guide to getting your programs published and making money with them.

Reviews

Pool of Radiance – One of my favorite RPGs and the first official Dungeons and Dragons computer game. Later games in the series improved upon this one but this is still my favorite.

Bubble Ghost – In this arcade game you play the role of a ghost guide a bubble through a variety of rooms with multiple obstacles.

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing – Software to teach you how to type, one of the best skills I ever learned.

The Games – Summer Edition – Another Olympic sports game from Epyx. They were all pretty great and this one is no exception.

Games

Disc Blitz – A type-in horizontal shooter mostly written in BASIC.

Bombardment – A type-in two-player game in which you try to shoot each other. A bit reminiscent of Combat.

Jewel Grab – A type-in game in which you must collect jewels on the far side of the moon while avoiding obstacles and enemies.

Programming

Smooth Scrolling Windows – A machine language routine that can be used from your BASIC programming to create pop-up windows with smooth scrolling text.

Deluxe Input – A machine language routine that gives you more advanced input options in your BASIC programs.

128 Animator – A type-in program for the Commodore 128 that lets you create animations.

Smart Disassembler – A type in disassembler that translates addresses to meaningful labels when applicable.

Handy Filer – A type-in simple database program to help you keep track of things.

The Programmer’s Page: Shorter, Faster, Better – An easy way to check whether a number is odd or even, a shorter way to switch between 40 and 80 column mode on the Commodore 128, instantly clear the Hi-Res screen from BASIC, and more.

BASIC for Beginners: More Disk BASIC – Part two of a series on using files with a demo program that creates wish-lists. Discussed this month are adding items to a list, saving the list to disk, loading the list from disk, deleting items from the list, displaying the list on the screen and printing the list.

Machine Language Programming: String Passing – How to move strings around in machine language.

Departments

The Editor’s Note – Some interesting Commodore statistics are given. In 1988, the European market represented 70% of Commodore’s sales with Commodore controlling 80% of the consumer computer market in West Germany and second only to IBM in business. Their numbers were nearly as good in Switzerland, Australia and Canada among other places though they weren’t doing quite as well in the U.S. where PCs were already taking over.

Letters to the Editor – Letters about using both an Amiga and a Commodore 64, Term Paper Writer for the Commodore 128, problems with the Commodore 128D, and more.

Commodore Clips: News, Notes, and New Products – geoChart released for GEOS, Ticket to Hollywood released by Blue Lion Software, Camerica Freedom Stick for the C64, new version of Taxaid tax preparation software, Who Framed Roger Rabbit game based on the movie released by Buena Vista Software, and much more.

Feedback – Readers ask about alphabetizing SpeedCheck dictionary, disk drives and memory, testing for printer availability, connecting multiple computers to a single disk drive, and more.

User Group Update – Nearly 20 new listings for user groups in the U.S. and several international ones as well.

Horizons: The Brain’s Tricks – The Commodore 64 vs. your brain.

D’Iversions: Where in the World? – Programs on the Commodore 64 that teach geography, including Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (and other games in the series) and Ticket to Hollywood (and other games in the series).