Source: 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.

• The Complete Information-Management System – A look at the history of software integration and the ultimate goal.

• The Allegory of Software – Various software metaphors are discussed though the “desktop” is the only one that seemed to have ever really mattered.

• The New Interface Technology – How new hardware and software are combining to make interfaces that are more efficient. Primarily, this refers to GUIs like Microsoft Windows and the Apple Lisa OS though it also includes things like touchscreens.

• Trackball Interfacing Techniques for Microprocessors – Trackballs were finally reaching the point of affordability. This article discusses a way to build an inexpensive interface for one.

• The User Interface: Two Approaches – Two user interface philosophies are discusses.

• The Future of Metaphor in Man-Computer Systems – Looking at the future of user interfaces by considering what makes a watch a watch (i.e. how digital and analog watches are both immediately recognizable as watches while operating in completely different ways).

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.

• The Wang Professional Computer – Another computer that was PC like and ran MS-DOS 2.0 but was not PC compatible. It came with word processing software which was something Wang was known for.

• In Search of the Most Amazing Thing – Review of this adventure game that was available for the IBM PC, Apple, Atari, and Commodore 64.

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.

• A Tiger Meets a Dragon – A look at the mathematical properties of Dragon Curves and a program to print them from a TRS-80 Model I to a IDS Paper Tiger printer.

• A Computer-Algebra-Based Calculating System – A calculator that includes automatic unit conversion.

• The User Looks at Books – Reviews of several books on CP/M, Pascal, C, and Ada.

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.

• User to User – Converting Pascal programs to Modula-2, the Sage and Modula-2, Vector Graphics equipment and software, the Ex-Mon monitor adapter for the Osborne 1, the TI-99/4A, S-100 bus replacement, CP/M vs. TRSDOS, and more.

• Ask BYTE – Building an interface between the Apple II Plus and Teletype Model 33ASR terminal, the 6301 microprocessor, IMSAI manuals, setting for the ECM-103 modem, and more.

…and much more!