Source: Commodore User – Issue Number 6 – March 1984

Commodore User was a long running magazine published in the U.K. that covered the VIC-20, Commodore 64 and other Commodore computers. The first issue was published in October 1983 and the final issue was published in February 1990 for a total of 77 issues. The March 1984 issue includes:

• Eye on Commodore – Intrepid Commodore-watcher Henry Deckhand visited the recent Which Computer Show to check out any and every product linked, however tenuously, to our world.
• Insuring your home computer – From Burglary to a manic coffee-cup, your micro needs protection. Bohdan Buciak has been wading through the small-print of insurance policies to come up with some viable alternatives.
• Lightpens reviewed – Lightpens might appear to be very attractive devices, but they do carry a weighty price-tag. What can they do? Are they worth the money? We put three through their paces.
• User Profile: Fred Reid and the Fretful Pet – Fred Reid’s enthusiasm for building and repairing guitars is matched only by his passion for computers. Bohdan Buciak went along to his diminutive workshop to find out how an ageing Pet helps to make his guitars sound better.
• Letter from America: a miscellany of Vic tidbits – Vic enthusiast Mike Apsey (“who needs a 64?”) has been using Vics of various demeanor for a while now. We prevailed on him to assemble a potpourri of tips and tricks from what he’s learned.
• Screen Scene for the Vic – Our regular round up of Vic games.
• Forth on the Vic – Richard Hunt reviews The Complete Forth by Alan Winfield: a tome for both the novice and the seasoned Forth programmer – it’s British, and it’s good too!
• Go with Gortek – Gortek and the Microchips is the first of Commodore’s unique Basic programming series for youngsters. A good story, fun to use, effective teaching…we helped Gortek fend off the nasty Zitrons.
• Victuals – Get in tune for Monte Carlo – Give the function keys some meaning…and more!
• Screen scene for the 64 – Our reviewers with Joystick Thumb and Blistered Fingers report from the 64 games room.
• WP road test: Paperclip 64 reviewed – Chris Durham continues his mammoth word processing roundup with a critical look at Paperclip for the 64. It’s a little pricey but displays a wealth of features.
• Another Extended Basic – Mike Todd has already looked at Simons’ and BC Basic. Now he gets to grips with Ultrabasic 64, similarly promising enhancements for the Basic on the 64.
• Retail management on tape? – Most business software for the 64 comes on disk, but Quick Count sells its Bookkeeping System for the Cash Trader on tape. Tony Harrington blew the dust off his datasette to check its program.
• Tommy’s Tips – Another interesting batch of elucidations straight from Tommy Towers. This time, Tommy’s dealing with variables, hi-res graphics and joystick operations.

…and more!

Source: Commodore Format – Issue Number 56 – May 1995

Commodore Format was a popular but very late magazine dedicated to the Commodore 64 published in the U.K. The first issue was not published until late 1990. However, despite this, it had a relatively long life lasting well into the mid 1990s. The May 1995 issue includes:

Features

• Get animated! – Inside everyone there’s a budding Walt Disney. Untap your hidden potential
• Grin and repair it! Part II – Do you run to the casualty department with a cold? Do you ignore gaping, gushing wounds? Course not! Jason Finch talks you through diagnosing a sick C64, assessing the gravity of the situation and suggests remedial action – where appropriate.

Reviews

• Games arena – Andy Roberts straps on his ungainly yet protective reviewer’s helmet to visit the unpredictable world of the latest C64 games.
• Be calculating! – GEOS is a neat windows and menus-based system, but what’s it like to actually work with? Andrew Fisher brings you GeoCalc and shows you how powerful and easy it really is.

Games

• Games round-up II – Andy Roberts sorts the wheat from the chaff, and eventually sees the wood for the trees.
• Public Domain – The world of all-you-can-get-for-almost-nothing. Andy Roberts goes in and returns, triumphant.

Serious

• True ROM-antics – Baffled by the error messages. Read this.
• Techie tips – Problem plus Jason Finch equals solution.

Regulars

• C64 News – Info from the around the C64 world, presented in bite-sized chunks just for you.
• The Mighty Brain / C64 Directory – Your letters, TMB’s replies. Also your one-stop guide to whom to contact, C64-speaking.
• Well ‘ard III – RAMLink – store/load/access data quicker.
• Buy-a-rama – Buy, sell or just simply interact with your peers.
• Contact Points – Clubs and essential reading for C64 users.
• On The Powerpack…
• Frost – Learn to animate with this powerful, yet easy-to-use utility. It’s neat, fast and your imagination is the only limit, almost.
• Harrier – Flying a jump jet has never been such fun, especially during war.
• Space War – 3D blasting action is all yours in this fun game.
• Superstrike – Trigger finger not tired yet? Then try this manic shoot-’em-up for size. But wait a minute – no one’s saying it’s going to be easy.
• Darkest Road (Part II) – Darkest Road is a chilling fantasy text adventure which is sure to set your pulse a-rattlin’ and your brain a-thinkin’.

…and more!