Source: PC Magazine – August 7, 1984
Cover Stories
- Framework: An Outline for Thought – A windowing software package that provides outlining functions.
- Symphony: A Community of Information – An integrated software package from Lotus that provides spreadsheet, telecommunications, word processing and more.
Features
- The Sharp PC-5000 – A “lap-size” portable computer. For about $2000 you get a DOS compatible machine with 128KB of RAM and an 8-line 80-column display. Options include 3.5″ disk drives, 5.25″ disk drives, built-in printer, 128K bubble memory cartridge, 64K RAM cartridges and more.
- CP/M and DOS: At Home in the Kaypro 4 Plus 88 – Kaypro’s latest portable Z-80 based computer. This one featured a co-processor board with an additional 256K that could be used to run DOS programs. All for $2500.
- Project: Database, Part 5 – The 5th in a seven part series on database packages. This part covers Formula II, Manager Version 4.0, Dataease, The Sensible Solution, probase, Metafile Version 7.0, and Pro-Matic.
- Inventory Management for Retailers – A look at GPS’s Inventory Management with Point of sale Invoicing system.
- NewWord: A WordStar Double at Less than Half the Price – NewWord is a word processor that basically functioned as a WordStar clone. It’s big advantage was price at “only” $249.
- New Power for Constructing Financial Models – A review of the Encore! financial modeling language package from Ferox Microsystems. It was sort of a more complex spreadsheet system.
- Better Business BASIC – A look at two different BASIC packages including Applications BASIC from Soft Gold and Thoroughbred Operating System from SMC Software Systems.
- The BASIC for Professionals – A review of Professional BASIC (PBASIC). It was mostly compatible with GWBASIC but added visual programming and debugging tools.
Pro Columns
- Micro-Biology – A programs that functions as a database designed to keep track of patient specimens and results.
- Trainerless Training: Drifting Off Course – A interactive PC training course from Cdex that isn’t very interactive.
- The PC Remedy for a Hospital’s Ills – A case study of a Texas health-care center transitioned to an in-house computer system.
- Micro Insurance – A look at various types of computer insurance that are available.
- Get SET for Speed – A tutorial on using the SET command and the environment feature of DOS to speed up DOS commands.
- A Publisher’s Circulation File – How one publisher uses a database to build a circulation management file compatible wit the requirements of the Postal Service.
Departments
- PC News – Compaq’s new PC compatible machine, IBM cuts prices, Canon introduces PC compatible machine, Atari discusses 1090XL expansion system, and much more.
- A Satisfying Way to Deal with Bugs – Convincing manufacturers to fix buggy programs.
- A Modest Proposal on Compatibility – Using an install program and customized screen drivers to improve software compatibility.
- PC Arcade: Hardhats and Bows – Reviews of Hard Hat Mack and Ms. Pac-Man.
- New on the Market – A look at new products including the BUSSter A64R Digital Input Module, Plan 2000 network system, the DP-9725B Color Printer, Word-Jr word processor for the IBM PCjr, Windows for C programming tool for writing windowed programs, and much more.
- User-to-User – Questions and answers about date processing algorithms, including a couple of calendar programs written in BASIC.
- PC Tutor – Questions answered about shifting characters on startup, controlling keyboard modes, using different kinds of monitors, printing with the Displaywriter 5218 daisy wheel printer, and more.
…and more!
