• Tag Archives Byte

  • Byte (November 1982)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Byte – November 1982

    Byte was probably the best general computer magazine of the 1980s. Many of the early issues could be huge with this one coming in at over 600 pages. The IBM PC had only been introduced the previous year and it was not yet clear that it would set the standard for personal computers. The November 1982 issue includes:

    Features

    • The Third NCGA and the Future of Computer Graphics – A look at the then current state of computer graphics. NCGA stands for National Computer Graphics Association. At the time, even things like color output were a novelty for the average user.
    • Tronic Imagery – A behind the scenes look at computer graphics in Tron. Tron was one of the first movies to make extensive use of computer graphics and it was extremely impressive for its time.
    • Build the Circuit Cellar MPX-16 Computer System, Part 1 – The MPX-16 is a single board computer that you could build yourself from scratch with the information provided in this series of articles. It includes an 8088 processor and IBM PC compatible bus and is capable of running CP/M-86. This was definitely an advanced project. It would be interesting to know how many people actually built these (vs. buying one which was also an option).
    • Problem Solving with Logo – Converting a PL/I graphics design to an Apple II using Apple Logo.
    • Build a Video Digitizer – Instructions for building a $50 interface that allows you to capture video still images in three colors (black, white and gray).
    • Computer Animation with Color Registers – An animation tutorial using BASIC on the Atari 400/800.
    • Victor Victorious: The Victor 9000 – A review of the Victor 9000. It features an 8088 processor, 128K of RAM, two 612K floppy drives, and high resolution monochrome monitor for $4995. It came with both CP/M-86 and MS-DOS. Expansion was expensive. Another 128K of RAM would set you back $800. A 10 MB hard drive cost $4495.
    • An Interview with Chuck Peddle – Chuck Peddle is a legend in early computer design. Not only was he the chief designer of the Victor 9000, but he also worked on the design of the Motorola 6800 and was the chief architect of the MOS 6502 family of chips which were used in the Commodore 64, VIC-20, Apple II, Atari 400/800, and other computers. He also designed the PET.
    • JETSET – A type-in flight simulator written in TRS-80 Model II BASIC.
    • The Game of Rat and Dragon – Control a rat trying to reach a piece of cheese in a maze while avoiding two dragons. This BASIC type-in game also serves as a game design tutorial.
    • An Introduction to the Human Applications Standard Computer Interface, Part 2: Implementing the HASCI Concept – HASCI was a standard with the intent of making computers more useful and usable.
    • A Short History of the Keyboard – A history of keyboard standards and how they developed.
    • User’s Column: Terminals, Keyboards, and How Software Piracy Will Bring Profits to Its Victims – A second look at the Televideo 950 terminal plus reviews of the Heath/Zenith Z-19CN, Compupro Systems 8085/8088 Dual Processor system, Disk Doctor, and more.
    • Inexpensive Transducers for the TRS-80 – The second part in a series on devices that can be used to monitor the real world on the TRS-80.
    • A Graphics Primer – An introduction to graphics on microcomputers.
    • Interactive 3-D Graphics for the Apple II – A tutorial for creating 3D graphics on the Apple II.
    • Microvec: The Other Type of Video – A look at vector displays and a comparison with the more common raster displays. Most people will be familiar with vector displays from certain arcade games (like Asteroids).

    Reviews

    • The Graphics Magician – Animation software for the Apple II.
    • Cambridge Development Lab’s High Resolution Video Graphics System – A high resolution display system for S-100 based computers. High resolution in this case meant 640×482.
    • Executive Briefing System – You could think of this as PowerPoint for the Apple II. It’s designed to create charts and graphics for presentation purposes.
    • Colonial Data Services’ SB-80 – A single board Z80 based CP/M computer. The price with 64K of RAM and two double density drives was $2995.

    Nucleus

    • Editorial: Deus ex Machina of the Technological Age – A look at the fast growing field of microcomputers and portable computers.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about Digital Research’s licensing policies, computers in social sciences, archaeology and microcomputers, and more.
    • Ask BYTE – Questions answered about running the Apple II+ on battery power, the TRS-80 Pocket Computer, leaving computers on, CP/M User’s Groups, using cassettes with computers, and more.
    • BYTELINES – Commodore introduces five new machines, Apple to announce Apple IIE, Z80 sales still strong, Tandy expands distribution, bubble memory growing in popularity, production of illegal copies of the Apple II, and more.
    • What’s New? – A brief look at new products including the NUC-M1401 series of graphics terminals, Plotstar graphics software for CP/M machines, the Peachtree Graphics Language, The Business Graphics System, Graftalk graphics package, an RGB graphics board for the Apple II, Polaroid Videoprinter that turns video signals into instant photos, Teleram3000 portable computer with 128K of bubble memory, and much more.

    …and more!


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  • Byte (October 1978)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Byte – October 1978

    Byte was a long running computer magazine published between the late 1970s and the early 1990s. This issue is “only” around 200 pages but it grew quickly and some issues reached 500 pages and more. The October 1978 issue would have hit the stands almost exactly 46 years ago and includes:

    Foreground

    • No Power For Your Interfaces? – Instructions for building a 5 watt DC to DC converter designed to power add-on boards.
    • A “Tiny” Pascal Compiler, Part 2: The P-Compiler – The second part in a series on creating a Pascal compiler.
    • Testing Memory in BASIC – A BASIC program for testing memory (other than the 8K it is loaded in).
    • First Steps in Computer Chess Programming – A tutorial for creating a chess program using Sargon as an example.
    • Linear Circuit Analysis – An article that presents the fundamentals of a frequency domain linear circuit analysis program. This article gives you flow charts and mathematical equations but you have to write your own program.
    • Solving The Eight Queens Problem – The eight queens problem is a chess puzzle the object of which is to place eight queens on an 8×8 chess board in such a way that no queen can take another. This article presents multiple ways for solving the problem.
    • A Simpler Digital Cassette Tape Interface – A guide to building a simple computer cassette interface. Cassettes were the affordable method of secondary storage before floppy drives became affordable.
    • Souping Up Your SwTPC 6800 – The SWTPC 6800 was one of the first microcomputers based around the Motorola 6800 processor. This article presents a hardware mod to speed up the CPU by 10%.
    • A Novel Bar Code Reader – This idea of scanning a lengthy barcode to input a computer program showed up in byte on a few occasions. This particular implementation of the idea used a turntable and fruit juice can.
    • A Computer Chess Tutorial – Keeping with the theme of this issue, another article on computer chess.

    Background

    • A Memory Pattern Sensitivity Test – An assembly language program that detects pattern sensitivity related errors in memory. These are errors that occur when accessing one area of memory alters another memory location when it contains a certain pattern of bits.
    • PAM/8: A New Approach to Front Panel Design – An article on the design of the front panel firmware of the Heath H8 computer. Of course, the idea of front panels as such would rapidly become obsolete.
    • Assembling The H9 Video Terminal – A terminal was essentially a monitor and keyboard assembly that connected to computers via a serial interface. If you wanted a video display and keyboard input in the early days of computers then this is how it was done. You could buy a terminal fully assembled but given the cost of computer equipment at a time it was common to be able to buy stuff in kit format and assemble it yourself for significant savings. This tutorial covers assembling the H9 Video Terminal which was designed as an accessory for the Heathkit H8 computer though I’m sure it could be used with other machines.
    • Creating a Chess Player – Another chess article. An interesting quote from the article: “In the 1990s, … the compactness and reasoning power of an intelligence built out of silicon will begin to match that of the human brain.”

    Nucleus

    • On Using a Personal Computer for a Practical Purpose – Practical uses for an Apple II in Byte offices includes analyzing reader survey information.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about modular programming, the TRS-80, a KIM-1 timer, resetting the SwTPC 6800, personal computer insurance, and more.
    • Book Reviews – A review of Microprocessor Programming for Computer Hobbyists by Neil Graham.
    • Technical Forum – Discussions on the discovery and use of undocumented op codes and analog computers.
    • Programming Quickies – Short type-in programs for formatting dollars and cents (BASIC), generating mazes (Apple I BASIC), and altering the North Star’s deletion characters (assembly).
    • Product Description: Micro-Scan Corp Bar Code Scanner – A technical look at the BCS-1 hand held bar code scanner.
    • What’s New – A look at new products including Microchess 1.5 for the TRS-80, a new accounts receivable package for CP/M based machines, the Boris chess computer, Tiny BASIC extended for the North Star, Star Wars game for 8080 based machines, a PDP-8 Simulator for 8080 machines, and more.

    …and more!


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  • Byte (May 1993)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Byte – May 1993

    Byte was probably the best multi-format computer magazines from the 1970s all the way until the early 1990s. Byte’s coverage tended to be a little more technical that other mainstream magazines. The May 1993 issue includes:

    Cover Story

    • Intel Launches Rocket in a Socket – An introduction to Intel’s new Pentium processor. At introduction, the fastest Pentium (66 MHz) was about twice as fast as the 486 DX2-66. The first systems would be announced in May but these would be mostly expensive workstation and server class machines. More affordable Pentium systems wouldn’t really be available until 1994.

    News

    • Microbytes – Researchers build first general purpose optical computer, first Mac clones, British company develops 1 GB CDs, plug and play for ISA, and more.
    • First Impressions: AutoCAD Draws on Windows – A look at AutoCAD Release 12 which was the first version for Windows (3.1).
    • A Heavy-Hitting Unix for PCs – A first look at Solaris 2.1 for Intel based PCs.
    • NetWare 4.0 – A look at the latest version of NetWare which was a network based OS. Windows and Linux server OS variants have since taken over the tasks NetWare used to do.
    • Canon’s NoteJet 486 – An interesting 486 based laptop that includes a built-in printer.
    • HP LaserJet 4Si and HP LaserJet 4Si – Reviews of two network laser printers from HP.
    • PagePlus 2.0 – Review of a low cost desktop publishing package.
    • Compel – A review of presentation software with multimedia features.
    • Painter 2.0 – An art program for Windows.
    • What’s New – The DTR-1, a handheld 486SLC based computer that runs DOS and Windows 3.1 with a pen interface; Tangent and Diamond Technologies releases PCs with both EISA and VLB interfaces; PST-MO128 rewritable magneto-optical drive; two new color scanners; SmartLink V.32bis Fax Modem; VIP-C programming environment for the Mac; Magic 5.0 visual application development system; POET object-oriented database for C++; and much more.

    Features

    • Oberon: A Glimpse of the Future – A look at an object-oriented operating system.

    State of the Art

    • Should Encryption Be Regulated – I always thought this was a dumb debate. The answer is obviously no. Otherwise encryption isn’t very useful.
    • Stealth Virus Attacks – A look at new viruses that use stealth to attack network computers.
    • Resource Guide: Virus Protection for Networks – An overview of available anti-virus software.

    Reviews

    • Lab Report: Hands-On Testing 126 Printers – A massive survey of dot-matrix, laser, ink-jet, and portable printers.
    • Making the MPC Upgrade – A look at ten different kits to make your PC multimedia compliant as well as complete multimedia systems. Upgrade kits generally included a sound card, CD-ROM drive and sometimes speakers.
    • Personable PIMs – An overview of Personal Information Managers. These days, everybody uses Outlook and/or their phones for these tasks.
    • Banyan’s “StreetTalk for NetWare” – Software designed to simplify administration of multiserver NetWare networks.
    • Windows Video Recorders – A look at video capture cards for windows from AITech, Matrox, Creative Labs and others. These cost between $500 and $1500 and peaked at 320×240 resolution.
    • Tape Backup on the Go – A look at four portable (external) tape backup drives including the Colorado Jumbo Trakker 250, Iomega Tape250, Micro Solutions Backpack, and SDI Model 250P.
    • Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3.4 for DOS – The latest iteration of this spreadsheet software that was arguably the first killer app for computers.

    Hands On

    • Under the Hood: Computing on Wheels – A look at the latest computer technology being used in cars.
    • Some Assembly Required: The Power of Inheritance – A tutorial for using multiple inheritance in C++ programs.
    • Beyond DOS: Getting a Handle on Windows NT – A look at Microsoft’s new Windows NT operating system from a developer’s point of view.

    Opinions

    • User’s Column: Once More into the Breach – Commentary on protectionism, plus a look at UPSes, Intel OverDrive processor, and more.
    • Stop Bit: Losing the Human Edge – An article on how computers are getting better than humans at games.
    • Letters – Letters from readers on topics such as OS/2, the trend towards GUIs, computer language translation, and more.

    …and more!


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