Cover Home Computer Magazine Vol. 5, No. 5 (1985)
Home Computer Magazine started life as 99’er which was a magazine dedicated to the Texas Instruments TI-99/4A computer. However, that computer was discontinued in 1983, a victim of a price war with Commodore, and shortly afterwards 99’er became Home Computer Magazine. HCM exclusively covered the TI-99/4A, Apple II, VIC-20, Commodore 64, IBM-PC, and Atari 8-bit computers. However, Home Computer Magazine only lasted about two years in this incarnation.
Volume 5, Number 5 of Home Computer Magazine (from 1985) included the following:
Features
- NanoProcessor - This type-in program is a visual simulation of a CPU. It provides a visualization of the effect of machine language commands. There are versions of this program for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, PC/PCjr and TI-99/4A.
- Electronic Typewriter - A simple word processor that simulates a typewriter. Type-in versions are provided for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64 and PC/PCjr.
- TI Card-Trix - A program for creating and printing 3x5" index cards for the TI-99/4A.
- The Plains of Salisbury - A mini-King Arthur themed turn-based war game with a 3 screen map. Versions are included for the Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit, PC/PCjr and TI-99/4A.
- Vital Signs - A cardio-vascular simulator. You can alter things like air quality and activity level to see the effects on bondy temperature, blood pressure, etc. Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, PC/PCjr and TI-99/4A versions all included.
- Apple Seedlings - Frequency Blender for the Apple II. This program allows you to create and combine waveforms by specifying frequency and amplitude.
- Commodore Hornblower - Ring Modulation & Synchronization - working with the SID chip on the Commodore 64 to create various sound effects.
- IBMpressions - Creating 3D graphics on the IBM PC/PCjr using shadow effects.
Table of Contents from Home Computer Magazine Vol. 5, No. 5 (1985)
Product Reviews
- Home Print Studio - A review of several desktop publishing type programs including Fontrix (Apple II, PC/PCjr), The Print Shop (Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64), Graphx (TI-99/4A), Fontmaster (Commodore 64), The Printographer (Apple II), Printworks (PC/PCjr, Tandy 1000), Fancy Font (PC/PCjr), Facelift (Apple II, Commodore 64, PC/PCjr), and Select-A-Font (PC/PCjr). To my recollection, The Print Shop was by far the most popular of these.
- Listen to the Mockingbird - The Mockingboard was a sound card and speech synthesizer (depending on the version you purchased) for the Apple II. The Apple II did not have a sophisticated sound chip like the Atari and Commodore 64.
- Music Synthesizer - A music composition program for the TI-99/4A. It does not get a very positive review here.
- Music Construction Set - A music composition program by Electronic Arts for the Apple II, Macintosh, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, and PC/PCjr.
Table of Contents from Home Computer Magazine Vol. 5, No. 5 (1985)
Departments
- On Screen - What's new in HCM including new debugging aids for type-in programs and a new "Soundbytes" column.
- Letters to the Editor - Various questions and requests from readers including a request for Atari coverage (which started this issue), a letter about a bug in a date calculation, a question about telecommunicating with the Commodore 64 and more.
- HCM Product News - News about new and upcoming products including Computereyes for the Atari 8-bit, the Axiom SLP printer, X-10 interfaces for the Commodore 64 and Apple II and much more.