Cover of the October 1985 issue of Byte
Byte was among the earliest computer magazines. It was published from 1975 until 1998. It covered a wide range of computers through its life. The October 1985 issue includes:
Features
- Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar: Build The SB180 Single-Board Computer Part 2: The Software - This single board computer is small enough to fit inside a kids' metal lunchbox of the type common in the 1980s. There is a photo of this one in a Fraggle Rock lunchbox. This computer is based on the HD64180 which is a successor of the Z80. The first article discussed the hardware while this one discusses software. The operating system chosen was Z-System which was compatible with CP/M 2.2 but with additional enhancements.
- EGO: A Homebuilt CPU, Part 2: The Hardware - Part 2 of a step by step guide to the design of a CPU.
- Programming Project: Building a Computer in Software - Designing a virtual machine.
- Skycam: An Aerial Robotic Camera System - A look at the computer controlled cameras that traverse wires in stadiums to give an aerial view. I guess these were relatively new at the time.
- Programming Insight: Simulating The Normal Distribution - A BASIC program for sampling bell curves.
- Programming Insight: IBM PC Joystick Control Using Turbo Pascal - Examples of joystick control using Pascal with inline assembly for higher resolution.
- Why Models Go Wrong - The importance of getting logic, statistics, and measurement all correct in a model.
- The Problem of Overfitting Data - A mathematical model to help you determine when to stop adding terms to a model.
- Testing Large-Scale Simulations - How to validate large simulations using TAC THUNDER as an example.
- Analyzing Government Policies - Using Lotus 1-2-3 for economic modeling.
- Simulating The Arms Race - A model based on weapons stockpiles.
- Fighting Fire With Technology - Using dBASE II and a Texas Instruments portable computer to help determine arson risk.
- The Ericsson Personal Computer - An IBM compatible PC with an 8088 CPU, 256K of RAM, and two 5.25" 360K floppy drives for $3295 or with one floppy and a 10MB hard drive for $5230.
- The Stearns Desktop Computer - This PC includes an 8 MHz 8086 CPU, 128K RAM, and two 360K drives for $2995.
- The Portable STM Personal Computer - This "portable" PC includes an 80186 CPU @ 8 MHz, 256K RAM, and two 360K disk drives (or optionally two 720K disk drives), and a built-in electroluminescent display for $2759.
- BetterBASIC - A powerful version of BASIC from Summit Software Technology.
- TLC-LISP - An implementation of LISP for 8086/8088 based machines running PC-DOS, MS-DOS, CPM-86, or Concurrent DOS.
- GPSS/PC - A version of General Purpose Simulation System from IBM for the PC. Originally, this was software than only ran on mainframes.
- The Toshiba P1340 Printer - An $800 dot-matrix printer capable of speeds up to 120 characters per second.
- Computing at Chaos Manor: The Lord of the Manor Moves Upstairs - Includes a look at a variety of products including the Kaypro 286i, AT&T Unix PC, Ampro Little Board, XyWrite, and more.
- According to Webster: Commodore's Coup - A look at Commodore's impressive new Amiga along with some other products including Lattice C, Aztec C, ClickArt, Mac Spell Right, and more.
- BYTE U.K.: Computers as Consultants - A look at some Expert Systems from the U.K. including Expert-Ease and Tess.
- BYTE Japan: The Tokyo Microcomputer Show - A look at some new computers in Japan including the NEC PC-98XA, NEC PC-980IU2, the HP-9807, and more.
- Editorial: Building BIX With Micros - BIX was a online service offered by Byte that included e-mail and conference functionality among other features. This article is about its initial and future design.
- Microbytes - Sony and Toshiba to start producing 3.5" high density disks; Tandy Model 100 laptops cause instrument malfunctions on at least two airplanes; Novix ships NC4000P (Forth Microprocessor) Beta-Board; Acorn Computers announces the Acorn Risc Chip (ARM); IRS to test electronic returns in three cities next year; and more.
- What's New - A brief look at new products including the Sharp PC-7000 Portable, TurboTower Jr. Three-User System, Nixdorf 8810/25 CPC, a modem for cell phones, MPC-128 Coprocessor Board, IBM PC 80286 Processor, and much more.
- Ask BYTE - Readers ask about ways to avoid telemarketing calls, flux removal, music synthesizers, building a computer clock for the Apple II, multiuser computers, and more.
Table of Contents from the October 1985 issue of Byte
Themes
Reviews
Table of Contents from the October 1985 issue of Byte (continued)
Kernel
Back cover of the October 1985 issue of Byte
...and much more!
Check out some of my other recent posts:
Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (309-312)
https://ecency.com/@darth-azrael/vintage-photos-lot-6-309
Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (305-308)
https://ecency.com/@darth-azrael/vintage-photos-lot-6-305
Compute! (August 1984)
https://ecency.com/@darth-azrael/compute-august-1984
Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (301-304)
https://ecency.com/@darth-azrael/vintage-photos-lot-6-301
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Wordpress: https://www.megalextoria.com/wordpress
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Books I am reading or have recently read:
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling.
Thomas Cromwell: A Revolutionary Life by Diarmaid MacCulloch.
Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson.
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