BYTE: The Small Systems Journal (June 1981)

in #retrocomputing • 2 months ago


Cover of the June 1981 issue of Byte

Byte, subtitled 'The Small Systems Journal', initially covered 'small systems'. Generally small business computer and what could be considered home computers though I think they started before that term really existed. The original IBM PC was first introduced in 1981 though I believe that was after this issue was published. The June 1981 issue of Byte includes:

Features

  • Logo for Personal Computers - A preview of two upcoming implementations of the Logo language for personal computers, including TI Logo for the TI-99/4 and Apple Logo for the Apple II. Logo was developed by the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT.

  • Build a Low-Cost Speech Synthesizer Interface - Instructions for building a speech synthesizer. These seemed to be all the rage in the early to mid 1980s.

  • Mathematical Modeling: A BASIC Program to Simulate Real-World Systems - Simulating systems by solving a system of differential equations. This article includes lots of math along with some code.

  • A Computer-Based Laboratory - This article focuses on creating accurate digital timers.

  • CP/M: A Family of 8- and 16-bit Operating Systems - CP/M was the closest thing to a standard operating system that existed for personal computers before the IBM PC and DOS came along. DOS was largely based on CP/M.

  • The UNIX Operating System and the XENIX Standard Operating System - UNIX was the other operating system standard but at the time, this was for larger systems. Xenix was essentially Microsoft's implementation with enhancements.


Table of Contents from the June 1981 issue of Byte

Reviews

  • RAMCRAM Memory Module for the Atari - A 32K RAM expansion module for the Atari 400 for $320 (that's the equivalent of roughly $1100 today).

  • Information Unlimited: The Dialog Information Retrieval Service - An online service accessible via modem and terminal software that offered millions of references and abstracts for searching.

  • Four Word Processors for the Apple II - Reviews of Super-Text II, Write-On! I and II, Datacope Scribe, and EasyWriter and EasyWriter Professional.

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